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American Indians on Film & Video: Documentaries in the Library of CongressCompiled by Jennifer Brathovde
ACORNS: STAPLE FOOD OF CALIFORNIA INDIANS
Copyright Collection FBA 2718
Department of Anthropology, University of California, 1962.
28 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel. From the University of California American
Indian Film Series.
Pomo tribal members demonstrate traditional methods of acorn harvesting,
processing, and storing methods which have been developed over many
generations. The technical demonstration is intended for the preservation
on film of important Native American practices.
AGHVEGHNIIGHMI: AT THE TIME OF WHALING
Copyright Collection FCA 9421
Alaska Native Heritage Film Project, 1974. Directed by Leonard Kamerling and
Sarah Elder.
38 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel. In Eskimo with English subtitles.
Documents the extreme danger and exacting coordination of a modern Inuit
community whale hunt.
ALASKA: THE YUP'IK ESKIMOS
Copyright Collection VBF 2178
Chevron U.S.A., Inc., 1985. Directed by Lawrence Lansburgh.
25 min., b&w and color, 3/4" videocassette.
Depicts the relationship between the Yup'ik people and their environment
according to seasonal activities, and shows how they attempt to maintain a
balance between the way of life of the elders and the modern world of the
Yup'ik teenagers.
AMERICAN INDIAN ARTISTS: LARRY GOLSH
Off-Air Collection VBD 9523
Native American Public Broadcasting Consortium. Taped off-air 1986.
Narrated
by N. Scott Momaday.
30 min., color, 3/4" videocassette.
Cherokee Indian artist Larry Golsh discusses his jewelry-making
techniques, symbols, influences, and materials.
THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE [For descriptions see individual titles]
GERONIMO AND THE APACHE RESISTANCE
INDIANS, OUTLAWS AND ANGIE DEBO
VIEWS OF A VANISHING FRONTIER
THE AMERICAN INDIAN IN TRANSITION
Copyright Collection FBB 2417
Atlantis Productions, Inc. 1975.
22 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Three generations of one family are seen through the eyes of a middle-
aged Native American Indian mother who reflects on the changing lifestyles
she has witnessed on her reservation.
THE AMERICAN INDIAN INFLUENCE ON THE UNITED STATES
Copyright Collection FBB 1017
Dana Productions, 1972.
20 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Combines drawings, lithographs, paintings, photographs, and live-action
photography to describe Native American contributions to U.S. mainstream
culture.
THE AMERICAN INDIAN SPEAKS
Copyright Collection FBB 2887
Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corporation, 1973.
23 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Members of three Indian tribes articulate past injustices and present
concerns. A Muskogee Creek remembers the "Trail of Tears"; Nisqually Indians
discuss fishing rights; and a Dakota Rosebud Sioux explains the significance
of the battle at Wounded Knee.
AMERICAN INDIANS--YESTERDAY AND TODAY
Copyright Collection FBB 8836
Filmfair, Inc., 1982. Directed by Don B. Klugman.
19 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Interviews with three Native Americans--a young Shoshone-Paiute man from
California, an elderly northern Cheyenne man from Montana, and a young
Iroquois-Seneca from New York state--reveal cultural and historical
differences among tribes.
AN ANCIENT GIFT
Copyright Collection VBC 4440
Museum of Northern Arizona, 1982. Directed by Donald Coughlin.
18 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. In Navajo with English subtitles.
Scenes from everyday life emphasize the interdependence of the Navajo
people, their land, and their sheep herds. Entire families share duties of
wool carding, spinning, dying, and weaving.
AND WOMAN WOVE IT IN A BASKET
Copyright Collection VBH 6652
Bushra Azzouz, Marlene Farnum, Nettie Jackson Kuneki, 1989. Directed by
Bushra Azzouz.
70 min., color, 3/4" videocassette.
While focusing on the life of Nettie Kuneki, a Klickitat Indian and
master basketweaver, this film presents the history of the Klickitats of
Oregon and their life along the Columbia River. Archival footage and current
interviews document fishing methods, legends and beliefs, and the intricate
art of basketmaking.
ANNIE MAE--BRAVE HEARTED WOMAN
NEA/Lan Brookes Ritz Collection VBB 1220-1221
Brown Bird Productions, 1979. Written and directed by Lan Brooke Ritz.
84 min., color, 3/4" videocassette.
An Indian rights activist, Annie Mae Pictou Aquash was mysteriously
murdered in the aftermath of the 1973 occupation of Wounded Knee. This film
examines the events surrounding her death and chronicles her civil rights
activities.
ANOTHER WIND IS MOVING:
THE OFF-RESERVATION INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOL
Copyright Collection VBF 5418
Summit Street Productions/Kickapoo Nation School, 1985. Directed by David
M. Kendall.
59 min., color, 3/4" videocassette.
Examines the history of Indian boarding schools which were once intended
to foster assimilation of Indian children into white culture. Shows the
impact of the schools on tribal survival.
AT THE TIME OF WHALING [See Aghveghniighmi: At the Time of Whaling]
BASKETRY OF THE POMO
Copyright Collection
Department of Anthropology, University of California, 1962.
Color, 16mm, 3 reels. From the University of California American Indian Film
Series.
These films record the great variety of forms and techniques of the
basketry of the Pomo of northern California who are renowned for their
expertise.
INTRODUCTORY FILM (30 min.) FBA 2811
FORMS AND ORNAMENTATION (21 min.) FCA 2082
TECHNIQUES (33 min.) FCA 2083
BA'TS'OOSEE: AN APACHE TRICKSTER CYCLE [See Origin of the Crown Dance]
BEYOND TRADITION: CONTEMPORARY INDIAN ART AND ITS EVOLUTION
Copyright Collection VAB 9471
Jacka Photography Video Presentation, 1989.
45 min., color, 1/2" videocassette.
Based on the award-winning book of the same title, this video presents
more than three hundred examples of prehistoric, historic, and contemporary
American Indian art. The evolution of Indian art is traced through the
centuries including carvings, paintings, sculptures, baskets, rugs, jewelry,
and pottery.
BROKEN RAINBOW
Copyright Collection FDA 8448
Earthwork Films, Inc., 1986. Directed by Victoria Mudd; narrated by Martin
Sheen.
69 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Academy-award winning (1985) documentary examines the controversial Hopi-
Navajo land dispute which resulted in the dramatic relocation of ten thousand
Navajos from their hogans in northern Arizona to distant tract housing.
BROKEN TREATIES VAB 9473
Copyright Collection
Learning Corporation of America, 1989. Directed by Donald Ham.
33 min., color, 1/2" videocassette.
Historical policies and attitudes of the U.S. government toward American
Indians are explored in a mock trial which begins in the early 19th century.
BROKEN TREATY AT BATTLE MOUNTAIN
Copyright Collection FDA 9513
Cinnamon Productions, Inc., 1974. Directed by Joel L. Freedman; narrated by
Robert Redford.
60 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Documents the struggle of the Western Shoshone to keep 24 million acres
of land in Nevada which is guaranteed in a treaty. Contrasts differing
viewpoints within the tribe between traditionalists and those who are willing
to sell the land to the government.
BUCKEYES: FOOD OF THE CALIFORNIA INDIANS
Copyright Collection FBA 110
Department of Anthropology, University of California, 1961.
14 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel. From the University of California American
Indian Film Series.
