Eric Schweig & Hereditary Chief Stephen Augustine in Showing Up

Returning to Friends United

Nancy Regan returns to Friends United in Unama’ki, also known as Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, for another episode of her documentary series Showing Up.

Friends United brings together Indigenous artists, cultural knowledge holders and supporters through art, education and respectful dialogue. What began as an initiative founded by Rolf Bouman has developed into a community in which artists can create, exchange knowledge and explore new directions in their work.

The episode introduces viewers to two very different but closely connected forms of cultural expression: the physical process of creating art and the passing on of knowledge through story and ceremony.

The episode shows how Friends United supports artistic development while creating space for Indigenous knowledge, storytelling and cultural exchange.

Gerry Sheena and the Totem Poles at Friends United

The episode first reflects on the work of Vancouver wood carver Gerry Sheena.

Two large red cedar logs were transported from British Columbia to Cape Breton so Gerry could carve the monumental totem poles now displayed at Friends United. His work represents both an artistic achievement and a personal journey shaped by recovery, friendship and renewed purpose.

Gerry’s relationship with Friends United also led to new forms of collaboration. He later mentored Eric Schweig as Eric began learning the art of carving totem poles.

The relationship illustrates an important part of Friends United: artists do not only receive support. They also share experience, encourage one another and pass their skills forward.

Eric Schweig: Masks, Metal and New Creative Directions

Eric Schweig is known internationally as an actor, but his work extends far beyond film.

He creates Inuit spirit masks, works with young people and has continued to develop his artistic practice through Friends United. In this episode, Nancy explores his transition from carving masks to producing handcrafted knives.

Eric begins with discarded vehicle suspension steel collected from a scrapyard. The rusted steel is cleaned, heated, forged, shaped, ground and polished until it becomes a functional piece of art.

The transformation from discarded industrial material into a carefully crafted object reflects Eric’s ability to see new possibilities in unexpected places.

From Scrap Steel to Handcrafted Knives

Eric explains each stage of the knife-making process.

The steel is heated until it becomes red-hot and is then hammered flat on an anvil. After cooling, the intended knife shape is transferred to the metal. Eric uses grinders and increasingly fine materials to form the profile, smooth the surface and create the final polished edge.

Some of the knives include interchangeable wooden handles. Others are designed as heavy bushcraft or survival knives capable of being used for splitting small pieces of wood, preparing branches and other outdoor tasks.

Although the objects are practical, the care invested in their form, balance and finish also makes them works of art.

Eric describes making things as a natural part of his life. Rather than separating art from everyday existence, he sees creating as something deeply connected to Indigenous experience and personal expression.

Nancy Regan Tries the Process

During the episode, Nancy visits Eric’s workspace and tries grinding part of a knife blank herself.

The experience requires concentration, patience and respect for the tools. She reflects on how completely present she has to be while working with the grinder.

What initially feels intimidating becomes an empowering experience. The moment also reflects the broader idea behind Showing Up: meaningful experiences often begin by moving beyond fear and being willing to participate.

Hereditary Chief Stephen J. Augustine

The second part of the episode focuses on Hereditary Chief Stephen J. Augustine.

He explains his family genealogy and the history of the Augustine name, tracing his family line back through generations. He also discusses the role of hereditary leadership in preserving Mi’kmaq knowledge, traditions, stories and identity.

For Stephen Augustine, storytelling is not simply a way to describe the past. It carries responsibilities and relationships that extend across generations.

He explains that, when he was younger, he believed the story belonged to him. As he grew older, he came to understand that he belonged to the story.

Witnessing a Mi’kmaq Creation Ceremony

Nancy is invited to witness Stephen Augustine share a sacred Mi’kmaq creation story.

The ceremony speaks about family, love, leadership, Mother Earth, Grandfather Sun, Glooscap and the responsibilities that connect human beings to the natural and spiritual world.

Stephen invites the spirits of the ancestors to support the ceremony and acknowledges the sacred directions and the different forms of knowledge represented within the creation story.

For Nancy, witnessing the ceremony is both a privilege and a spiritual experience. It offers viewers an opportunity to understand that cultural knowledge is not only preserved in written records. It also lives through language, memory, ceremony and relationships.

Art as Cultural Knowledge

Stephen Augustine describes the art at Friends United as an embodiment of Indigenous creation and knowledge.

For generations, Indigenous systems of knowledge and cultural expression were suppressed through colonization. Art provides another way for knowledge, identity and experience to be communicated.

Some stories may be spoken. Others may be carved, painted or expressed through colour, form and imagery.

The artwork at Friends United therefore represents more than individual artistic practice. It carries stories, laws, relationships, memory and ways of understanding humanity.

Creativity, Community and Reconciliation

The episode connects the work of Eric Schweig and Stephen Augustine through a shared understanding of creativity.

Eric transforms discarded steel into a carefully made object. Stephen carries traditional knowledge through story and ceremony. Both demonstrate how cultural expression can connect the past, present and future.

Friends United provides a space in which these different forms of expression can be seen, shared and respected.

The episode closes with Nancy reflecting on the creativity and love she experiences within the Friends United community. In a world that can often feel divided, these relationships offer an example of what can grow through listening, sharing and showing up for one another.