Cecile Hansen

Promised Land is a social justice documentary that follows two tribes in the Pacific Northwest: the Duwamish and the Chinook, as they fight for the restoration of treaty rights they've long been denied. In following their story, the film examines a larger problem in the way that the government and society still looks at tribal sovereignty.

This film was made as part of 2001 "The Spirit Returns" exhibit at Seattle's Log House Museum. This film features Cecile Hansen and James Rasmussen (Duwamish Tribe), historians David Buerge and Alexandra Harmon, and author Jonathan Raban.

On May 11, 2022, the Duwamish Tribe filed a renewed petition for federal recognition in Seattle. Under revised terms, the tribe is now permitted to submit new evidence—an opportunity that could reshape its long-standing case and the tribal landscape in Puget Sound. UNRECOGNIZED is about power, politics and culture. Drawing on historical records, lived experience, and behind-the-scenes decisions about public art, the half-hour film shows how the struggle for recognition is both political and cultural.

Chair of the Duwamish Tribe and descendant of Chief Seattle

We Are Still Here sheds light on the Duwamish Tribe’s enduring fight for federal recognition. Despite being the first people of Seattle and signatories of the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliott, the Duwamish have spent decades battling for the rights promised to them. Directed by Tommie Lorene, with support from the University of Arizona Native Pathways Haury Graduate Research Grant, this film captures the resilience of a tribe that refuses to be erased, showcasing their cultural strength and ongoing activism.