The ancient methods used to purify the poisonous buckeye, or horse
chestnut, and prepare it as food, are demonstrated by Nisenan Indians.
BY THIS SONG I WALK
Copyright Collection VBD 3741
University of Arizona and KUAT-TV, 1978.
25 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. In Navajo with English titles. From the
Words and Place: Native Literature of the American Southwest series.
Andrew Natonabah interprets a Navajo song which reflects the tribe's
religion, philosophy, and community bond.
CALUMET, PIPE OF PEACE
Copyright Collection FBA 4339
Department of Anthropology, University of California, 1964.
23 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel. From the University of California American
Indian Film Series.
This film presents the traditional use of the calumet, or peace pipe,
among the Plains Indians. Rituals, legends, history, and powers of the
calumet peace pipe are described.
CATLIN AND THE INDIANS
Copyright Collection FBA 6109
National Broadcasting Company, 1967.
25 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Presents a biographical profile of the historian and painter George
Catlin,
using his Plains Indian paintings and excerpts from his journals. Retraces
his
journey up the Missouri River in 1832 and his excursion into Commanche
country in 1834.
CATLIN, MILLER, CARY: THE INDIAN PAINTERS
Copyright Collection FCB 0046
Gilcrease Museum Association, 1981.
27 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Prepared from the collections of the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of
American History and Art, shows how three artists from different time periods
captured the decline of Indian cultures with exposure to foreign influences.
A CENTURY OF SILENCE: PROBLEMS OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN
Copyright Collection FCB 0031
Atlantis Productions, 1979. Directed by J. Michael Hagopian.
28 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Explores cultural conflict, assimilation, and activism within various
Indian communities.
THE CHACO LEGACY
Copyright Collection VBB 4198
Public Broadcasting Associates, Inc. 1980. Directed and produced by Graham
Chedd; narrated by Stacy Keach.
59 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. From the Odyssey series.
Examines archaeological theories about the rise and fall of Chacoan
culture, which flourished between 1400 and 1000 years ago in the area of
Chaco Canyon, New Mexico.
CHILDREN OF WIND RIVER
Copyright Collection VBH 7063
Wyoming Public Television, 1989. Directed by Victress Hitchcock.
30 min., color, 3/4" videocassette.
Filmed on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, this documentary takes
a critical look at the problems facing Indian families. Through interviews
with with tribal leaders, health and child care providers, social service
workers, and tribal members, solutions to teenage suicide, alcoholism, and
poverty are sought.
CIRCLE OF THE WINDS [See Heart of the Earth Survival School]
CLASH OF CULTURES
Copyright Collection FBB 6483
University of Mid-America, 1978. Directed by Scott Nielson and Dick Blofson.
28 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Uses historical documents, photographs, paintings, and interviews with
Indian elders to examine opposing cultural attitudes which shaped the Indian
wars of the Great Plains. Also traces the history of battles and treaties
between 1851 and 1890.
CLOUDED LAND
Copyright Collection VBE 8473
Randy Croce, 1987. Directed by Randy Croce.
58 min., color, 3/4" videocassette.
Discusses the "clouded" ownership claims debate of Minnesota's White
Earth Indian Reservation in which many Native Americans and non-Indians stand
to lose their farms or businesses through ambiguous land titles.
CONTRARY WARRIORS: A STORY OF THE CROW TRIBE
Copyright Collection FDA 8778
Rattlesnake Productions, Inc., 1985. Produced and directed by Connie Poten,
Pam Roberts, Beth Ferris; narrated by Peter Coyote.
60 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Chronicles the century-long battle for Indian justice of the Crow tribe
of Montana by focusing on the life history of ninety-six-year-old tribal
leader Robert Yellowtail. Tells how, against all odds, the people have
endured, preserving their language, culture, and traditions.
A CONVERSATION WITH VINE DELORIA, JR.
Copyright Collection VBD 3748
University of Arizona and KUAT-TV, 1978.
29 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. From the Words and Place: Native
Literature of the American Southwest series.
The noted Native American author discusses the unique role of the Indian
writer.
CORN IS LIFE
Copyright Collection VBC 4441
Museum of Northern Arizona, 1982. Directed by Donald Coughlin.
19 min., color, 3/4" videocassette.
Examines the traditional activities associated with corn that are an
integral part of Hopi family and community life. Corn is shown as an
essential food, a holy substance used in nearly all aspects of religious
life, and a major cultural symbol.
DESERT REGIONS: NOMADS AND TRADERS
Copyright Collection FBB 8793
BFA Educational Media, 1980. Directed by Wolfgang Bayer.
15 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Shows how the American Navajo Indians of Monument Valley and the Bedouins
of Jordan have historically adapted to desert regions. Modern developments
are beginning to affect the traditional ways of both groups.
DIALOGUE AT FORT DEFIANCE
Copyright Collection FBC 0202
Pittsburgh & Midway Coal Mining Company, 1977. Directed by Louis Mucciolo.
20 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Records the concerns of a Navajo leader and a coal company representative
regarding stripmining on the Navajo reservation.
DISCOVERING AMERICAN INDIAN MUSIC
Copyright Collection FBA 7268
BFA Educational Media, 1971. Directed by Bernard Wilets.
24 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Introduces the traditional native customs, costumes, and dances
associated with the music which are still practiced by eleven Indian tribes,
principally of the Plains and Southwest. Dances include the Kiowa Victory
War Dance, the Tesuque Pueblo Bow and Arrow Dance, and the Lingit Death
Dance.
THE DIVIDED TRAIL: A NATIVE AMERICAN ODYSSEY
Copyright Collection FCA 8923
Phoenix Films, 1977. Directed by Jerry Aronson.
33 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Documents eight years of urban living for three Chippewa Indians who were
encouraged to move from the reservation by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Michael Chosa, his sister Betty Chosa Jack, and their friend Carol Warrington
confront poverty, discrimination, alcohol abuse, and, finally,
rehabilitation.
DREAM DANCES OF THE KASHIA POMO
Copyright Collection FCA 4079
Department of Anthropology, University of California, 1964.
30 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel. From the University of California American
Indian Film Series.
Features dances by Pomo women which express contemporary Native beliefs
and reflect recent influences, including Christianity and World War II.
Ceremonial activities are interwoven between the dances.
THE DRUMMAKER
Copyright Collection FCA 1689
Smithsonian Institution-Folklife Programs, 1978.
38 min., b&w, 16mm, 1 reel. From Smithsonian Folklife Studies.
William Bineshi Baker, Jr., an Ojibwa living on the Lac Court Oreilles
Reservation in northern Wisconsin constructs a drum, step-by-step according
to tradition.
THE DRUMS OF WINTER [See Uksuum Cauyai]
EYANOPOPI: THE HEART OF THE SIOUX
Copyright Collection VBI 6634
Philip J. Deloria, 1989.
30 min., color, 3/4" videocassette.
Explores the legal battle of the Lakota Sioux tribe of South Dakota to
regain the Black Hills and other land which was claimed in a 1867 treaty with
the U.S. government. History of the Lakota culture, including spiritual and
religious heritage, is addressed.
THE FIRST UTAHNS
Copyright Collection VBF 4591
Instructional Media Production Services, University of Utah, 1987. Directed
by Kirk Strickland.
28 min., color, 3/4" videocassette.
Introduces early Indian cultures including the Desert Archaics, Fremonts,
and Anasazis.
