Mountain biking documentary screened at Nelson Library – Nelson News

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Thomas Schoen, Tom Eustache and Patrick Lucas are the three leaders of the indigenous youth mountain biking program who tell their stories in the documentary film “Dirt Relations.”

When we hear the words truth and reconciliation, we don’t automatically think of the world of mountain biking.

The documentary film Dirt Relations is about to change that. Screening at the Nelson Library on Saturday, January 18 (7 p.m.), Dirt Relations is a 30-minute documentary that explores the connection between mountain biking, reconciliation and healing from intergenerational trauma.

After the screening there will be a conversation with local bikers. The event is free and open to the public.

Dirt Relations tells the story of three men: Patrick Lucas, an eighth-generation Canadian from Courtney; Thomas Schoen, a first-generation Canadian; and Tom Eustache, a Secwepemc man and member of the Simpcw First Nation.

Their unlikely friendship led them to create the Indigenous youth mountain bike program and ultimately find themselves recognized as leaders in promoting meaningful reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.

The friendship between the three men is an example of how to bring truth and reconciliation into all aspects of life.

“Trail building is a wonderful tool for reconciliation,” Schoen said. “We work side by side, in the land, we talk about the past, we talk about pain, about suffering.

“There’s no better way to create a better connection than by working side by side to create something for people.”
The Indigenous Youth Mountain Bike program is a non-profit organization that helps First Nations in Western Canada develop world-class, multi-use nature trails that promote outdoor recreation and healthy living.

Over the past decade, the Indigenous Youth Mountain Biking Program has worked with dozens of nations, trained hundreds of youth in trail building, engaged in the sport of mountain biking, and built more than 100 kilometers of trails.