Documentary 'Long Line of Ladies' explores Indigenous womanhood, identity

Often, in American culture, when a girl gets her first period it’s a hushed affair, talked about among mothers and daughters and accompanied by a healthy dose of adolescent embarrassment. But the film "Long Line of Ladies" portrays a very different picture for a young woman and her family.

The short documentary follows Ahty and her family — members of the Karuk Tribe in Northern California — as they prepare her for her Ihuk ceremony, or flower dance to mark her entrance into womanhood. It’s a months-long process that culminates in a four-day ceremony that’s intentionally left out of the film.

Shaandiin Tome is the co-director of the film. The Show spoke with her to learn about the documentary and how it got started.

"Long Line of Ladies" is playing in the Valley on June 4 at the Cahokia artspace in Phoenix as part of the 2022 Sundance Institute Indigenous Short Film Tour.

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