FOREVER IN TIME
Copyright Collection VAB 9718
Sepia Productions, 1990.
50 min., color, 1/2" videocassette.
A behind-the-scenes look at the life and works of Edward S. Curtis whose
photography of the American Indian spanned the first three decades of the
twentieth century.
THE FOUR CORNERS: A NATIONAL SACRIFICE AREA?
Copyright Collection FDA 7851
Bullfrog Films, Inc., 1983. Directed by Christopher McLeod, Glenn Switkes,
and Randy Hayes.
59 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
The Four Corners area of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona combines
ninety thousand square miles of energy-rich natural resources, national
parks, and Native American traditional homeland. This documentary
investigates the dilemma of balancing energy, environment, and human well-
being concerns.
FRANZ BOAS, 1858-1942
Copyright Collection VBB 3407
Public Broadcasting Associates, Inc., 1980. Directed by T.W. Timreck.
58 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. From the Odyssey series.
Franz Boas was one of the most important influences in American
anthropology. This film explores his life and ideas through interviews with
modern anthropologists, Native American people, and Boas.
FROM THE FIRST PEOPLE [see Inuqqaanin: From the First People]
FRONTLINE [For descriptions see individual titles]
INDIAN COUNTRY
SPIRIT OF CRAZY HORSE
GAME OF STAVES
Copyright Collection FAA 5475
Department of Anthropology, University of California, 1962.
10 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel. From the University of California American
Indian Film Series.
Shows the ancient Pomo Indian game of staves, a variation of the dice
game.
GATECLIFF: AMERICAN INDIAN ROCK-SHELTER
Copyright Collection FBB 2733
National Geographic Society, 1974.
24 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Follows David Hurst Thomas and a team of amateur archaeologists
excavating the Gatecliff Rock Shelter in Nevada's Monitor Valley. Discusses
their analysis of artifacts and new information on the earliest inhabitants
of the Great Basin.
GERONIMO AND THE APACHE RESISTANCE
Off-Air Collection VBF 8507
WGBH Educational Foundation and Peace River Films, 1988.
60 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. From the PBS series, The American
Experience.
Recounts the struggles of legendary Apache Indian warrior and medicine
man, Geronimo, in his 25-year attempt to defy U.S. federal authority.
GERONIMO: THE FINAL CAMPAIGN
Copyright Collection VBG 7342
KUAT-TV, 1988. Directed by Hector Gonzalez and Fran Sherlock.
30 min., color, 3/4" videocassette.
Narrated by Will Rogers, Jr., the film presents the history of the
Chiricahua Apaches of the southwest from the Spanish introduction of cattle
and horses into their society until their eventual captivity on reservations.
HEART OF THE EARTH SURVIVAL SCHOOL and CIRCLE OF THE WINDS
Copyright Collection VBG 0043
Twin Cities Public Television, 1980. Directed by Chuck Waggoner.
32 min., color, 3/4" videocassette.
Documents activities in the Heart of the Earth Survival School, an
alternative educational Indian program in Minneapolis which emphasizes Native
American culture. Circle of the Winds is a tour of an Indian student art
exhibition.
HOME FOR THE WEEKEND
Copyright Collection FAB 370
Davidson Films, Inc., 1972.
13 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Indians from the Sauk and Fox tribes talk about their dances, way of
life, and the differences between them and the white people who watch them
perform during a weekend powwow.
HOME OF THE BRAVE
Copyright Collection FDA 8525
International Women's Film Project, 1985. Directed by Helena Solberg Ladd.
58 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Examines contemporary struggles for ethnic, cultural, and political
survival among Indian people in North and South America. The U.S. segment
features interviews with American Indian Movement leaders Clyde Bellecourt,
Russell Means, and Bill Means.
HOPI INDIAN ARTS AND CRAFTS
Copyright Collection FAB 1280
Coronet Instructional Media, 1975.
10 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Hopi Indians demonstrate basket weaving, pottery making, silverwork, and
weaving using traditional tools.
HOPI: SONGS OF THE FOURTH WORLD
Copyright Collection VAB 5301
Ferrero Films, 1983. Directed by Pat Ferrero.
58 min., color, 3/4" videocassette.
An in-depth look at the Hopi way, a philosophy of living in balance with
nature. Describes the Hopi meaning of life, death, and renewal as revealed
in the interweaving life cycle of humans and corn plants.
HOPIIT
Copyright Collection VBC 5802
IS Productions, 1982. Directed by Victor Masayesva, Jr.
15 min., color, 3/4" videocassette.
An artistic montage of scenes from life in a Hopi community over a one-
year period.
HOPIS: GUARDIANS OF THE LAND
Copyright Collection FAA 9150
Filmfair, Inc., 1971. Directed by Dennis Burns.
10 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
A Hopi living on an Arizona reservation explains the traditional way of
life against a backdrop of a nearby power plant and strip-mining operation
which threatens to destroy the land and Hopi existence.
HORIZON: NAVAJO--THE FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL [see Navajo: The Last Red Indians]
HUTEETL: KOYUKON MEMORIAL POTLATCH
Copyright Collection VBD 6069
Yukon Koyukuk School District, 1983. Directed by Curt Madison.
55 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. In Koyukon and English.
Documents a traditional Koyukon Athabaskan memorial potlatch held in
Hughes, Alaska in June 1982.
IHANBLA WAKTOGLAG WACIPI [see Vision Dance]
I'ISAW: HOPI COYOTO STORIES
Copyright Collection VBD 3744
University of Arizona and KUAT-TV, 1978.
18 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. In Hopi with English subtitles. From
the Words and Place: Native Literature from the American Southwest series.
Hopi tribal elder Helen Sekaquaptewa tells traditional stories of Coyoto,
the Trickster, to members of her Eagle clan in her New Oraibi, Arizona, home.
THE IMAGE MAKER AND THE INDIANS:
E.S. CURTIS AND HIS 1914 KWAKIUTL MOVIE
NEA/Burke Museum Collection FBA 6681
Burke Memorial Museum, University of Washington, Seattle, 1979. Directed by
David Gerth.
16 min., b&w & color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Investigates how the famous pioneer cinematogragher Edward S. Curtis,
made the first full-length documentary film on Native Americans. Provides
background and methods, as well as previously unpublished photos and
testimony of Indians who were actors or spectators during the filming. [See
also In the Land of the War Canoes: Kwakiutl Indian Life on the Northwest
Coast.]
IN THE LAND OF THE WAR CANOES:
KWAKIUTL INDIAN LIFE ON THE NORTHWEST COAST
Copyright Collection FDA 2741
Burke Museum, University of Washington, 1973.
Bill Holm and George I. Quimby's re-edited version of the Edward S.
Curtis 1914 documentary of Kwakiult Indian life on Vancouver Island. The
added soundtrack includes authentic tribal singing, chants, spoken parts, and
instrumental music.
INDIAN ART OF THE PUEBLOS
Copyright Collection FAB 2344
Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corp., 1976. Directed by Bert Van Bork.
13 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Shows how the Pueblo Indian tribes of the American southwest are
preserving ancient art forms of their ancestors. Through ceramics, basketry,
hand weaving, and ritual dancing, contemporary Indians use symbols, forms,
and styles which reflect cultural history and religion.
INDIAN ARTISTS OF THE SOUTHWEST
Copyright Collection FBB 1079
Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corp., 1972.
