Post by Okwes on Feb 9, 2007 11:13:39 GMT -5
Film crew revisits Indian boarding schools
by Bob Kelleher
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/tools/search/author/author_collection.\
php?aut_id=39> , Minnesota Public Radio
minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2006/12/08/cloquetmovie/
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2006/12/08/cloquetmovie/>
December 8, 2006 [Larger view]
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/standard/display/slideshow.php?ftrv_id\
=31566&slide=6> Students at the White Earth Indian boarding school,
circa 1924. These Indian children were forbidden from wearing
traditional dress or hair, and from speaking their native language.
(Photo courtesy of the Becker County Historical Society) View full
slideshow
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/standard/display/slideshow.php?ftrv_id\
=31566&slide=1> (7 total images) A Native American film crew is
wrapping up several weeks of shooting in Cloquet this weekend for an
independent movie. "Older Than America" is a story set around Indian
boarding schools -- a period the producers consider one of the darker
chapters in their recent history.
Cloquet, Minn. — "Older than America" is a Native American story, as
told by a Native American company.
One of the scenes shot this week took place at the Carlton County
Historical Society, an old Carnegie Library in downtown Cloquet. Over
and over, an actor walked up to the building and entered the front door.
[Larger view]
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/standard/display/slideshow.php?ftrv_id\
=31566&slide=7> Indian boarding school
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/standard/display/slideshow.php?ftrv_id\
=31566&slide=7>
A camera crew filmed from the sunny front lawn, while other cast and
crew prepared inside for additional takes.
"Older than America" is directed by Georgina Lightning, a veteran of
movies like "Dream Keepers" and "Smoke Signals," and the television show
The West Wing.
It features some of the better known Native American actors working
today, including Adam Beach, Tantoo Cardinal, Wes Studi and Eric
Schweig.
Christine Walker is executive producer. Last year she made the
critically acclaimed movie, "Factotum," with Matt Dillon. Walker calls
Minneapolis home, when she's not working in Los Angeles. Walker says the
production company, Tribal Alliance, was formed to put Native Americans
in front of, and behind the movie camera.
[Larger view]
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/standard/display/slideshow.php?ftrv_id\
=31566&slide=3> Cody Lightning
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/standard/display/slideshow.php?ftrv_id\
=31566&slide=3>
"There's a huge Native Indian acting community," Walker says. "But there
aren't as many Native Americans who operate the cameras, or who are the
directors or who are the producers. And so this company is set up
specifically to create those opportunities."
Walker explains the story, which takes place in a contemporary Minnesota
town where an Indian boarding school once stood. Off-reservation
boarding schools were mandatory for many American Indian children from
the late 1800s until the mid-20th century. Canada had a similar program.
"Hundreds and thousands of children were taken from their homes --
forcibly taken from their homes -- and put in Native Indian boarding
schools," Walker says. "And the intent was to assimilate Native
Americans to white culture."
The intent was to assimilate Native Americans to white culture. ...
That's what these schools were trying to do -- take away what defines
us. - Executive producer Christine Walker
The stories of abuse are well known. Some children died in the schools.
Many others were emotionally scarred for life. There's a line in the
film that says, "There are two ways to conquer a nation: you kill the
people, or you take away everything that defines who and what they are."
"That's what these schools were trying to do -- take away what defines
us," Walker says. "And what defines us are our customs, our language,
our traditions -- those things that take us back and connect us to our
ancestors and our history."
The boarding school story is personal for many on the set. Cody
Lightning, 20, is a Northern Cree and the son of the director. He has a
small part in this film, and he's also interning in the movie's art
department. Lightning says the movie opens a painful wound for many of
his people.
"A lot of the elders don't want to talk about what went on in boarding
school," Lightning says. "And then there are others that are totally
open and willing to share everything. It was pretty messed up. And the
way it's just affected the generations; it was really poisoning in a lot
of way."
Even the non-Indians are caught up in the story. Edward Cohen of
Minneapolis is the movie's chief electrician.
[Larger view]
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/standard/display/slideshow.php?ftrv_id\
=31566&slide=5> Movie set
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/standard/display/slideshow.php?ftrv_id\
=31566&slide=5>
"The story is about man's inhumanity to the Native Americans, when some
of the settlers who came here and created school systems tried to strip
the Indians of their heritage," says Cohen. "And they often did it in
violent ways. And this film exposes that in a way that I don't think
it's ever been exposed before."
Indian people will tell you the boarding school experience is still with
them, years after the schools closed. It might be a factor in rampant
suicide rates on many reservations, according to Producer Christine
Walker.
"Our director -- her father, for instance, went to Native Indian
boarding school and he committed suicide," Walker says.
But the movie's not all darkness. Walker says it's really about
redemption.
"Georgina wanted to make a film about healing from that process, instead
of just falling into the same sort of traps that her father did," says
Walker.
The final scenes of "Older Than America" are being shot this weekend.
When edited, the movie will be offered to film festivals like Sundance.
