Every year the Association on American Indian Affairs, a nonprofit organization established in New York City in 1922, holds their annual board members meeting along with a cultural event that reflects their mission. This year they chose a short film showcase open to the public which was hosted at the National Museum of the American Indian. Before the board meeting convened and the screening began a lovely reception, also open to the public, was hosted in the American Indian Community House gallery which is located across the street from the NMAI.

Center: board member John Echohawk

I arrived about ten minutes before the reception began at the Community House. The food and beverages were already set out. I can’t say I wasn’t tempted to dig in, but I refrained taking time to set up my video camera and test my audio equipment. For the record, we are a fledgling nonprofit ourselves so any expenses incurred come out of our/my own pocket. This includes camera and audio equipment of perhaps not the highest quality…my lavaliere mic crapped out on me. I was sad, actually I was frustrated. But my video camera is actually quite good! (see videoplayer above) Folks started trickling in right at 5:30p.m. Honestly, I was surprised to see a large turn out of supporters, members and the curious. While testing my equipment a non-Native woman wandered in. She looked confused but curious, which is good, I suppose. Gallery director, Soni Moreno, offered her some coffee and assured her that the unsolicited email she received would net free food and fine films. So she stuck around and why not? It was a well-catered event! I particularly enjoyed the fresh fruit and selection of double cream cheeses.

a selection of cheese lovers.

face stuffers, on-lookers, and art enthusiasts at the AICH gallery.

For three years now independent director/advocate/curator Raquel Chapa has programmed the films for the AAIA sponsored showcase. Each year she selects films that closely align with the objectives of the organization which include endowing scholarships for higher education, cultural preservation, and language retention. Each of the films selected for this year’s showcase illuminated these themes pragmatically: documentaries, yet were also reflective, even poetic: experimental narratives. The showcase itself was only an hour long and only began after the public board meeting which took about a half an hour. I think most of those invited or tourists who had wandered into the museum from Battery Park were surprised to find themselves at a board meeting. Quite honestly, the board meeting was the most illuminating portion of the evening for myself as my organization is about to embark on it’s own nonprofit adventure. I sat taking mental notes, “Ohhhhh so that’s what you have to do! Ah hah! Mmmm-hmmm.” Then the films began after a brief introduction by the coordinator Lisa Wyzlic and curator Raquel Chapa.

The six films presented back to back were a balanced representation of the over-arching theme of cultural preservation-a main tenant in the association’s mission statement-but with a post modern self-reflexive awareness. Annabel Wong’s Kawdan’s Song illustrated this point concisely.

Laura Ortman makes music.

Modern Indians may still reside on reservations, an archaic concept for the uninformed mainstream, but they also travel between that space which informs their cultural identity and the urban cities which also mark their identity but in less overt ways. Not ironically, New York is the space that will make new marks on the young Native musician in Kawdan’s Song. A gifted violinist, she is offered an audition at Lincoln Center. We see her arrive at her friend’s home-a beautiful loft somewhere in Manhattan (I wish I had friends like these!). We see her take in the sights of the city from the balcony; luminous time-lapse footage of the Empire State Building is coupled with reaction shots from the lead actress Laura Ortman. Music was composed specifically to reflect the emotions the protagonist is feeling at any given moment while dialog is minimal. This can be hokey if not executed well. However the director chose wisely to rely on the strength of Ortman’s screen presence, musical talents and her interesting beauty does not hurt either. She has a face one can look at for some time and not be bored or annoyed, like, say with Natalie Portman. We then see her prepare for her audition transforming herself from laid back girl to refined metropolitan woman. The audition does not go as well as she hopes noting from the wings the difference between her emotionally provocative performance and that of her competitor who performs a decorous by the books number for the judges.

Making it as an artist of any stripe in New York City can be a crushing disappointment for most who move here with that goal. In Kawdan’s Song this fact of life is no exception. However, it seems to say “only crybabies run back to the rez!” The final sequence reveals a self-salving performance in the park at Union Square. If they won’t invite you to the party make one for yourself even if you do so illegally-I believe you need a permit to play in public spaces in NYC. However the fact our protagonist is fresh from the rez and therefore wouldn’t know the rules works for the scene nonetheless. It is probably an unintentional irony that the performer is Native American-taking back the land via illegal performance in a public space without a permit!
Kawdan’s Song-1/ Establishment-0
I’m making it sound like Flashdance minus the stripping and iron welding, but t’s not. And the film is less trite than it sounds. Although it could have easily devolved into histrionics but the absence of dialog, strength of performance-both musically and performance wise-aid the film in it’s intention, which I believe is a simple iteration of a common theme, never forget where you come from.

Fun Times with Good Friends

The second film was not surprising to see in this showcase because it brilliantly illustrates another of the tenants of the AAIA mission which is language retention. Cedar Sherbert’s Gesture Down (I Don’t Sing) is based in part on the poem Gesture Down to Guatemala by the late Native writer James Welch. It is a studied montage of title cards and glimpses of his Kumeyaay family across the Mexican border of California. It is a self-aware rumination of the intimately distanced relationship between his identity seen through the veil of modernity-videocameras, pickup trucks, super Walmart purchases married to loss of language and loss of cultural connection. I have only see this one short piece by Sherbert, he’s obviously talented. More importantly, he is self-reflexive. A truly post modern Native film maker. Let’s hope to see more from him very soon.

more scenes from the gallery.

Executive Director Jack F Trope goes in for a cookie

The last four films in the showcase were documentaries. Half of Anything asked the probing question, “What is a real Indian?” Sherman Alexie, John Trudell and two intellectual Indian girls (we can see they are intellectual because they are shown wearing glasses and meandering around university campuses) offered some long-winded answers. Of course Sherman had to make the most stupid statement in the film, “When I see Indians at my readings wearing ribbon shirts, I’m like, ‘Come on…’ It’s like they’re wearing a costume…” Really, Sherman? Really? I think someone’s jealous because he doesn’t look as good in pink and turquoise ribbons!
More stupid statements followed from an Indian radio producer in the documentary “Indians for Indians” radio program out of Anadarko Oklahoma. He claimed when people who are non-Native happen across the radio program and phone in or email to tell him how much they like and value his work he thinks, “O.K. that’s nice but I don’t care because, really, it’s not for them. It’s for Indians.”
I guess that’s why the show and documentary chronicling it’s history is called Indians for Indians? Hmm-mm, I reckon. On the other hand, it could be the Oklahoma red-neck in him that makes him think in such a self-circumscribed manner. In any case these two docos were not as well executed as the endeavors from Wong and Sherbert but they were certainly thought-provoking and also aligned with the objectives of the AAIA.

All together this showcase demonstrated what thoughtful curation and programming can achieve especially when produced with a specific agenda and target audience in mind-provocation of thought regarding the objectives of the AAIA while demonstrating the film-making and performance acumen of contemporary Native talent. It is no surprise that Raquel Chapa is completing a documentary for PBS on the Trail of Tears. We look forward to more of her curatorial efforts as well as the debut of her film.

*See the videoplayer above for a brief, impromptu interview with herself and actress/musician Laura Ortman.

Special Note: In case we haven’t said it enough or in the case it hasn’t sunk in yet the American Indian Community House gallery is an incredible space that showcases the often contemporary work of American Indian artists. You simply must make your way down there to check out the art and meet the lovely Soni Moreno, the gallery director, and the rest of the friendly staff.

all images: copyright maria colon