15 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Describes the relationship between southwestern Indian tribal arts and
crafts and history and tradition.
INDIAN COUNTRY
Copyright Collection VBF 9914
WGBH Educational Foundation, 1988.
60 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. From the PBS series, Frontline.
Close-up look at life on the Pacific coast Quinault reservation--one of
the largest in Washington state. Through interviews with the tribal chair
and other members, the film traces the largely "white influenced" economic
and environ-mental demise of the tribe and then focuses on current efforts
to rebuild the community.
INDIAN CRAFTS: HOPI, NAVAJO, AND IROQUOIS
Copyright Collection FAB 3499
Columbia Broadcasting System, 1979. Narrated by Jerry Landis.
12 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Basketmaking, pottery-making, kachina carving, weaving, jewelry-making,
and mask carving as developed by Hopi, Navajo, and Iroquois tribes are
demonstrated.
INDIAN CULTURES--FROM 2000 B.C. TO 1500 A.D.
Copyright Collection FBB 4164
Journal Films, Inc., 1976.
19 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Examines the cultural development of American Indians during the period
2000 B.C. to A.D. 1500, using geological, archeological, and historical
evidence to show the pottery, diversity of housing, language, food, travel,
and religious ceremonials.
THE INDIAN EXPERIENCE--AFTER 1500 A.D.
Copyright Collection FBB 4162
Journal Films, Inc., 1975.
19 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Covers the period of penetration of the North American continent by
Europeans starting in A.D. 1500. Shows the cooperation and trade that first
existed between Indians and Europeans, followed by changes and conflicts that
resulted in the dislocation of the Indians.
INDIAN HEROES OF AMERICA
Copyright Collection FBB 8201
Atlantis Productions, 1979. Directed by J. Michael Hagopian.
17 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Examines the lives of seven prominent Indians--six men and one woman--to
illustrate historical trends between Indians and whites in the U.S. The
heroes include Massasoit, Tecumseh, Sacagawea, Sequoyah, Chief Joseph,
Sitting Bull, and Wovoka.
INDIAN RIGHTS, INDIAN LAW
Copyright Collection FBA 8826-8827
Consentino Films, 1977. Directed by Joseph and Sandra Consentino.
60 min., color, 16mm, 2 reels.
Examines the work of the Native American Rights Fund in its efforts to
protect American Indians in cases involving treaty rights, ownership of
natural resources on tribal lands, and trust relationships with the federal
government.
INDIANS, OUTLAWS AND ANGIE DEBO
Off-Air Collection VBF 7016
WGBH-TV, 1988.
60 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. From the PBS series, The American
Experience.
Historian and scholar Angie Debo uncovered a shocking state conspiracy
to rob Indian land in her detailed research of Oklahoma. Banned from
publication until 1950, her work is now a cornerstone in American Indian
scholarship.
INUQQAANIN: FROM THE FIRST PEOPLE
Copyright Collection FDA 6285
Leonard Kamerling and the village of Shungnak, Alaska, 1976. Directed by
Sarah Elder and Leonard Kamerling.
45 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
A community-produced film which presents the Inuit village of Shungnak
through early winter subsistence activities in temperatures of -47 degrees
and short 3-hour days.
ITAM HAKIM, HOPIIT
Copyright Collection VBC 5816
IS Productions, 1984. Directed by Victor Masayesva, Jr.
60 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. In Hopi with English subtitles.
Innovative, artistic documentary made by an all-Hopi crew, presents the
legends, myths, history, and oral traditions of the tribe by recounting the
life of Ross Macaya, one of the last members of the tribe's storytelling
clan.
JOY HARJO
Copyright Collection VAB 4837
Lannan Foundation, 1989. Directed by Lewis MacAdams and John Dorr.
60 min., color, 1/2" videocassette.
Native American poet Joy Harjo reads from her work and is interviewed by
fellow poet and filmmaker Lewis MacAdams.
KASHIA MEN'S DANCES
Copyright Collection FCA 2858
Department of Anthropology, University of California, 1963.
39 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel. From the University of California American
Indian Film Series.
Four authentic dances of the Southwestern Pomo tribe of northern
California are performed on the Kashia Reservation. Archival photographs,
combined with footage of the preparation and dancing, show the dances in
historical perspective.
KEEP YOUR HEART STRONG
Copyright Collection VAB 3907
Prairie Public TV, 1986.
58 min., color, 1/2" videocassette.
Documents a series of Indian powwows during the summer of 1986 in
Bismark, Fargo, Fort Totten, and Twin Buttes, North Dakota.
THE LAKOTA: ONE NATION ON THE PLAINS
Copyright Collection FBB 6484
University of Mid-America, 1978. Directed by Frank Cantor; narrated by N.
Scott Momaday.
29 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Traces the migration of the Lakota Sioux onto the Great Plains during the
18th century. Elements which are underscored in examining their adaptation
to the new environment include the horse, buffalo, and the Sun Dance.
LAKOTA QUILLWORK: ART AND LEGEND
Copyright Collection FBC 2032
Nauman Films, Inc., 1985. Directed by H. Jane Nauman; narrated by Alice Blue
Legs and H. Jane Nauman.
27 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel. In Lakota and English.
Explores the spiritual origins of porcupine quillwork through the legend
of Double Woman, who brought the art from the spirit world to the Lakota
Sioux. Contrasts the original method of handwork with some modern
adaptations used by nationally recognized artist Alice Blue Legs.
LARRY GOLSH [See American Indian Artists]
LAST CHANCE FOR THE NAVAJO
Copyright Collection FCA 9370
American Broadcasting Company, 1978. Directed by Carolyn Kresky.
27 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Examines the human rights issues in the struggles of the Navajo Indians
to preserve their culture and their land, and at the same time cope with the
realities of today's economy.
LENAPE: THE ORIGINAL PEOPLE
Copyright Collection FBC 1937
Agnello Films, 1986. Directed by Thomas Agnello.
22 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Two full-blooded Lenape Indians recall their tribe's history and customs
and reflect on their own loneliness and fears for the tribe as their numbers
dwindle. Includes art reproductions, archival photographs, and scenes from
the first reunion of Lenape from all parts of the U.S. which was held in
1983.
LETTER FROM AN APACHE
Copyright Collection FAB 3925
Barbara Wilk, 1982. Directed by Barbara Wilk.
12 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Animated film presents the true story of a Yavapai Indian (not Apache)
Carlos Montezuma, M.D., (known as Wassajah), who was born in 1866 in Arizona.
It tells of his capture at the age of five by raiding Pima Indians, the
destruction of his tribe, how he was sold to an Italian photographer, and how
he became a physician in Chicago. The animation is based on the "ledger
book" style of Indian artists.
LITTLE WHITE SALMON INDIAN SETTLEMENT
Copyright Collection FCA 8277
Treaty Indians of the Columbia, Inc., 1972. Directed by Harry Dawson.
30 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Discusses the life and customs of the Yakima Indians and their current
struggles with the states of Oregon and Washington over fishing rights in the
Columbia River.
LIVE AND REMEMBER
Copyright Collection VAB 3879
Solaris Lakota Project in association with South Dakota Public TV, 1987.
Directed by Henry Smith.
29 min., color, 1/2" videocassette.
Footage of the squalid conditions on Dakota reservations depict the
struggles Sioux Indians face in adapting to modern American society.
