Charles Trimble. Photo by Native Sun News

I have subscribed to Lakota Country Times for several years and am always rewarded with yet another story of victorhood (as opposed to victimhood), especially among our youth up there. This time it’s in the art of film making.

From the earliest days of film-making, when the first “westerns” were introduced, Indians have had a significant role in the plots. However, they were portrayed most often as pesky impediments to Manifest Destiny, and villainous wagon-burners ravaging frontier settlements and carrying off the fair heroine who had no fear of a “fate worse than death” because the white hero was always just over the hill ready to rescue her. The actors portraying Indians, both as extras and in major roles, had most often been war-painted, bewigged whites or Latin-type men and women with dusky features.

In the 1960s the civil rights movement and Indian activism forced changes in stage and film portrayal of Native Americans – as people with rightful demands for justice and as individuals with hearts and souls and intelligence.

Then came the real Indians to filmdom: Jay Silverheels (nee Harold Smith) Canadian Mohawk, Ed Little Sky (nee Edsel Little) Oglala Lakota, Sonny Skyhawk, Sicangu actor-activist and others, had long been doing respectable work as film warriors, faithful sidekicks, and advocates.

Then like a refreshing cool-front out of Canada came a wave of Native talent in acting, directing, cinematography and producing to fill the needs of an infant indy-Indian film industry in the U.S.

Now comes Pine Ridge, the up-and-coming HollyRez of Indian Country.

My friend and soul sister, Ginger Theisen had gotten my interest up in film making. She’s a film producer noted for her work in special visual effects, which have included such films as Star Wars – Episode I; Jurassic Park; Hidalgo; Terminator 2; and The Perfect Storm, among others. She asked me to read over a script for a film she is interested in producing, and it whetted my interest in the entire independent film industry. Last year Ginger and screen writer Timon Meyer worked at Pine Ridge with Bamm Brewer, Tate’ Walker, Willi White, Tom Swift Bird and J. Waylon Miller – all Lakota – in producing a film about the annual Crazy Horse Ride. An important co-sponsor of the project was Judi gaiashkibos, Director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs.

That excellent show will likely find recognition in various film festivals.

Now I read in the Times that Pine Ridge talent will be making a film based on the much-loved, best-selling book NEITHER WOLF NOR DOG by Kent Nerburn. The film will be shot on the Pine Ridge, Cheyenne River and Standing Rock reservations beginning this September. And the production will be headed up by none other than Pine Ridge’s own Larry Pourier, producer of regional Emmy award-winning movie URBAN REZ, and will feature Oglala actor Zahn McClarnon and Lakota elder Dave Bald Eagle. Furthermore, other aspiring actors from the reservation shooting locations will find their opportunities for future stardom.

Recently, I was forwarded a link to a clip on line entitled THE PEOPLE featuring Willi White and Angel White Eyes, both Oglala Lakotas, founders of a new entity called INDEGENE ENTERAINMENT STUDIOS. These childhood friends were classmates at Red Cloud Indian School, and Willi went on to study theater and photojournalism at Creighton University; Angel studied art at Oglala Lakota College.

On their website indigenestudios.com, they give their growing legion of on-line viewers a glimpse of their dreams:

“We are beginning the journey of producing a short film we’re pretty happy to share with the world.

“Let me explain. We’re Native American, which can spark a varying degree of thoughts about who and what Native American is or was. But that’s the thing, there isn’t a clear thought. It’s scattered about with Hollywood romanticism and one page text book descriptions. Through it we, Native Americans, have become trapped in time and stigma.

“So, here at INDIGENE STUDIOS we want to change all that and add to the conversation.

“How do we do that? Well, it begins by telling our own stories. Not the stories produced by large News Corporations or TV Networks, or well-known National Geographic photographers; but stories by us, the people, the artists, content creators and community members of the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.

“We are about changing the stigma, changing what people may think they know about us. Changing the sometimes difficult opinions said about us. We will do this by building a foundation of opportunity where none exist, and giving back to our community the voice that it always had.

“We want to do this in a creative way. That involves taking advantage of this digital age and the innovations of online social interaction. Basically, the internet and social media are going to play a huge part in our company’s development, because ultimately it’s about sharing this journey with you. It’s about sharing our stories and our voice with the passionate people of the internet, thus the world.”

Big dreams, clearly stated, and challenging. They’re appealing for funds to get started and are well on their way.

These are winners: Count me in!

Charles "Chuck" Trimble is a member of the Oglala Lakota Oyate, born and raised on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. He was principal founder of the American Indian Press Association in 1970, and served as Executive Director of the National Congress of American Indians from 1972-1978. He can be reached at cchuktrim@aol.com or charlestrimble.com