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American Indian Heritage: Take Action Pack

Published on October 8, 2008

Twelve Months, Twelve Films, Twelve Issues.

Here at MediaRights.org and the Media That Matters Film Festival, we decided to crew up and give you a fresh, focused, all-in-one package of brand new short films, background information, resources, tips and activities on each of the topics covered in the eighth annual Media That Matters Film Festival.

The mission of the festival is to take the concept of "audience" a step further and use short-form, big issue media as a tool to educate and inspire activism.

This month's theme focuses on National Native American Heritage Month coming up in November. Check out Something's Moving, a film focusing on American Indian Boarding Schools, and read on to find out more ways to take action in your community.

The Issue

For over a hundred years and well into the 1970s, Native American children were removed from their families and enrolled in U.S. government and church-run boarding schools. The schools were part of a reform movement purportedly aimed at improving the living conditions of Native Americans. It was decided that teaching a Westernized set of "practical skills" and Christianizing American Indians would help them assimilate into modern mainstream American society.

Children were separated -- most often involuntarily -- from their families. When they arrived at the boarding school, their hair was cut off and they were given uniforms and new English names. The schools were usually cold brick buildings where the children were brutally punished for speaking their own language or engaging in any aspect of their cultural heritage. Those that didn't die of disease or suicide entered adulthood with untreated complex post-traumatic stress that has been unconsciously inflicted upon the next generation by many, resulting in abuses such as alcoholism, drug addiction and child abuse.

Physicians, educators and Native American leaders have begun to publicly discuss the connection between the legacy of abuse experienced at boarding schools and deep social problems within the Native American community. High rates of rape and sexual abuse of Native women, alcohol and substance abuse; violence toward children and high rates of suicide among young people are just some of the effects attributed to the trauma suffered at the boarding schools.

The boarding school experience represents yet another injury inflicted on the culture of these long-oppressed people. But recent developments offer hope for a better future, as organizations such as the Boarding School Healing Project work to help document boarding school abuses so that American Indians can begin healing.

The Film

Something's Moving

Something's Moving, winner of the Unspoken Truth Award, explores the reality and legacy of American Indian boarding schools through the voices and stories of survivors, and follows their courageous attempts to heal themselves, their families, and their communities from this under publicized trauma. Boarding school survivors describe their feelings when, as children, they were separated from their families, their culture, their spirituality and their identity. Along with survivors representing tribes from various regions of the U.S., these individuals retell the devastating impact the schools have had on their lives.

Check out more films about issues concerning Native Americans in the MediaRights.org film database or past films from MediaThatMattersFest.org. A few we highly recommend are: Sovereign Nation, Sovereign Neighbor, The Rules of the Game and Big Mouth Films' Arctic Son.

The Action!

Educators

There are more than 500 federally recognized Native American tribes in the U.S., and hundreds more that are state recognized. Learn about the locations of the federally recognized tribes, and additionally, theres a long list of state recognized tribes. Ask your class to create a family tree, locating where their families roots could possibly have intersected with American Indian tribes, and have them present class projects on their research.
Find out about Native American communities living closest to your area and arrange to present oral histories focused on their early years. Visit History Matters for guides to oral history and links to oral history sites.

For Families

Read about Indian boarding schools and check out the Indian Boarding School Photo Gallery. Talk with your family about the similarities and differences between your own childhoods and those of the American Indians. Ask lots of "why?" questions.
Survival International's 'Walk Your Talk' is a simple downloadable guide, full of fresh ideas and useful advice to help further the movement for tribal peoples and a way to be active in your local area.

For Youth Leaders

Find out how Native American teens are dealing with social problems in their communities. Show the Media That Matters films, or the film ABC Children First: Native American Teen Voices and have a conversation with your peers about the issues covered.
Organize a fundraising activity, such as a car wash, bake sale, used book sale for the American Indian College Fund.
In 2007 Amnesty International issued two reports with information pertaining to Native Americans. Read the report on violence against Native American women, or the report on incarceration rates of Native Americans. Find out how you can work with Amnesty International to protect the rights of Native Americans.

And remember -- you can host a screening of the Media That Matters films by visiting our site for more information.

In Conclusion

We hope that these resources will supplement your use of film in the classroom and community. Beyond Media That Matters, we invite you to search around MediaRights to find others films, organizations and to read about other important indigenous peoples issues.

Good luck, and let us know what you are doing to encourage awareness or change on these issues! Publish an announcement on MediaRights to encourage others to join you, or send us an email with any feedback!

This article is available for noncommercial use under a Creative Commons license. It was originally published on MediaRights.org, a project of Arts Engine, Inc. This notice must accompany the article at all times.

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