Interviews with tribal members and scenes of ancient ceremonies still
performed today reveal commitment to traditional values.
THE LONG WALK OF FRED YOUNG
Copyright Collection VBE 2650
WGBH Educational Foundation, 1979. Directed by Michael Barnes.
58 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. From the Nova series.
As a child, Fred Young, whose Indian name means "clever hunter," hunted
birds and wild animals with simple weapons, spoke only the Ute and Navajo
languages, and went to a medicine man when he was sick. The film deals with
Young's struggle to move from the poverty of his childhood to his present
position as a nuclear physicist, and to retain his native identity.
THE LONGEST TRAIL
Copyright Collection VAA 6568
Choreometric Project of the Center for Social Science and the Department of
Anthropology, Columbia University, 1984. Directed by Alan Lomax and
Forrestine Paulay.
58 min., color, 1/2" videocassette.
Attempts to demonstrate the relationship between dance style and culture,
and connections between various Indian cultures.
LOST IN TIME
Copyright Collection VBE 1190
Auburn Television, 1983. Directed by James Stone.
57 min., color, 3/4" videocassette.
Traces the history of Alabama's earliest inhabitants, from the crossing
of the Bering Straits land bridge, perhaps forty thousand years ago, to the
arrival of Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto in 1540.
LOUISE ERDRICH AND MICHAEL DORRIS WITH PAUL BAILEY
Roland Collection/L.C. Purchase VBG 2570
Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, 1988.
27 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. From the Writers Talk--Ideas of Our
Time series.
In this interview with Native American writers Louise Erdrich and Michael
Dorris, the husband and wife team discuss their work, political and cultural
roles of American Indians, and oral and tribal traditions.
LUCY COVINGTON: NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN
Copyright Collection FBB 6018
Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corporation, 1978. Directed by Steve
Heiser.
16 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Filmed on the Colville Reservation in eastern Washington, Lucy Covington,
chair of the Colville tribe and granddaughter of Chief Moses, gives an
account of her part in the effort to prevent federal termination of the
tribe.
MAKE MY PEOPLE LIVE: THE CRISIS IN INDIAN HEALTH CARE
Copyright Collection VBD 6522
WGBH Educational Foundation, 1984. Directed by Linda Harrar; narrated by Lee
Grant.
60 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. From the PBS series, Nova.
Examines the health problems of Native Americans and the quality of care
they receive, particularly among four tribes (Sioux, Tlingit, Navajo, Creek).
The film also explores the reasons why American Indians suffer from diseases
such as diabetes, tuberculosis, and alcoholism at rates far exceeding the
national averages.
MOHAWK BASKETMAKING--A CULTURAL PROFILE
Copyright Collection VBB 5813
Frank Semmens, 1980. Directed by Frank Semmens; narrated by Larry
Richardson.
28 min., color, 3/4" videocassette.
Photographed on the St. Regis Reservation in upstate New York, this film
documents the art of basketmaking as practiced by Mary Adams, a nationally
recognized Mohawk artist. During the intricate process, she narrates the
story of her youth and her people's struggle to survive. The paintings of
Iroquois artist Ernest Smith illustrate the historical use of Indian baskets.
MORE THAN BOWS AND ARROWS
Copyright Collection FBB 8012-8013
Cinema Associates, Inc., 1978. Directed by Roy Williams; narrated by N.
Scott Momaday.
58 min., color, 16mm, 2 reels.
This award-winning film demonstrates the impact of Native American
culture on American society in areas of medicine, architecture, agriculture,
science, urban development, and environmental planning, among others.
MY HANDS ARE THE TOOLS OF MY SOUL
Copyright Collection FDA 6215
Swann Films, Inc., 1975. By Arthur Barron and Zina Voynov; narrated by
Gerald Vizenor.
54 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Vignettes of Indian artists with their work stress that "the process of
artistic creation, the doing, is as important as the end product." A Navajo
woman weaving an original design, Pueblo basketmasters and potters, a Hopi
Kachina doll carver, and various musicians are included.
MYTHS AND THE MOUNDBUILDERS
Copyright Collection VBB 1561
Public Broadcasting Associates, Inc., 1981. Directed, produced, and written
by Graham Chedd.
58 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. From the Odyssey series.
Reconstructs the myths and theories of the huge earthen mounds scattered
throughout the central United States. Until the late 1800s it was believed
that these were built by a lost civilization, but it is now known that the
mound-building cultures were American Indians.
NATIVE AMERICAN MYTHS
Copyright Collection FBA 7370
Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corporation, 1977.
24 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Collaborators Alfonso Ortiz, Stephen S. Jones, Hazel John, Frank
Collison, Barbara Bravo, and Mary Lou Byler helped create this animated
presentation of American Indian myths of the Seneca, Haida, Klamath,
Cherokee, and Hopi tribes.
NAWATANIA: A HOPI PHILOSOPHICAL STATEMENT
Copyright Collection VBD 3745
University of Arizona and KUAT-TV, 1978.
27 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. In Hopi with English subtitles. From
the Words and Place: Native Literature of the American Southwest series.
Ceremonial leader George Nasoftie relates the Hopi ceremonial cycle to
agriculture and the sacred teaching--"To grow things is happiness."
NAVAJO ARTIST R.C. GORMAN
Copyright Collection VAB 1359
Hesse/Waldrum Production Co., 1987. Directed by Harold Joe Waldrum.
28 min., color, 1/2" videocassette.
Examines the life, influences, and techniques of painter and printmaker
R.C. Gorman through interviews and location scenes from Taos, New Mexico.
NAVAJO CODE TALKERS
Copyright Collection VBC 4789
New Mexico Film & Video, 1981. By Tom McCarthy.
27 min., color, 3/4" videocassette.
This film documents the little-known participation of Navajo Indians in
the Marine Corps during World War II. A code for military communications was
invented based on the Navajo language; the Navajos interviewed in the film
were the radio operators.
NAVAJO--THE FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL [See Navajo: The Last Red Indians]
NAVAJO: THE LAST RED INDIANS
L.C. Purchase VBA 7956
BBC TV/Time-Life Films, 1972. By Michael Barnes.
35 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. From the BBC series, Horizon.
Depicts efforts by the largest tribe in America to preserve traditional
culture while synthesizing it with selected features of modern American life.
Filmed on their reservation in northern Arizona and New Mexico, many
uncensored scenes of Navajo rituals, ceremonies, and healing practices are
presented.
NAVAJO TRADITIONAL MUSIC: SQUAW DANCE AND RIBBON DANCE
Copyright Collection VBB 3300
American Indian Studies Center, University of California, Los Angeles, 1978.
60 min., b&w, 3/4" videocassette.
Demonstration and discussion of cultural significance of many traditional
Navajo dances.
THE NAVAJO WAY
Copyright Collection FDA 2376-2377
National Broadcasting Co., Inc., 1974. Directed by Robert Northshield.
52 min., color, 16mm, 2 reels.
Through the story of Mary Grey Mountain, her son Robert Lee, and aged
Medicine Man Long Salt, the film demonstrates how traditional tribal ways are
essential for survival in modern America.
THE NAVAJOS OF THE '70s
Copyright Collection FBB 0288
Centron Corp, 1971.
15 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Overview of the history, customs, myths, crafts, and other elements of
Navajo culture including economic and political problems of the 1970s.
