Filmmaker to show wrongs of Alaskan drilling
Filmmaker Jeff Barrie
unites with Alaskan native
Daryl Charlie to help show
detriments of oil drilling
By Natasha Chilingerian
Pulse Reporter
On Feb. 2, President Bush induded
oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge in his budget.
But Nashville-based filmmaker Jeff
Barrie is determined to prevent oil com
panies from entering the animal and
vegetation-filled wilderness. He will
present a free evening of storytelling,
film dips and slide shows Friday at 7
p.m. in the EMU Walnut Room.
Alaskan Gwitchin native Daryl
Charlie will also share a personal
perspective of why the refuge should
be preserved.
"I want to show that although (the
refuge) is painted as a barren waste
land, it is a beautiful place and there
is nowhere in the world like it," Bar
rie said.
Barrie first felt concern for the
refuge when he saw a traveling slide
show about the issue in 1995. He
then went to the potential drilling
site in northern Alaska with a group
of teenagers and created "Arctic
Quest: Our Search for Truth," a doc
umentary film which has since aired
on PBS stations across the nation.
The film includes images of the
Gwitchin communities, which re
side near the refuge, and interviews
with energy experts who cite what
they view as better methods to ac
quiring extra energy than drilling in
the refuge.
Courtesy Alaska Coalition
Gwitchin native Daryl Charlie will discuss why the caribou, which give birth on the potential oil-drilling site, are important to his community.
After finishing the film in 1997, Bar
rie bicycled from Los Angeles to Wash
ington, D.C., over the course of five
years, showing his documentary and
collecting more than 1,500 letters ask
ing Congress to refrain from develop
ing oil in the refuge.
"I'll do whatever it takes to raise aware
ness to save the refuge," Barrie said.
In tomorrow's presentation, he
will discuss why he got involved in
rescuing the refuge and the past
"Although it is painted
as a barren wasteland,
there is nowhere in
the world like it."
Daryl Charlie
Alaskan native/activist
political battles relating to the issue.
He will also show video clips from
his documentary and bicycle tour. Fi
nally, Charlie will provide a
Gwitchin native's perspective on the
importance of the refuge. The
Gwitchin community has a connec
tion with the caribou (a large
Alaskan deer), who give birth on the
prospective oil development site.
"The climax of the whole evening
will be hearing a Gwitchin native talk
about why the caribou are important "
Barrie said.
Barrie feels that the refuge should
be preserved because it only holds a
six-month supply of oil, adding that
the United States should work to con
serve more energy by developing more
efficient modes of transportation.
"We need to use more energy-effi
cient vehicles," he said. "And that
goes beyond saving a wilderness. It
would save us money and improve
our health."
Alaska Coalition organizer Ellen
Hawkey set up Barrie's current Oregon
tour, which will last for two weeks. She
said Oregonians need to be informed
about this complex issue.
"We need to raise awareness with a
strong message in Oregon," she said.
"The political history about the refuge
is so complicated."
Alaska Coalition's West Coast or
ganizer Patrick Shannon said Orego
nians need to convince Sen. Gordon
Smith, R-Ore., to vote against drilling
in the refuge.
"Smith voted against drilling in the
refuge, but he is getting pressure to
change his vote," he said. "People
need to keep calling him and telling
him to stick to his vote."
He also said Oregon citizens should
see the presentation because it offers a
chance to comprehend the beauty of
the refuge.
"They're bringing in the beauty of
the place," he said. "Charlie is bring
ing in a cultural perspective. It's im
portant because most people won't get
to visit the place."
Contact the Pulse reporter at
natashachilingerian@dailyemerald.com.
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