INUVIK
Filmmaker Dennis Allen returned to his hometown earlier this month to share his story of addiction.

Filmmaker Dennis Allen returned to his hometown of Inuvik on Nov. 20 to screen his film Crazywater as part of National Addictions Awareness Week. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo

Allen screened one of his latest offerings at the Aurora Campus Nov. 20 to help mark National Addictions Awareness Week.

'Crazywater' traces the stark and painful history of substance abuse among aboriginal peoples in North America, particularly alcoholism.

It also was a catharsis of sorts for Allen, who has long fought his own demons of addiction.

"I grew up here in Inuvik and during that time it was no secret that native peoples have troubles with alcohol," Allen said in a frank and brutally honest introduction to the film. "I always say there's not one native person who hasn't been affected by alcohol. Either you're one yourself, or you're married to one, or were (parented) by one or your brother's one or your uncle's one or you know somebody in jail because of it.

"I myself had a problem with alcohol right from the start, right from the very first drink I had."

He had that first drink while around the age of 10, after an acquaintance had stolen some church wine, Allen said.

He immediately "felt the buzz and rush" of alcohol, and he liked it far too much.

"That's what it was like growing up. Some people can't understand why people have trouble with addiction issues. It was all around us as we were growing up and we were born into it. That was my case. I was born into it."

Allen said the problem festers because of the shame associated with addictions like alcoholism. He said no one wants to be the "drunk native."

"We don't talk about it. It's such a shameful topic that we don't want to talk about it. We just keep it inside and it creates a sickness.

"Addiction starts at home, it starts with your family. For years I denied it. I was always scared to talk about my dad, and talk about what I saw as a kid."

That sense of shame was alluded to by several speakers during a question and answer session following the screening.

"It's not easy to talk about, that's for sure," Allen said. "But the more we talk about it, the more we get it out."

He said he stopped drinking in 1992, "although I didn't sober up until later."

"When I first quit drinking I had a hell of a time with anxiety, with depression, with anger, with rage. I bounded from one addiction to another. I couldn't settle down until I picked up a book called Crazywater.

"I picked up that book and it was all about native people talking about alcohol, which I had always wanted to do, and the book gave me the key and it gave me the right to start talking about my addictions."

He pitched the idea to the National Film Board and they readily accepted the concept of turning the book into a movie.

The film kept the audience captivated, and precipitated a lengthy discussion.

Paula Lannon, a long-time resident who first lived here for several years in the 1970s, said she was touched by the film's message.

"I've seen the effects of alcohol on your people for a long time," she said. "I was fortunate enough to be introduced to the culture when I was quite young, and then I saw alcohol come into the community and saw its effects. In the 1970s, it drove me out of here, to be quite honest. So thank you for your film. I found it very powerful, and very difficult at times to listen to. It's a wonderful film."

Albert Elias, a respected Inuvialuit elder, shared a bit of his story as a recovering alcoholic.

"For most of the years I was drinking I was hiding my fears and my guilt. I had no self-esteem. I found alcohol became my strength. I became an alcoholic without knowing it," Elias said.

"Later on, I started trying to run away from alcohol. I'd move from community to community for quite a number of years. Every time I moved, it just followed me. In 1987 I decided to ask for help. I'd lived a terrible life and and I'd hurt a lot of people. I was a terrible man. I asked the creator for help, and things started to change. It was a miracle, but it was not easy."

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