NESHNABEK--THE PEOPLE
Copyright Collection FCA 9813
Donald David Stull and University of Kansas, 1979. Directed by Gene
Bernofsky; narrated by Kirby Kemble and James Carothers.
30 min., b&w, 16mm, 1 reel.
Using original footage made of the Prairie Band Potawatomi by amateur
anthropologist Floyd Schultz between 1927 and 1941, this film was edited and
supplied with a soundtrack based on recent interviews with elderly
Potawatomi.
THE NEW AMERICAN INDIAN WARS: WITHOUT ARROWS AND BULLETS
Copyright Collection VAB 0071
Rodman-Downs, Ltd., 1987.
Color, 1/2" videocassette.
David Hartman interviews tribal members from various reservations about
current political and economic concerns. The Lummi tribe in Washington state
discuss fishing rights; the Flathead in Montana battle for land; the Mohawk
Nation confronts gambling; and the Navajos pursue entrepreneurial interests.
THE NEW INDIANS
Copyright Collection FBA 7402-7403
National Geographic Society, 1977.
60 min., color, 16mm, 2 reels.
Shows how various tribes of North American Indians are developing new
pride in their ancient ways and examines some of problems they encounter.
NO TURNING BACK
Copyright Collection VBF 4584
KNME-TV, 1984. Directed by Dale Sonnenberg.
58 min., b&w and color, 3/4" videocassette.
Examines the recent phenomenon of a fundamental Christian movement on
Navajo reservations--which includes tent revivals, speaking in tongues, and
healings--and the opposition by traditional tribal members. Much of the
documentary, which was filmed in part by hidden cameras, focuses on the
personal crusade of evangelist Boots Wagner, himself a Navajo.
THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS AND EDWARD S. CURTIS
Copyright Collection FBC 1358
Shadow Catchers, Inc., 1985. Directed by T.C. McLuhan.
28 min., b&w and color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Edited version of McLuhan's The Shadow Catcher [see entry] this film is
a critical account of the life of Edward S. Curtis, a photographer and writer
who worked among the Indians of the American Southwest for over 32 years.
It does not include interviews with Indian people found in the longer work.
NOVA [For descriptions see individual titles]
THE LONG WALK OF FRED YOUNG
MAKE MY PEOPLE LIVE: THE CRISIS IN INDIAN HEALTH CARE
UMEALIT: THE WHALE HUNTERS
OBSIDIAN POINT-MAKING
Copyright Collection FCA 4085
Department of Anthropology, University of California, 1964.
13 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel. From the University of California American
Indian Film Series.
The most common method of making an arrow point is demonstrated by a
Tolowa Indian of northern California. The narration describes various tribal
customs associated with obsidian chipping and explains the significance and
uses of tools and weapons.
ODYSSEY SERIES [For descriptions see individual titles]
THE CHACO LEGACY
FRANZ BOAS, 1858-1942
MYTHS AND THE MOUNDBUILDERS
SEEKING THE FIRST AMERICANS
ORIGIN OF THE CROWN DANCE and
BA'TS'OOSEE: AN APACHE TRICKSTER CYCLE
Copyright Collection VBD 3743
University of Arizona and KUAT-TV, 1978.
40 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. In Apache with English subtitles. From
the Words and Place: Native Literature of the American Southwest series.
Apache storyteller Rudolph Kane relates "stories of long ago" to a group
which includes his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
OUR SACRED LAND
Copyright Collection VBE 9793
Chris Spotted Eagle, 1984. Directed by Chris Spotted Eagle.
28 min., color, 3/4" videocassette.
Explores the contemporary issue of Native American religious freedom by
focusing on the continuing struggle of the Sioux to regain the Black Hills
of South Dakota. Many Indians with key roles in the decision are
interviewed.
PEOPLE OF THE KLAMATH--PRESERVING A WAY OF LIFE
Copyright Collection VBH 1397
James Culp Productions, 1989. Directed by James Culp; narrated by Ed Asner.
28 min., b&w and color, 3/4" videocassette.
Shows how the Karuk Indians of Northern California preserve their culture
by teaching the younger generation traditions such as basketmaking, salmon
fishing, language, and crafts.
PINE NUTS
Copyright Collection FBA 1226
Department of Anthropology, University of California, 1961.
14 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel. From the University of California American
Indian Film Series.
Paiute and Washo Indians demonstrate how pine nuts were harvested,
extracted from the cones, and made into foodstuff, using the traditional
techniques. The film is intended as a record of a traditional Native
American activity for research purposes.
PLACE OF EMERGENCE
Copyright Collection FBC 1391
Paul Brekke, 1984. Directed by Paul Brekke.
16 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
This experimental film combines various Native American creation stories,
synthesizing tribal symbols, icons, and artifacts.
PROBABLE PASSING OF ELK CREEK
Copyright Collection VBF 7785
Tocayos Films, 1983. Directed by Rob Wilson.
60 min., color, 1/2" videocassette.
This film examines a dilemma common to many reservations: choosing
between economic improvement through the sale of tribal land and resources
or enhancement of cultural continuity which depends on retaining land.
Indian leaders of the Grindstone Creek Indian Reservation in the town of Elk
Creek, California, discuss their options.
QUEEN VICTORIA AND THE INDIANS
Copyright Collection FAB 6083
Barbara Wilk, 1984. Directed by Barbara Wilk.
12 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Re-creates artist George Catlin's visit to Europe in the mid 1800s to
exhibit his paintings of American Indians, using archival stills, animation,
and the artist's own paintings.
RETURN OF THE RAVEN:
THE EDISON CHILOQUIN STORY
Copyright Collection VAB 9472
Barry L. Hood, 1988.
30 min., color, 1/2" videocassette.
Reviews the 30-year legislative and legal struggle of Native American
Edison Chiloquin to return Indian lands in Oregon to Plaiku tribal control.
Uses extensive interviews to address contemporary Native American issues,
including the effect of federal legislation on community affairs.
RETURN TO SOVEREIGNTY:
SELF-DETERMINATION AND THE KANSAS KICKAPOO
Copyright Collection VBI 6635
Donald D. Stull and David M. Kendall, 1982. Directed by David Kendall.
46 min., color, 3/4" videocassette.
Examines how the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act
of 1975 has been implemented among the Kansas Kickapoo. Commentary from
tribal administrators and elders, local BIA representatives, specialists in
Indian law, and anthropologists reveals success on some levels and failure
on others.
THE RIGHT TO BE MOHAWK
Copyright Collection VAB 9720
George Hornbein, Anne Stanaway, and Lorna Rasmussen, 1989. Directed by
George Hornbein and Lorna Ramussen.
17 min., color, 1/2" videocassette.
Members of the Mohawk Indian tribe of Akwesasne, New York, discuss steps
they are taking to preserve their heritage and culture.
RUNNING ON THE EDGE OF THE RAINBOW
Copyright Collection VBD 3746
University of Arizona and KUAT-TV, 1978.
27 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. From the Words and Place: Native
Literature from the American Southwest series.
Laguna Pueblo author Leslie Marmon Silko reads her poetry and discusses
her writing and its connection to the oral tradition of her people.
SACRED GROUND: PART 1, INDIAN AND THE LAND;
PART 2, INDIAN ORIGIN, LEGEND AND SPIRIT
Copyright Collection FBB 8234-8235
Freewheelin' Films, 1979. Directed by Rodney H. Jacobs; written by N. Scott
Momaday, Alfonso Ortiz, and Robert Murray.
