Our Fires Still Burn: The Native American Experience (review)

Abstract

Reviews NAIS 1:2 FALL 2014 198 KYLE T. MAYS Our Fires Still Burn: The Native American Experience by Audrey Geyer DVD distributed by Audrey Geyer/Visions, 2013 THE DOCUMENTARY Our Fires Still Burn: The Native American Experience (2013) is a one-hour film produced by independent media artist Audrey Geyer. This compelling picture tells of the resilience of Native communities in Michigan, with a particular focus on the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, located approximately 155 miles (249 km) northwest of Detroit, and about 70 miles (112 km) north of the capital, Lansing. In thirteen chapters, the author recounts the deep losses and trauma of Native American peoples at large, and the resurgence of the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe in particular, fueled by traditional ceremonies and modern economic enterprises. Our Fires Still Burn centers on two themes: trauma and resilience. The first few chapters explain the trauma of the boarding school era, such as the experience of Native youth at the Mt. Pleasant Industrial Boarding School. This was a time when Indigenous communities experienced a cultural and familial genocide throughout the United States: young people were kidnapped from their homes and, as a result, almost an entire generation of youth were cut off from their cultures, languages, and peoples. It also shows how some Indigenous peoples lived in “two-worlds,” living within mainstream U.S. society, or avoiding giving their children an Indigenous identity in order to avoid cultural/racial discrimination. Although the documentary suffers from an illogical structure (meaning it jumps from topic to topic), it does point to three issues that are becoming increasingly important topics in Indigenous communities and studies: language revitalization; the state of Indigenous men, or masculinity; and youth. It mentions that, although Indigenous women suffer from domestic and sexual abuse, most tribal communities lack well-briety (the combination of well-being and sobriety) programs for men. Although the documentary doesn’t spend a lot of time on this subject (and the others), the mention of these important topics might spark a deeper interest by viewers. Michigan’s Indigenous communities are healing their peoples through a myriad of means. From the use of the Sacred Fire and sweat lodges, to art and journalism, Indigenous peoples are able to positively affect not only Indigenous communities but also non-Native communities. From a discussion with Anishinaabe elder and spiritual leader Bruce Hardwick leading people in prayer and sweat lodges to Native News Network founder and editor Levi NAIS 1:2 FALL 2014 Reviews 199 Rickert (Prairie Brand Potawatomi), to Yakima artist Bunky Echo-Hawk, Native peoples use a variety of methods to heal and pass on teachings to Native communities. Perhaps the greatest strength of Our Fires Still Burn is the desire of all Indigenous elders to pass on teachings to the Seventh Generation: Native youth. While properly showcasing the survival of the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe, the documentary fails to provide historical context for the development of this particular tribal community. Instead, the audience is left with important questions. Who are they? Where did they come from? How did they end up on the reservation? Without broaching these questions and others, it is assumed that the Saginaw Chippewa simply lived on the reservation. There is no discussion of the Treaties of 1855 or 1864, which essentially created the Isabella Reservation, combining the Saginaw, Swan Creek, and Black River bands into the present Saginaw Chippewa community. Despite its lack of historical depth, Our Fires Still Burn would be great for all ages, from young adolescents to adults with little to no knowledge of contemporary Indigenous realities. It could also be used in an introduction to a Native American Studies course and lower-level Midwestern history courses at the college level. The documentary may lack depth, but it does make at least one major point for non-Indigenous peoples: that Native peoples have survived, are still here, and can blend modern and traditional ways of knowing to make a better life for their children, as Native Americans have been doing for centuries. KYLE T. MAYS (Saginaw Chippewa) is a PhD candidate in the Department of History at the University of Illinois, Urbana–Champaign. ...