It's expected to get a viewing in major markets and art houses. If it
catches with the public, there could be a much wider distribution.
by Bob Kelleher
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/tools/search/author/author_collection.\
php?aut_id=39> , Minnesota Public Radio
minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2006/12/08/cloquetmovie/
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2006/12/08/cloquetmovie/>
December 8, 2006 [Larger view]
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/standard/display/slideshow.php?ftrv_id\
=31566&slide=6> Students at the White Earth Indian boarding school,
circa 1924. These Indian children were forbidden from wearing
traditional dress or hair, and from speaking their native language.
(Photo courtesy of the Becker County Historical Society) View full
slideshow
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/standard/display/slideshow.php?ftrv_id\
=31566&slide=1> (7 total images) A Native American film crew is
wrapping up several weeks of shooting in Cloquet this weekend for an
independent movie. "Older Than America" is a story set around Indian
boarding schools -- a period the producers consider one of the darker
chapters in their recent history.
Cloquet, Minn. — "Older than America" is a Native American story, as
told by a Native American company.
One of the scenes shot this week took place at the Carlton County
Historical Society, an old Carnegie Library in downtown Cloquet. Over
and over, an actor walked up to the building and entered the front door.
[Larger view]
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/standard/display/slideshow.php?ftrv_id\
=31566&slide=7> Indian boarding school
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/standard/display/slideshow.php?ftrv_id\
=31566&slide=7>
A camera crew filmed from the sunny front lawn, while other cast and
crew prepared inside for additional takes.
"Older than America" is directed by Georgina Lightning, a veteran of
movies like "Dream Keepers" and "Smoke Signals," and the television show
The West Wing.
It features some of the better known Native American actors working
today, including Adam Beach, Tantoo Cardinal, Wes Studi and Eric
Schweig.
Christine Walker is executive producer. Last year she made the
critically acclaimed movie, "Factotum," with Matt Dillon. Walker calls
Minneapolis home, when she's not working in Los Angeles. Walker says the
production company, Tribal Alliance, was formed to put Native Americans
in front of, and behind the movie camera.
[Larger view]
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/standard/display/slideshow.php?ftrv_id\
=31566&slide=3> Cody Lightning
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/standard/display/slideshow.php?ftrv_id\
=31566&slide=3>
"There's a huge Native Indian acting community," Walker says. "But there
aren't as many Native Americans who operate the cameras, or who are the
directors or who are the producers. And so this company is set up
specifically to create those opportunities."
Walker explains the story, which takes place in a contemporary Minnesota
town where an Indian boarding school once stood. Off-reservation
boarding schools were mandatory for many American Indian children from
the late 1800s until the mid-20th century. Canada had a similar program.
"Hundreds and thousands of children were taken from their homes --
forcibly taken from their homes -- and put in Native Indian boarding
schools," Walker says. "And the intent was to assimilate Native
Americans to white culture."
The intent was to assimilate Native Americans to white culture. ...
That's what these schools were trying to do -- take away what defines
us. - Executive producer Christine Walker
The stories of abuse are well known. Some children died in the schools.
Many others were emotionally scarred for life. There's a line in the
film that says, "There are two ways to conquer a nation: you kill the
people, or you take away everything that defines who and what they are."
"That's what these schools were trying to do -- take away what defines
us," Walker says. "And what defines us are our customs, our language,
our traditions -- those things that take us back and connect us to our
ancestors and our history."
The boarding school story is personal for many on the set. Cody
Lightning, 20, is a Northern Cree and the son of the director. He has a
small part in this film, and he's also interning in the movie's art
department. Lightning says the movie opens a painful wound for many of
his people.
"A lot of the elders don't want to talk about what went on in boarding
school," Lightning says. "And then there are others that are totally
open and willing to share everything. It was pretty messed up. And the
way it's just affected the generations; it was really poisoning in a lot
of way."
Even the non-Indians are caught up in the story. Edward Cohen of
Minneapolis is the movie's chief electrician.
[Larger view]
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/standard/display/slideshow.php?ftrv_id\
=31566&slide=5> Movie set
<http://minnesota.publicradio.org/standard/display/slideshow.php?ftrv_id\
=31566&slide=5>
"The story is about man's inhumanity to the Native Americans, when some
of the settlers who came here and created school systems tried to strip
the Indians of their heritage," says Cohen. "And they often did it in
violent ways. And this film exposes that in a way that I don't think
it's ever been exposed before."
Indian people will tell you the boarding school experience is still with
them, years after the schools closed. It might be a factor in rampant
suicide rates on many reservations, according to Producer Christine
Walker.
"Our director -- her father, for instance, went to Native Indian
boarding school and he committed suicide," Walker says.
But the movie's not all darkness. Walker says it's really about
redemption.
"Georgina wanted to make a film about healing from that process, instead
of just falling into the same sort of traps that her father did," says
Walker.
The final scenes of "Older Than America" are being shot this weekend.
When edited, the movie will be offered to film festivals like Sundance.
It's expected to get a viewing in major markets and art houses. If it
catches with the public, there could be a much wider distribution.