Jun 4, 2024
Representation is important. When young people see themselves reflected in a positive manner in the media, it instills them with confidence and inspires them to reach for their dreams. Yet the latest data shows that while Indigenous representation increased by 100% between 2021 and 2022, overall numbers still remain well below population parity. In fact, only 1% of shows across all platforms feature an Indigenous person as a lead or recurring character.
Wapanatahk Media aims to change this. The Indigenous-founded, female-led production company is best known for its Indigenous female-led docuseries, Dr. Savannah: Wild Rose Vet on APTN. The series, which stars a Métis veterinarian in rural Alberta, Canada, highlights authentic contributions Indigenous women are making to their communities. Wapanatahk Media is also focused on creating opportunities for Indigenous People to break into the industry by intentionally employing Indigenous production staff and providing apprenticeship opportunities to Indigenous students.
The cofounders of Wapanatahk Media are Tania Koenig-Gauchier, who is Métis/Cree, and Shirley McLean, who is of Tlingit and Tagish descent and a member of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation in the Yukon. They started the company in early 2021 with a mission of uplifting new Indigenous voices – instead of focusing on the negative, trauma-informed Indigenous stories that have historically been told in mainstream media. In 2022, they both were included on a list of the Top 25 Women of Influence in Canada.