#Skoden documentary explores life of Blackfoot man and the dangers of labels

A documentary premiering at the HotDocs Festival in Toronto this month aims to change the way we look at a controversial social media meme.

#Skoden profiles the late Pernell Bad Arm, a fluent Blackfoot language speaker from the Kainai Blood reserve in southern Alberta, who lived most of his adult life unhoused in Lethbridge, Alta.

Bad Arm died in a Lethbridge homeless shelter Nov. 27, 2015, at the age of 52.

Director Damien Eagle Bear met Bad Arm while working at a shelter in Lethbridge and said he wanted to rewrite the narrative caused by the "#skoden" meme, which features Bad Arm with his arms raised in either a defensive or offensive position.

The term "skoden" may not make sense to some, but for many Indigenous people it's a contraction of "let's go, then" and is a battle cry, a motivational speech, and a call to action all at once.

"It was a good jumping off point to find out who Pernell really was," Eagle Bear told CBC Indigenous.

The image of Bad Arm that's paired with the word skoden is difficult for his family. When some of them talk about it in the documentary, they're brought to tears. The image is not shown in the documentary at the request of the Bad Arm family.

They say the image was taken during during one of the darkest times of his life and those that knew him say he was misunderstood.

Mark Brave Rock, who met Bad Arm while incarcerated, said he lived with him on the streets of Lethbridge for years.

"With Pernell, we stuck together and he became my brother. That's just what happens on the streets," he said.

Brave Rock described Bad Arm as a proud person, someone with feelings and a conscience, and shared stories about Bad Arm giving away what little money he had, or whatever he could.

"I saw the true charity he had that nobody would see," Brave Rock said.

Amber Jensen, a support worker who worked with Bad Arm in Lethbridge, said Bad Arm loved stuffies and would give stuffed animals to people.

Jensen was confused when she was told about the "labels" written in Bad Arm's files by his support system in Lethbridge, like hard to handle or violent.

Brave Rock said Bad Arm was labelled because he wasn't afraid to speak up for himself, and when no one listened, Bad Arm would often assert himself further.

"We had to survive the way we did," he said.

"You're marginalized; they look down on you not only because you're homeless and addicted but you're also Native."

Eagle Bear said the underlying message of the documentary is to reconsider the stories we tell about people, "especially those who live on the streets, who struggle with addictions."

Jensen said she still thinks of Bad Arm fondly.

"He taught me a lot — he doesn't know it and I guess he never will — but we can use those lessons to help other people," she said.

#Skoden debuts at the HotDocs Festival in Toronto on April 29.