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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2002)
m&mk ... gR. COLL. lit mmam-v -" 78 . 06 CHASTA B66 UMPQUA March 1, 10LALLA 002 LAPUYA -E RIVER MARCH 1, 2002 503-879-5211 1-800-422-0232 A Publication of the Grand Ronde Tribe www.grandronde.org ft Mlt in n n n The Business of Fancy Dancing Spokane Indian Sherman Alexie's new movie tells an unusual and unsettling tale of Indian Country. By Peta Tinda Native poet Sherman Alexie's latest movie "The Business of Fancy Danc ing" played to a packed house at the Portland Art Museum on February 9. The movie was part of the Portland International Film Festival. Vx After the film, Alexie an swered questions and talked with the audi ence. "I love this place," said Alexie of Port land. "It's a great Indian town." Set on the Spokane Reservation, the movie's plot revolves around two friends, Aristotle Joseph (played by Gene Tagaban) and Seymour Polatkin (Evan Adams) sixteen years after they've gradu ated from high school. "It's one story about a few Indi ans and a couple of white people thrown in for good measure," joked Alexie. This was Alexie's directorial de but. In 1997, his short story "This is what it means to say Phoenix Arizona," from his book "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven" was made into the award winning film "Smoke Signals." The film begins with a flashback to the two friends on graduation day, right before they leave to go to college. Although they both leave the reservation with excite ment for college, they're success and experience in the white man's world would differ dramati cally and ultimately turn the life- long friends away from each other. Seymour thrives in college but Aristotle doesn't do as well. The gap between the two former friends widens as Seymour becomes a sue- and famous and has din ner with the President. Aristotle eventually drops out of college and goes back to the reservation. But many Natives, especially the ones at home whose lives have been exposed in his writings, can't stand Seymour. Seymour's life is further compli cated by the sudden death of his friend from childhood, Mouse, (Swil Kanim) a well-known reservation personality and gifted violinist. Seymour feels like he must return to the reservation and to people who would rather that he just V tei'"' III 1 Sioke signals 1 ; , , , , Storytelling With A Twist - Spokane Indian Sherman Alexie followed up his critically acclaimed movie "Smoke Signals" with a new movie called "The Business of Fancy Dancing." The controversial film debuted in Sundance, Utah and then made its way to Portland. We sent journalist Peta Tinda to give us a movie review. stayed away. Seymour's white lover, Steven, (Kevin Phillip) also does not want him to return to the reservation. Steven fears that if Seymour goes, he might not return, saying: "They're not your Tribe anymore, I'm your Tribe." The one person on the reserva tion that welcomes Seymour back is his former college girlfriend Agnes Roth (Michelle St. John). Agnes is half Spokane Indian and continued on page 5 ' Mrfoy. - , i Mm ft . NUlfLiJ . Ill fi!Jg?$Mll 1 - - Ready For Visitors The Gordon House at The Oregon Garden, a recipi ent of a Spirit Mountain Community Fund grant, in Silverton will celebrate its dedi cation and open the stunning Frank Lloyd Wright home to visitors on March 2 and 3. f. Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde PRESORTED Sj Community of Oregon FIRST-CLASS MAIL $7 9615 Grand Ronde Road y g POSTAGE PAID Mi Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347 SALEM, OR )CJf Address Service Requested PERMIT NO. 178 SERfftLS DEPT. - WIGHT LIBRARY 1299 UNrUERSITY OF OREGON EUGEHE OR 97403-12G5 V lit-'-' y ' v.t,- i h- irl-rf ? i i r, . till i in Vi il-Y ffAuw 11 ... u. Remembering... This year, Valentine's Day was a time of remember ing for many families in the Grand Ronde Tribe. Flower Day - The Tribe's Spirit Moun tain Casino passed out hundreds of red roses to guests and brightened a few days as well. -
