Category Archives: Panels

CCNY/CATC Ethnographic Filmmaking Course in Oklahoma – Deadline: 4/30/13!

Yesterday, I attended a full screening of the documentary Spirit Road, the first of an eight-part series called “Becoming Indian in Oklahoma. ” The series will delve into the history and contemporary lives of peoples from the 39 different American Indian nations in Oklahoma. The screening and the accompanying panel discussion was one of the public’s first encounters with a project that has been years in the making, and which took concrete steps forward with the  interdisciplinary collaboration started by City College of New York (CCNY) Prof. Campbell Dalglish of the Media and Communication Arts Program and Prof. Lotti Silber of the Anthropology Department. Last summer, Prof. Dalglish, Prof. Silber, and Mr. Robert Vetter traveled to Oklahoma to begin filmmaking and research and build more formal ties with the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal College (CATC) in Oklahoma. This summer, CATC students will work in collaboration with CCNY and other students who register for an Ethnographic Filmmaking course to take place June 3-28. There are four tracks, for 3-6 credits or no credits, and involve combinations of study both here in NYC and in Oklahoma. For more details, please contact Prof. Dalglish at cdalglish@ccny.cuny.edu and post and/or share widely to spread the word!

In the last two weeks, the City University of New York (CUNY), has hosted several conversations related to indigeneity and filmmaking. In attendance and dialog at yesterday’s screening were honored guest CATC President Henrietta Mann; CCNY President Lisa Staiano-Coico; Humanities Dean Eric D. Weitz; Anthropology Department Chair Prof. Diana Wall; Mr. John Haworth, Director of the NMAI Gustav Heye Center; Prof. Silber; Prof. Dalglish; and Mr. John Vetter, who has collaborated with Prof. Dalglish for some time and whose close relationship and work in Indian Country has opened many doors for the “Being Indian in Oklahoma” and other projects. Last Friday, April 19th, the City College of New York (CCNY) Center for Worker Education hosted “Indigeneity in the Americas: A Transnational Roundtable and Workshop” right across from the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) Gustav Heye Center to begin a formal discussion on creating an Indigenous Studies program at CUNY. Panelists included Prof. Circe Sturm, author of Becoming Indian: The Struggle over cherokee Identity in the Twenty First Century (2011, SAR Press);  Mr. John Haworth; Prof. Marcia Esparza, author of the upcoming Silenced Communities in the Aftermath of War and Genocide in Guatemala; Prof. Erica Wortham, author of the forthcoming book, Indigenous Media in Mexico: Culture, Community and the State; Prof. Campbell Dalglish; and moderated by Prof. Silber. I missed the Monday, April 22nd Decolonizing Methodologies event, but suffice it to say that between all these events; the programming at the NMAI Gustav Heye Center; and the bigger focus on Andean Studies (not to mention “Quechua Nights”) at NYU, it’s been a good month for people interested in indigeneity in the NYC area.

I want to make sure that anyone out there reading meets the April 30th deadline for the Ethnographic Filmmaking class, so I won’t elaborate on the discussions at these events (although I hope to in future). Please share the call for registration. Remember, registration for credit is not required.

 

2009 Native American Film + Video Festival Panel 2

At the 2009 festival, I was also able to attend the second panel called “Creating the Alternative: a Conversation with Four Directors.” I enjoyed this panel so much because the directors came through as very accessible and down-to-earth.

Moderator Jason Silverman asked the panelists why they make films and Georgina Lightning’s response pulled me in right away. Although her father was not the type to wear his emotions on his sleeves, she was deeply impressed when one night, a movie was able to stir his emotions to the point that he teared up. The power that film had on him and the potential it had to tap into human emotions was a huge influence on her decision to become a filmmaker. Her reply was particularly poigniant since Lightning’s father committed suicide when she was 18.

Chris Eyre’s answer was similarly personal. He noted that because he had not grown up with his biological parents, the reunion was a big theme in his films. (I understood this to mean that he became a director, in part, as a way for him to effect that reunion with his blood relatives in many ways through his films). When asked about the differences between mainstream and independent or native film, Eyre (Cheynne/Arapaho) noted, “our work is about personal things.” He told an anecdote (which it seemed he might not appreciate being repeated so I won’t) about mainstream actors feeling unchallenged and forceably (perhaps sadly) creating situations that would personally challenge them.

