In Ojibwe tales, the appearance of bineshiinh– the raven – can symbolize trust, honesty, and straightforwardness. He often appears just as the main character is about to set foot on a path towards the unknown, or seeks guidance before undertaking a great quest. Sudbury entrepreneur Clifton Skelliter considers it a good sign, then, when a curious bineshiinh circles overhead during an interview with Village Media on the shores of Whitefish Lake on Atikameksheng Anishnawbek.
“In this world, it's hard to know if people are telling you the truth,” Skelliter said. “And sometimes it's hard to know if you're being truthful with yourself. But, you know the line - ‘the truth will set you free.
’” “And I feel that there is no bigger purpose in life than to be and to feel free.” Those traits - honesty, truth, and integrity - are some of the qualities Skelliter hopes to bring to the table as he launches his newest tech startup, The Indigenous Kore . His background serves him well: He cut his teeth in the media and entertainment fields – news reporter, director, film producer and even co-star of a short-lived TV series called The Episode.
In the north, he’s probably best known as a storyteller: Skelliter’s film work has tackled some of popular culture’s most interesting characters. The documentary Bisping, about UFC fighter Michael Bisping, won several AMPIA awards and brought home several more LEO nominations in 2021. His work has even made its way into the Inte.