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The Lincoln Theatre joined with the Skagit River Poetry Foundation to host an informative and inspirational evening with the Valley premiere of the film, "The Healing Heart of Lushootseed" last Friday. This is a personal story, in part, of the extraordinary life of Vi Hilbert, a dynamic elder of the Upper Skagit Tribe and her quest for 83-year-olds "to heal a sick world" through music, her response to the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001. It is directed and produced by Jill K. La Pointe, Hilbert's granddaughter.

On May 20, 2006, Seattle's Benaroya Hall was filled to capacity for the world premiere of "The Healing Heart of the First People of this Land," an orchestral work in four movements, by Canadian composer Bruce Ruddell, performed by the Seattle Symphony and mezzo soprano Jenny Knapp, conducted by Maestro Gerard Schwarz.

The Seattle Symphony does not perform original compositions. But Hilbert was insistent. Through interviews with Ruddell, Schwarz and Patricia Kim, staff with the Seattle Symphony and Hilbert's initial contact and eventual liaison and champion, the film recounts that performance was almost a miracle.

Hilbert commissioned Ruddell to write a symphony for the Seattle Symphony based on two sacred healing songs of Chief Sealth (Seattle). He recounts on his website that he wrote a fifty-minute work that incorporated rhythms, instruments and speech of the Lushootseed people based on two sacred healing songs of Chief Sealth (Seattle). Hilbert loaned Ruddell two cassette tapes, but he was not to record them nor directly use the melodies or musical themes, he told the audience

Moderator John La Pointe introduced the evening and a panel discussion of Jill La Pointe; composer Ruddell; Ryan Dudenbostel, music director of Western Washington University's Western Symphony Orchestra; and Janet Yoder, a student under Hilbert and author of "Where The Language Lives, a tribute to Hilbert's life, work and quest to preserve her native language.

Their discussion provided background for the screening of this heartwarming film, featuring great footage of Hilbert and her quest following Sept. 11, 2001, its senseless violence and unnecessary deaths. Heartbroken and inspired, she asked the spirit "What can one person do to heal a sick world?" The spirit came back with an answer that motivated her to devote the rest of her life to healing. That answer was "music."

La Pointe is devoting her life to carrying out the vision of hope and healing for a sick and wounded world.

Funding for the film was provided by private donations from the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, the Sauk-Seattle Tribe, the Snoqualmie Tribe, the Suquamish Tribe and the Upper Skagit Tribe, the Kongsgaard-Goldman Foundation, Microsoft Indigenous Employee Resource Group, the New Tudor Foundation, Richard A. (Ricky) Rudine Memorial Endowment Fund, the Seattle Foundation and the Eighth Generation.

Retired Swinomish Judge Rusty Kuntze was one of many people who attended the event and was very moved by it. "When I think of Vi Hilbert, three words come to mind – spirit, fortitude and grace. Her life reminds us all how one person's dream and determination can help change the world one person at a time."

The evening began with an opening blessing song by the Swinomish Canoe Family.