“No matter what they ever do to us, we must always act for the love of our people and the earth. We must not react out of hatred against those who have no sense.” Poet and American Indian Activist John Trudell


The documentary "Trudell", directed by Heather Rae and released in 2005, is currently streaming on Amazon. Trudell became active in the struggle for Native American civil rights in the late 1960s. He took part in the occupation of Alcatraz and the Trail of Broken Treaties standoff in Washington, D.C.

Trudell paid dearly for his political activism. In 1979, his pregnant wife Tina, their three children, and Tina's mother were killed in a house fire. When the Bureau of Indian Affairs conducted an only cursory investigation, Trudell hired his own expert. He concluded the fire was intentionally set. No one was ever held accountable. Trudell found solace in music and poetry. I was lucky enough to see Trudell and his band live. While he was small in stature, Trudell was a charismatic performer with a powerful poetic voice. The FBI, which kept a voluminous file on Trudell, concluded that his eloquence made him extremely dangerous. Though that begs the question, dangerous to whom?

Rae's documentary is not meant to be objective. Trudell narrates his own story, supplemented by interviews with celebrities Robert Redford, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, and Kris Kristofferson. The doc provides excellent context, however, for legal battles that are still ongoing. Just this week, a Federal Court overturned a legal victory for Native Americans seeking to end the operations of the Dakota Access Pipeline. The Supreme Court, meanwhile, affirmed the rights of Native Americans in Oklahoma in a decision handed down in July of this year.

Canada also has a contentious history with its Indigenous population. The story of First Nations Chief J. J. Harper, killed by a Winnipeg police officer, is the subject of "Cowboys and Indians". My full review is on the Drama Movies site. Norma Bailey received the Best Director award at the 2003 American Indian Film Festival for the film.


Here's the latest article from the Drama Movies site at BellaOnline.com.

Cowboys and Indians Film Review
A 2003 film based on true events, "Cowboys and Indians" tells the story of J.J. Harper and his death at the hands of a police officer. A tense drama directed by Norma Bailey that retains its relevance.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art307282.asp

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