23 min. and 25 min., color, 16mm, 2 reels.
Looks at specific U.S. geographic places which are sacred to American
Indians such as Devil's Tower in Wyoming, Canyon de Chelly in Arizona, and
Bear Butte in South Dakota.
THE SEA IS OUR LIFE
Copyright Collection FBB 9216
Bo Boudart, 1979. Directed by Bo Boudart.
16 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
The Inuit of Barrow, Alaska, discuss the effects of offshore drilling and
their efforts to organize through the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission.
SEEKING THE FIRST AMERICANS
Copyright Collection VBB 3406
Public Broadcasting Associates, Inc., 1980. Directed by Graham Chedd.
60 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. From the Odyssey series.
Investigates the work of archaeologists who are trying to determine when
the earliest American Indians lived on this continent.
SEPARATE VISIONS
Copyright Collection VAB 9719
Museum of Northern Arizona, 1989. Produced and directed by Peter S. Blystone
and Nancy E. Tongue.
40 min., color, 1/2" videocassette.
Southwestern Indian artists Brenda Spencer, John Fredericks, Baje White-
thorne, and Nora Naranjo-Morse, discuss their cultural backgrounds and
approaches to their work.
SEYEWAILO--YAQUI DEER SONGS
Copyright Collection VBD 3742
University of Arizona and KUAT-TV, 1978.
50 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. In Yaqui with English subtitles. From
the Words and Place: Native Literature from the American Southwest series.
Yaqui Indians perform a ceremony which celebrates the spiritual power
coming from Yo-anya, the Enchanted World, that connects humans with the rest
of living nature, especially "Our Brother the Deer."
SHADOW CATCHER
L.C. Purchase FCA 9356-9357
Shadow Catcher, Inc. and South Carolina Educational Television Network, 1975.
Directed by T.C. McLuhan; narration by Donald Sutherland and Patrick Watson.
88 min., b&w and color, 16mm, 2 reels.
Biography of Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952), photographer, ethnologist, and
filmmaker who tried to preserve aspects of the cultures of Indians on the
Plains, in the Southwest, on the Northwest Pacific Coast, and in Alaska.
SINEW-BACKED BOW AND ITS ARROWS
Copyright Collection FCA 1207
Department of Anthropology, University of California, 1961.
24 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel. From the University of California American
Indian Film Series.
The film follows in detail the construction of a sinew-backed bow--the
finest and strongest of the bows used by American Indians--by a Yurok
craftsman.
SMITHSONIAN FOLKLIFE STUDIES [see The Drummaker]
SONGS IN MINTO LIFE
Copyright Collection VBE 9042
Minto Village Council/Curt Madison, 1985. Directed by Curt Madison.
30 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. In English and Tanana Athabascan.
Explores the creativity and tradition in the songs of the Tanana Indians
living near Minto Flats, Alaska.
SONGS OF MY HUNTER HEART: LAGUNA STORIES AND POEMS
Copyright Collection VBD 3747
University of Arizona and KUAT-TV, 1978.
34 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. In English and Keres. From the Words
and Place: Native Literature of the American Southwest series.
Filmed on the Laguna reservation, this videotape features Harold
Littlebird singing traditional and popular Pueblo songs and his own
compositions.
SOUTHWEST INDIAN ARTS AND CRAFTS
Copyright Collection FAB 232
Coronet Instructional Media, 1973.
13 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Examines the handicrafts of American Indians of the southwest as examples
of traditions and skills that have been passed from generation to generation.
Includes Navajo rugs, San Ildefonso and Acoma pottery, Hopi and Zuni jewelry,
Hopi katchina dolls, and Pima and Papago baskets.
SOUTHWEST INDIANS OF EARLY AMERICA
Copyright Collection FAB 233
Coronet Instructional Media, 1973.
14 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Shows dwellings of the ancestors of the Hopi, Pima, and Papago Indians,
and discusses division of labor, use of natural resources, and other cultural
ways.
SPIRIT OF CRAZY HORSE
Off-Air Collection VBI 5072
Parallax Productions and Access Productions in association with WGBH, 1990.
60 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. From the PBS series, Frontline.
Chronicles the history of the Lakota Sioux from the massacre at Wounded
Knee Creek, South Dakota, in 1890, to the present-day revival of cultural
pride, including the American Indian Movement.
STAR LORE
Copyright Collection FAB 5971
Hubley Studio, Inc., 1984. Directed by Faith Hubley.
9 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Animated production depicting six Native American sky myths.
TEACHING THE MUSIC OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN
Copyright Collection VAB 5222
Music Educators National Conference, 1991.
37 min., color, 1/2" videocassette.
Documents the American Indian music segment of the 1990 Symposium on
Multicultural Approaches to Music Education which includes performances of
Oglala dances, songs, and flute music.
TO PROTECT MOTHER EARTH: BROKEN TREATY II
Copyright Collection FDA 9538
Cinnamon Productions, 1989. Directed by Joel L. Freedman; narrated by Robert
Redford.
59 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
Explores the current treaty-rights battle between the Western Shoshone
of Nevada and the U.S. federal government.
THROUGH THIS DARKEST NIGHT
Copyright Collection VAA 8749
Educational Department of the Denver Art Museum, 1986. Directed by Daniel
Salazar.
12 min., color, 1/2" videocassette.
Three Native American speakers present scripted narration of Indian
people's experiences during the early reservation period. Archival
photographs and footage of the Plains are interspersed.
THE 21ST ANNUAL WORLD ESKIMO-INDIAN OLYMPICS
Copyright Collection VBD 4387
Skip Blumberg, 1983. Directed by Skip Blumberg.
27 min., color, 3/4" videocassette.
More than ten thousand fans gathered to observe the 1982 Eskimo-Indian
Olympics in Fairbanks, Alaska. Contests include two-foot and one-foot high
kicks, seal-skinning, knuckle hop, and blanket toss.
TWO INDIANS: RED REFLECTIONS OF LIFE
Copyright Collection FBB 0488
Centron Educational Films, 1972. Made by Mineola, N.Y. Public School System.
26 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
A study of two North American Indian high school boys, one from Zuni
Pueblo, New Mexico, who comes from a traditional Indian background and
retains his tribal identity and philosophy, and the other from the Yuchi
Tribe in Oklahoma, who seeks his identity in art and school politics.
UKSUUM CAUYAI--THE DRUMS OF WINTER
Copyright Collection FDA 9371-9372
Sarah Elder and Leonard Kamerling, 1988. Directed by Sarah Elder and Leonard
Kamerling.
90 min., color, 16mm, 2 reels. In Yup'ik Eskimo with English subtitles.
Religion and culture of the Yup'ik (Alaskan Eskimo) is explored as this
film focuses on the social institution of the potlatch--a large festival
which involves drumming, singing, dancing, and the exchange of gifts.
UMEALIT: THE WHALE HUNTERS
Copyright Collection VBE 2681
WGBH Educational Foundation, 1980. Directed by John Angier.
58 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. From the Nova series.
This film documents the controversy surrounding bowhead whale hunting
among Inuit communities on Alaska's north coast.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AMERICAN INDIAN FILM SERIES
Between 1961 and 1965, Samuel A. Barrett, professor in the Department of
Anthropology, and Clyde Smith, head of film production at the University of
California, Berkeley, made a series of films documenting Native American
activities which are no longer practiced with traditional technology. In
most of the documentaries, tribal members reenact such old methods as making
a sinew-backed bow, making bread from acorns, and constructing a wooden box.
