The Menominee community is proud that a tribal member has thrived in a major television series. Alaqua Cox is mesmerizing as Maya Lopez, a deaf heroine coming to terms with her past, in the miniseries Hawkeye. Due to Cox’s success, her young cousin, Darnell Besaw, was recruited to portray Lopez in her youth, becoming a scene-stealer herself. Yet, Native people in the industry who open doors for others is hardy anomalous. This past year saw the debut of original, engaging shows focusing on nuanced Indigenous stories, including Reservation Dogs, Rutherford Falls, and Resident Alien. The authenticity of these shows resonates because directors like Taika Waititi (Maori) and Sterlin Harjo (Seminole) and showrunners including Sierra Teller Ornelas (Navajo) insist on hiring Native talent on both sides of the camera. The inclusion of multiple tribal voices in a single production ensures that Native portrayals will run the gamut of perspectives while offering viewers access to stories and storytellers with diverse perspectives. Stories matter, representation matters, and the following is a list of films that reflect the power of the medium when guided by Indigenous voices.         

Sacheen: Breaking the Silence

This short documentary examines the reverberations after Sacheen Littlefeather (Apache and Yaqui) refused the 1973 Academy Award for best actor on behalf of Marlon Brando. In so doing, she became the first person, let alone the first woman of color, to use the platform of Hollywood’s biggest night to make a political statement. Speaking from that hallowed rostrum in her regalia, Littlefeather challenged the world to confront the shameful depictions of Native people in television and film and illuminated the plight of Indigenous activists making a stand against injustice at Wounded Knee, South Dakota. Now an elder, Littlefeather reflects upon her cinematic career prior to her famed speech as well as the ensuing fallout, before sharing stories of how she dedicated her life to the service of others. Nearly 50 years after upsetting the status quo, Littlefeather continues to inspire. 

Wild Indian

Set in modern times, this haunting film tells the fictional story of a murder that took place in the 1980s and the subsequent attempt to cover-up the crime. Michael Greyeyes (Muskeg Lake Cree) has put the events and his birth name, Mak’wa, behind him, successfully assimilating into the non-Native world. Married to a non-Native (Kate Bosworth) and employed by another (Jessie Eisenburg), his history of violence on his reservation catches up with him when ex-convict Ted’O, played by Chaske Spencer (Fort Peck Lakota), confronts him. Written and directed by Bad River Ojibwe tribal member Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr., a talented filmmaker inspired by stories from his elders, the ambiance of this film’s gritty shots mixed with nuanced performances creates an unsettling narrative that challenges viewers to deliberate where to place their sympathies.   

Home from School: The Children of Carlisle

The Carlisle Indian Industrial School wrought generational trauma that continues to afflict the descendants of the students who attended the boarding school. This documentary follows the Northern Arapaho tribe’s tireless efforts to heal by bringing the remains of three of their young men back to their tribal land. The school’s reprehensible motto of “kill the Indian, save the man” is often evoked to encapsulate the horrors that thousands of Native children experienced. Home from School shows that behind the statistics are the profoundly personal stories of the families of those who never came home. While the past is heartbreaking, the persistence of current tribal members to honor, remember, and educate offers viewers visual proof that tribal resiliency is a virtue that endures.

Falls Around Her

Famed Cree and Métis actor Tantoo Cardinal stars in this fictional film about an Anishinaabe folksinger, Mary Birchbark, who abandons her profession and returns to the Canadian reserve of her people. Birchbark is seemingly rejuvenated by her homeland, sharing stories, partaking in tribal life, and participating in activism far from the stage lights that made her famous. Yet, the film’s Anishinaabe writer-director-producer, Darlene Naponse, creates moments of unease and inner-turmoil in this slow-burn thriller, as Birchbark’s motives are challenged by those she returned to as well as those she left behind. While the film offers a powerful character study, non-Natives’ arrogance in claiming ownership over her career choices and First Nations’ natural resources offer viewers much to consider.

Without A Whisper – Konnón:Kwe

Directed by Mohawk filmmaker Katsitsionni Fox, this short documentary shares the story of how Haudenosaunee women in New York state championed political suffrage years before their non-Native counterparts. Beginning with the often-overlooked meeting at Seneca Falls in 1848, the film shows how Native women have been and continue to be a vital part of the American women’s rights movement from its inception to modern times. Rich with footage of intimate gatherings and public forums showcasing the work of Mohawk Bear Clan mother Louise Herne and Professor Sally Roesch Wagner, the film aims to correct the historical record while showing Native women that political participation is part of their legacy. With the midterm elections approaching in November, this documentary offers a reminder that our ancestors won the voting rights enjoyed today.  

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Filmed stories have the power to elevate not just the people working in the industry, but also those watching from home. It’s not surprising that Native people are using their success to open doors for others. What is surprising is how long it’s taken Hollywood to recognize the power within the stories of America’s original storytellers. May the films and television you watch throughout the coming year lift your spirit in ways only Indigenous narrative sovereignty can.            

Ryan Winn teaches in the Liberal Studies Department at College of Menominee Nation.  

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in the Inquisitive Academic or any other opinion columns published by the Tribal College Journal (TCJ) do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TCJ or the American Indian Higher Education Consortium.