A docuseries filmed along the Dawson Trail, including in Southeast Manitoba communities, is soon to premiere.
About the docuseries
Red River Gold is a 3 Story Picture production.
In a press release, the film group says many elements were filmed in rural Manitoba, including in Ste. Anne, Richer, Falcon Lake, and Northwest Angle.
"We've been working on it for over two years now," says Pierrette Sherwood, the director and founder of the Dawson Trail Arts and Heritage Tour.
"It's the story of some treasure hunters actually looking for over $1 million worth of lost British gold coins that a soldier of the expeditionary forces lost along the Dawson Trail," she says.
The payload is said to have been intended for soldiers that were to confront Louis Riel and the Métis during the Red River Resistance.
It has never been recovered.
"It's kind of an exciting tale, and one that has survived many generations, so I believe that there is probably an element of truth to it," Sherwood says.
More than just about the money
Sherwood says, just as exciting as the premise of the show is, so is the ability to share insights about the people, events and places that have contributed to the Dawson Trail's history.
"The story of the Dawson Trail was pretty much dormant for over 150 years, despite its significance in the chapters of history," she says.
Not only does the trail sport a diverse landscape, and hundreds of plant species which have shocked prominent historical botanists, but she says it used to be a traditional wintering ground for First Nations prized for its abundance of game, and was the path for immigrants travelling westward.
Construction of the trail was also a huge feat, she says, with nearly 120km of corduroy roads built along much of the trail made of felled trees which were layered on one another. These roads helped navigate through swamp lands or "muskeg."
"There's just so much nostalgia I guess you would call it," she says.
In sharing the history of the Dawson Trail, Sherwood says that the stories of local communities on it will also be shared.
Meaningful moments
There are many stories to be shared within Red River Gold, but also new ones that were created during the series' filming and interviews, Sherwood says.
For instance, she has unburied her own treasures throughout the production process.
"I found out that my own great grandfather, who was Métis, worked and traveled along the trail which I didn't know before, so that's been interesting," she says.
Many seem to have deep roots and ties to the trail, like this she says.
That includes Julie Carver, one of the docuseries' guests.
"(She was) the great, great granddaughter of a First Nations guide in the late 1800s," Sherwood says. "He ended up saving a family from a fire close to Richer, and his name was Cashawa."
Sherwood says Carver was encouraged by a local resident to go to the Dawson Trail Museum and find more information about her ancestor.
When she asked about Cashawa, staff shared that they had an entire trail marker dedicated to his story, remembering him as a great hero.
"She got all teary eyed, and of course, she then turns around and I introduced her to Roger Godard, a local Métis elder... who would not have been here today if it hadn't been for her great, great grandfather," Sherwood says.
"The more we search, the more we find. Every rock that we turn, we unveil these wonderful gems and stories that connect the trail to the communities, and the residents, and families."
Looking forward to the premiere
Sherwood urges residents to soak up the series when it comes out on May 5 on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN).
"I'd like them to appreciate the influence of, and what First Nation communities, including the Métis people, contributed to the story. But I'd also love for the entire community at large to have a sense of healthy pride towards this chapter of Canadian history," she says.
"Get out and enjoy it because it's a wonderful trail, and we've put a lot of effort into it, and it's got so many different facets to it. It's just a really fun story."
She says the fact that the APTN network is airing the series makes it incredibly special, given they highlight the voices of Indigenous people.
"It's a thrill really, because I mean this this whole exercise, to be honest, has been a journey into truth and reconciliation," Sherwood says. "That is entirely in-line with the priorities that we have always had, and have been committed to, in this project."
The English version of the series will be the first to premiere, and the Michif version is expected to premiere on APTN Languages in the fall of 2025.
To learn more about the vibrant history of the Dawson Trail, go to Treasures of the Dawson Trail's website at dawsontrailtreasures.ca.