Other films depict traditions still practiced. Each of the films considered
the memories and oral traditions of contemporary Indians as well as
anthropological records to document skills which the project feared would
soon be lost from memory.
For descriptions see individual titles on following page:
ACORNS: STAPLE FOOD OF CALIFORNIA INDIANS
BASKETRY OF THE POMO
BUCKEYES: FOOD OF THE CALIFORNIA INDIANS
CALUMET: PIPE OF PEACE
DREAM DANCES OF THE KASHIA POMO
GAME OF STAVES
KASHIA MEN'S DANCES
OBSIDIAN POINT MAKING
PINE NUTS
SINEW-BACKED BOW AND ITS ARROWS
WOODEN BOX
UTAH'S INDIANS AND THE SPANIARDS
Copyright Collection VAB 1787
University of Utah, 1985. Directed by Kirk Strickland.
30 min., b&w and color, 1/2" videocassette.
Highlights the 1776-1777 Dominguez-Escalante expedition into the area
which is now Utah, and their impressions of the Shoshonean inhabitants.
UTAH'S INDIANS IN THE 1880s
Copyright Collection VAB 1776
University of Utah, 1986. Directed by Kirk Strickland.
24 min., b&w and color, 1/2" videocassette.
Examines the attitudes of early Morman settlers in Utah toward the Indian
population in the late 1800s.
VIEWS OF A VANISHING FRONTIER
Off-Air Collection VBG 0667
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Craig B. Fisher, Helen Ashton Fisher, and WGBH-
TV, 1988.
60 min., b&w and color, 3/4" videocassette. From the PBS series, The
American Experience.
In 1833 Prince Maximilian zu Wied and Karl Bodmer, a Swiss artist,
journeyed up the Missouri River to study the northern Plains Indians. This
film focuses on the paintings and journal descriptions the team produced to
document their trip.
VILLAGE OF NO RIVER
Copyright Collection FDA 6980
Newark Museum, 1981. Directed by Stuart Hersh.
58 min., b&w and color, 16mm, 1 reel. In English and Yupik with English
subtitles.
Using black-and-white footage from 1935-1940 and color footage from 1979-
1980, this film shows the past and contemporary life of the Yupik Eskimo from
the small village of Kwigillingok, which means "no river." Activities
include fishing, trapping, seal hunting, and ordinary family life in the
southwestern Alaska community.
VISION DANCE [Ihanbla Waktoglag Wacipi]
Copyright Collection VBB 8957
Solaris Dance Theatre, Inc., 1982. Directed by Skip Sweeney.
60 min., color, 3/4" videocassette. In Lakota with English subtitles.
Solaris, a modern dance theater company, and Sioux Indian dancers from
nine reservations of the Lakota Nation in South Dakota, perform sacred and
traditional powwow dances.
VOICES OF OUR ANCESTORS
Copyright Collection VBD 2337
Sealaska Heritage Foundation, 1982.
58 min., color, 3/4" videocassette.
Documents the 3-day traditional celebration of the United Tlingit, Haida,
and Tsimshian tribes which was held in Juneau, Alaska in 1982. Includes
consultation with tribal elders, ancient Eskimo songs and rituals, drumming,
and other ceremonials.
WARRIORS
Copyright Collection VAB 3903
Prairie Public Broadcasting, 1987.
60 min., color, 1/2" videocassette.
Examines the active role of Native Americans in the Vietnam war.
WASHOE
Copyright Collection FBA 8228-8229
Western Artists Corp., 1968. Directed by Veronika Pataky.
56 min., b&w, 16mm, 2 reels. In Washoe with English narration.
Captures day-to-day activities of the Washoe Indians of the Great Basin
on their Nevada reservation. In this small town of only 29 families,
traditions endure in spite of modern developments. A pine nut ceremony and
girl's puberty ceremony are featured.
WATERBORNE: GIFT OF THE INDIAN CANOE
Copyright Collection VBH 2073
Suquamish Museum, 1989.
14 min., color, 3/4" videocassette.
Through archival photographs and recorded conversation with tribal
members, this film examines the significance of water among the thirty-seven
Indian tribes from Washington state. Canoe construction, salmon fishing, and
religious ceremonies are discussed, as narrators reminisce about life in the
Pacific Northwest.
THE WAY OF OUR FATHERS
Copyright Collection FCA 7263
Humboldt State University Foundation, 1972.
33 min., color, 16 mm, 1 reel.
Members of several northern California Indian tribes describe their way
of life before encountering the white culture, including historical methods
of Indian education.
A WEAVE OF TIME: THE STORY OF A NAVAJO FAMILY, 1938-1986
Copyright Collection FDA 8698
Produced by Susan Fanshel with John Adair and Deborah Gordon, in association
with the New York Foundation for the Arts and the Wheelwright Museum of the
American Indian, 1986. Directed by Susan Fanshel.
60 min., b&w and color, 16mm, 1 reel.
A documentary following anthropologist John Adair's study of Navajo
silver crafts in Pine Springs, Arizona, and his acquaintance with Tom
Burnside and his family, all Navajo handicrafters. A chronicle of Adair's
first visit in 1938 to his reunion with the Burnsides in 1986, the film
focuses on changes in the approach to silver crafts as well as in traditional
lifestyles.
WITH HAND AND HEART
Copyright Collection VAA 8756
Oak Creek Films Production, 1986. Directed by Bill Snider and Deann Snider.
28 min., color, 1/2" videocassette.
Examines Native American art of the southwest through interviews with
artists and their families.
WOODEN BOX: MADE BY STEAMING AND BENDING
Copyright Collection FCA 3811
Department of Anthropology, University of California, 1962.
33 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel. From the University of California American
Indian Film Series.
Kwakiutl chief and master carver Mungo Martin is shown making a
traditional cedar, pegged box. The entire process from the felling of a
cedar tree through the cutting, steaming, bending, and assembling is studied.
WOODLAND INDIANS OF EARLY AMERICA
Copyright Collection FAB 4018
Coronet Instructional Media, 1980. Narrated by Ben Bearskin, Jr.
10 min., color, 16mm, 1 reel.
The daily life of a Chippewa family in the eastern and Great Lakes
region, prior to European influence, is authentically reconstructed.
WORDS AND PLACE: NATIVE LITERATURE
FROM THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST
This series of videotapes features traditional and modern Native American
literature as told or written by individuals of various tribes in the
American Southwest.
For descriptions see individual titles:
BY THIS SONG I WALK
A CONVERSATION WITH VINE DELORIA, JR.
I'ISAW: HOPI COYOTO STORIES
NAWATANIA: A HOPI PHILOSOPHICAL STATEMENT
THE ORIGIN OF THE CROWN DANCE and BA'TS'OOSEE:
AN APACHE INDIAN TRICKSTER CYCLE
RUNNING ON THE EDGE OF THE RAINBOW
SEYEWAILO--YAQUI DEER SONGS
SONGS OF MY HUNTER HEART: LAGUNA STORIES AND POEMS
WRITERS TALK--IDEAS OF OUR TIME [See Louise Erdrich and Michael Dorris with
Paul Bailey]
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