Award-Winning Documentary Showcases Kenyan Lacrosse Story in Peterborough
/Filmmaker Janet Wells of Quarry Island Films’ documentary “Sleeping Warrior” had Peterborough as one of several focuses since it was one of the major sites for the film to be released this year.
The documentary shows a true story of two girls Sharon Opari and Moureen Atieno from Africa’s first female lacrosse team, — represented by Kenya — their journey to the 2019 World U19 Women's Field Lacrosse Championships and the transformation of their lives upon returning from the event that was held in Peterborough in August 2019.
During filming, one player discovered that her deceased mother might be alive after all so the documentary filmed that her journey to find her real family as part of the story.
The title comes from a mountain the girls train under in Kenya called ‘Sleeping Warrior’. Photo Courtesy of Janet Wells.
Justin Chiu Stadium at Trent University and Fleming College were the sites of the world championships. This was Peterborough’s second time hosting the event with the first in 2007.
Filming was done from June to December in Peterborough and Kenya in 2019.
Janet Wells and Timothy Mwaura were co-directors of the documentary. Photo Courtesy of Janet Wells.
Several girls on the team have barely travelled so coming to Peterborough was a new experience in more than one case according to Wells.
“There is something about Kenyan athletes, people are just drawn to them and they’re warm and lovely people,” said Wells. “They’re very beautiful and I learned so much.”
The team got to experience boat rides, Canadian cuisine, a box lacrosse match and many other experiences that were previously foreign to them.
“They all hated salad, they boil everything and cook all vegetables,” Wells laughed. “They also don’t like cheese either.”
Several members of Kenya’s lacrosse team have only played a few games before coming to Peterborough. Courtesy of Janet Wells.
The girls were put up in several places during their time in Peterborough. Lakefield College accommodated them for three days and some stayed at Wells’s cottage in Stony Lake.
One other notable place where the girls were housed was the cottage featured in the film, “Cheaper By the Dozen 2” in Stony Lake.
This was the first boat ride the Kenyan lacrosse team had ever gone on when they visited Canada. Photo Courtesy of Janet Wells.
