APTN’s hit series The Other Side uses Indigenous traditions that help guide the hosts yet also demand a respect for the spirit world. The respect is their foundation as they connect with entities both friendly and troubled.
The series premiered its sixth season on Oct. 28 and hosts of the show say it’s this culture that separates the show from the many other paranormal series out there.
“Our whole mandate with this show is always to approach things from a very respectful place, whether we’re dealing with spirit or our living people that we’re dealing with,” says intuitive Jeff Richards.
“Certainly embracing our particular regions we’re in — who may have different customs, governed by different treaties, by different tribes, by different ordnances.”
Every investigation begins with a landing ceremony to create a safe place for the hosts and crew as well as the spirits they’re investigating.
Erin Goodpipe is from the Piapot First Nation in Saskatchewan and has been raised in ceremony deep-rooted in spiritual connectivity.
“Some people might call it spiritual gifting but we’re always doing that in ceremony,” she says, adding her upbringing made her a natural fit for the work The Other Side does.
“Its totally one of the most important things as Indigenous people.”
Allan Adam is a Dene elder filling in on the show for spiritual guide Tom Charles who is on medical leave.
He brings some of that same grounding energy Charles brought to balance the show’s investigations.
Adam says it’s an honour to work with gifted intuitives like Richards and Goodpipe.
“Beyond equipment we use our intuition and our feelings,” Allan said. “We use our intuition and intuition usually doesn’t lie.”
The Other Side is in production for its seventh season and one episode will see the crew at APTN headquarters in downtown Winnipeg investigating the numerous occurrences that have occurred in the building in APTN’s 20 years of existence.