Sterlin Harjo’s response made me break out into a big grin. I can’t actually remember his response to the question but I can remember him saying that he is actually okay with people bootlegging his film because he won’t make money off of it anyway.  Success is not predominantly measured on an economic scale. When asked if the stakes are high for him, his reply was similary laid back and indicative of a different type of worldview. “My grandmother’s proud of me,” he said. And, after all, isn’t that what really counts?

When Silverman asked if the directors are trying to present counternarratives, Harjo (Seminole/Creek) said that if he did that, he would be taking someone else’s interpretation of him and responding to them. (I was glad he said that because I was just writing a paper about native dress and made a similar point about how too much emphasis is placed on counternarratives rather than different starting points.) I first heard about Harjo’s film Barking Water during that panel. I looked it up online and it doesn’t appear to be for sale yet and since I’m not into bootlegging — although your dubious permission is appreciated, Mr. Harjo : ) — I’m glad they’re screening it at the NMAI this coming Thursday. I worked extra hours last week so that I could take off early to see it! Harjo and one of the producrs will be there, too, which is cool because I really enjoyed his down-to-earth take on things.

Harjo and Lightning (Cree) both noted being nervous when their films were screened for their own communities. I was too shy to ask but I wondered how this differs from the experience of Eyre whose movie, Smoke Signals, reached a mainstream audience.

Pavel Rodríguez, who is P’urhepecha, noted that in Mexico, the films natives make are usually communal efforts. Even though his name is the one listed in the credits as director, the effort is communal one. The films are made with the tools available and not for a film industry. While researching for my paper, I found out that this is one of the reasons it is difficult for libraries to acquire these videos and films for our collections. Figuring out remuneration for an entire community and distributing is not so easy as it is with American (as in U.S.) films that are sold within an economic framework that is similar to mainstream movies.

2009 Native American Film + Video Festival

I attended the Native Networks Symposium held on Friday, March 24 at the 2009 Native American Film + Video Festival. Since this blog was born several months later, I am only just now posting my thoughts. I’ll put this out in three installments, one for each panel I attended and one for the film screening I was able to attend. But before I do, I’d like to wish the Film & Video Festival a very Happy 30th Anniversary!

The “Mobilizing for Survival” featured panelists Mario Murillo, of WBAI and associate professor at Hofstra University, who discussed ACIN, the Northern Cauca Indigenous Association and the Colombian government’s divisive tactics toward indigenous groups. As an example of the power of grassroots media, Murillo noted how community video broadcast on CNN countered governmental arguments that people were not getting killed during clashes in Colombia (see article and video at 46:23). There are 87 indigenous groups in Colombia.

Elias Paillán (Mapuche), who began his talk by playing a musical instrument and noting the importance of the Mapuche language and instruments as conveyors of information, spoke about invasions into Mapuche territory historically and the principles of duality/complementarity.

Paul M. Rickard (Cree), executive producer of the “Finding Our Talk” series discussed the importance of preserving native languages and how non-confrontational filmmaking on culture is also a way to make an impact. He noted that a 2001 study predicted that in a century, only 3 of 50 native languages would survive in Canada (Ojibway, Cree and Inuktitut). He discussed how difficult it is to get funding for programs on (not to mention official recognition of) native languages in the United States and Canada. One example of this is a Mohawk show that is dubbed, rather than subtitled, in English and French. He also acknowledged the difficulty of reaching a broad audience since shows are aired early in the morning. (This brought to mind how Latino shows on American television are also broadcast very early in the morning and how there is sometimes a call for more people to tune in in order to increase ratings and both maintain shows and bump them into better timeslots.)

Tonya Gonnella Frichner (Onondaga), President of the American Indian Law Alliance, noted how Canada supports native programming via funding more than the United States does. She also noted that the United States has a limited presence in the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (the Eighth Session was held this May 18-29, 2009). Mario Murillo noted that if the United States gives little, Latin American governments give no support to native programming. They are mostly funded from abroad.

Next time, I’ll post some thoughts on the “Creating the Alternative: A Conversation with Four Directors” panel.