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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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