WATCH: What to Expect from VICELAND’s Series Debut on Modern Indigenous Life

By Yessenia Funes Jan 27, 2017

A new VICELAND series premieres tonight (January 27) at 9 p.m. EST called “RISE.” The show will chronicle the modern Indigenous life with the first two episodes shedding light on the Standing Rock battle against the Dakota Access Pipeline.

VICE debuted “RISE” at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, where it played under the Special Events category. Toronto-based Indigenous filmmaker Michelle Latimer is the force behind the show, a collaboration between VICE Canada and Canadian broadcaster APTN. Sarain Carson-Fox of Canadian Indigenous background handles the on-the-ground reporting.

“‘RISE’ is groundbreaking through its voicing of important issues around land, decolonization, and political governance told through an Indigenous point of view by showcasing the people who are leading this change globally,” said Latimer to VICE.com.

Clips of the series give viewers a peek into what stories “RISE” will tell. They include sex, drug trafficking and genocide, but, perhaps most importantly, the show will remind people that the Native way of life still exists—and it looks much different today than it did when European colonizers first interrupted it hundreds of years ago.

Watch two episode clips below and tell us what you think in the comments.