Real Rez 

When the first wave of immigrants landed on American shores, there were estimated to be about 50 million native people already living on the continent.  These ancient cultures had sophisticated forms of government, vast trading routes and a rich reservoir of oral history, music, art and dance.  Today, approximately 1 million American Indians remain.  The good news is that they have worked hard to remember and maintain their traditions.  

However, it is an odd mix of the very old and the very new. In reality, what we have is a wild combination of the two: Ceremonies where spirits come and heal you; basketball tournaments with cheerleaders; piercing at the Sun Dance; folks trying to start businesses; daily Inipi or sweat lodge ceremonies.  And while this life feels normal to those who live in Indian Country, most of the rest of the world holds firm to romantic images of Indians on horses killing the Buffalo and reverently using every last bone and bit of fur. 

What is this global fascination with the American Indian?  I’m a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe – and I’ve worked in Indian Country for over 30 years.  And for thirty years I’ve wondered why the rest of the world wants us frozen in time like the woolly mammoth.  

Here is my theory.  In South Dakota, we were the last stand—the last “resistance,” if you will.  It is here that Crazy Horse was murdered, Sitting Bull killed and, finally, where the 7^th Cavalry massacred 300 Lakota men, women, and children at Wounded Knee.  It was at that moment that the Great Western frontier was once and for all - “opened”.  These powerful historical events took place less than 120 years ago, not so very long ago in the big picture.  It causes a disturbance in the American soul, like probing a sore that will not heal. 

While we are as close to the original culture that existed 500 years ago as nearly any tribe in the nation, and many people here are direct descendents of those killed at Wounded Knee, we are still just plain American and Indian.  The Indians leave the Sundance in their Chevy trucks and head to town. Many do not practice any traditional culture and speak no Lakota.  In fact, many who perpetuate the “frozen in time” Indian, are Indians themselves.  As a woman in one of my films says, “We sell poor.”   I like to explore the paradox of this crazy quilt of culture.   

Wounded Knee is only 70 miles from where I live.   I have the trust, and knowledge of many many folks on the rez.  I produce a new video for realREZ every week – showing the reality of life on the rez, and busting every myth I can find.   

What I would like to do with a HMWV grant would be to work on a few continuing story lines:  a young man, a grassroots man,  a business woman, and a medicine man.

My plan would be to follow these stories over 4 months.  Each week I would post a story and continue revisiting the same folks – getting deeper and deeper into their stories.  The deliverables would be 16 - 3 to 6 minute stories - posted over 5 months, because of the summer scheduling that happens around here ( Sundances, and various ceremonies; and I have a wedding in August). Trust is the very big issue for folks on the rez; the stories don’t come easily, and to uncover a deeper truth, one really needs to connect – over and over.  This grant would give me the resources to keep going back, and reveal – perhaps for the first time – the real story of life in Indian Country.

I am requesting $ 2620 for the project - $ 960 for travel (16 trips to the reservation) - $ 960 for work, and $700 for a Sanyo Xacti HD1.

Presently, I'm getting a new blog together for the project, and today I posted a piece on "Healing the spirit of the warrior" - It's at http://realrez.wordpress.com.  I will be making changes to it over the next few days as I learn the ins and outs of the wordpress blog form.

Pilamayelo,

Milt Lee