AUGUST 15, 2004
Smoke Signals 5
Honoring Rn American Indian Hero
AIFI tribute dinner and auction raises money to pay homage to Native film star Will Sampson.
By Peta Tinda
A tribute dinner and auction
was held to raise money for
a documentary film about
the late Native actor Will Sampson,
who is probably best known for his
portrayal of Chief Bromden in the
Oscar-winning 1975 film "One Flew
Over the Cuckoo's Nest."
A group from the Confederated
was held in the outdoor courtyard
of the Gene Autry Museum of
Western Heritage in Los Angeles.
Over 100 Natives representing
many different "Tribes across the
nation bid for artifacts and original
art donated by Native artists and
musicians to help raise funds.
The dinner was hosted by the
Reasons American Indian Film Institute Executive Director Michael Smith
explained his reasons for putting together the Will Sampson documentary film
project to those gathered at the Gene Autry Museum in Los Angeles. Smith said
Sampson changed the way Native people were viewed and portrayed in film
with his breakout role in "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest." The film was shot
in Oregon and based on a book by well-known Oregon author Ken Kesey.
Tribes of Grand Ronde was in at
tendance, donating" several
Pendleton blankets to help with the
fundraising efforts.
Tribal Elder and former Tribal
Chair Kathryn Harrison did the
invocation for the dinner, which
Native American Film Institute, of
which Sampson was a member.
First founded in 1979, the institute
strives to foster understanding of
the culture, traditions and issues of
contemporary Native Americans.
The institute was able to raise
0
A
Jam Session Respected Native musician Bill Miller was joined by Native
Actor Gary Farmer for an impromptu jam session with Miller playing his guitar
and Fanner joining in on harmonica. Miller donated one of his prized flutes that
had been used on several of his award-winning recordings to raise money for the
Will Sampson film project. The event raised $70,000 for the film project and the
auction raised $ 13,000.
over $70,000 for the
making of the film.
The auction raised
$13,000.
Sampson is cred
ited with being the
first Native in a con
temporary role to
bring reality and re
spect to the em
battled images of
Natives in cinema.
"I think he opened
the door for a lot of
Natives," said
Sampson's son Tim,
who followed his
father's footsteps and
became an actor. "It
was the first time Na
tives had been por
trayed with a sense of
dignity, as real hu
man beings with emo
tions, whereas before
we had always been
cast as buffoons or
whatever."
Many people in
Grand Ronde hold a
special place for One
Flew over the Cuck
oos Nest, which was
filmed in nearby Sa-
lem and the Oregon Coast.
The documentary-style feature
film will move beyond Sampson's
iconic image in his Cuckoos Nest
performance and show the little
seen side of the 6 foot 7 artist and
actor from Okmulgee, Oklahoma.
Members of the Sampson family at
tended the fundraiser and gave their
blessing for the making of the film.
"I'm all for it, I think it's a long time
coming," said Norma Jean Sampson
Bible, Will's only surviving sibling
and creative consultant for the film.
When asked what she remem
bered most about her brother,
Sampson-Bible said that he was
always very modest.
"He didn't put on airs. Even after
he got famous, he was always his
old self. People say he had a cha
risma about him. Everybody al
ways spoke warmly about him.
"His biggest contribution was
helping other Tribes," she said.
"Other Tribes would always call on
him to help, whether it was a pro
test or whatever. He always
wanted to help Indian people."
The evening event was high
lighted by performances by Native
actor and violinist Swil Kanim, who
was in the 2002 movie "The Busi
ness of Fancy Dancing" which was
written and directed by Native au
thor Sherman Alexie.
Native musician Bill Miller was
there as well, performing a blues
number with Native actor Gary
Farmer, who played the memorable
role of Filbert in the 1985 movie
"Pow-wow Highway."
Phil Lucas, who is co-writing and
co-directing the Sampson movie,
and worked with Sampson in the
1970's, said the movie will follow
the life of the actor, including in
terviews with performers he worked
;iiT7 i
Legacy Tim Sampson, the son of the late Will
Sampson, has followed in his father's footsteps to be
come an actor in his own right. Sampson said he played
the role his father made famous - Chief Bromden in One
Flew Over A Cuckoo's Nest in a theater production of
the famous movie. Sampson said he felt close to his
father while playing the role.
with as well as numerous behind-the-scenes
film clips.
"He impacted people's lives in a
very positive way and we want the
film to show that. He was the first
Indian in a non-stereotypical role.
A feature film about Sonny
(Sampson's nickname) will give us
fen
' 4r
Comedy Native actor Swil Kanim,
who attended Northwest Indian Col
lege on the Lummi Reservation in Wash
ington, not only entertained the audi
ence with his music, charm and come
dic nature, but he acted as the host and
auctioneer as well.
a better understanding of him and
the work he did," said Lucas. "He
was always strong on education.
He put a lot of Indian kids through
school with his money and showed
that Indians aren't losers, we're
winners. And we're going to do ev
erything we can to honor that.
"He was always a very humble
man," Lucas added. " It never went
to his head. Even after he got to be
well-known, he lived in an old
cabin, wore the same old Bbots and
drove the same old pickup. He was
an amazing human being." B