Tatanka Means speaks to NOVA students

On Wednesday, Nov. 18, Tatanka Means, actor, stuntman, boxer and artist, was a guest speaker in the Ernst Cultural Center at the Annandale campus. Tatanka is the son of Russell Means, the 1970’s American Indian Movement activist and actor, known for his roles in such movies as Last of the Mohicans (1992), Natural Born Killers (1994), and Pathfinder (2007). Tatanka’s mother is a Navajo educator on the Navajo Reservation in Chinle, AZ.

In spite of his approaching wedding, merely three days away, Tatanka Means took time out of his busy schedule to share with a full audience how he got into show business. His first role was as a lead stunt double in Black Cloud in 2004. “After working as a stunt man, I decided I wanted to be an actor,” Tatanka said to his rapt listeners. So four months later he got an agent in Albuquerque, NM.

When Tatanka is not acting or boxing, he performs as a stand-up comedian. His acts are geared toward American Indian humor, which he described as “fun and crazy. It’s just purely addicting.” He proved that his statement was valid when the NOVA crowd at the ECC picked up on all his punch lines.

Tatanka’s comedy act spoke to the changing role of American Indians in Hollywood and addressed the John Wayne movie stereotypes of yesteryear. Unfortunately, images do die hard. Indians are usually portrayed as dirty, “not wearing Nikes,” and stuck in the 17^th Century. There are a lot of American Indians in Hollywood who are forging new stories and roles for themselves. This groundbreaking work includes Smoke Signals (1998), Skins (2002) and The Burrowers (2008).

While American Indian stereotypes are inaccurate and problematic, there are  current significant challenges that exist on reservations are even worse. Having the same technological advantages as many public schools around the country does not stop heinous crimes from taking place there, many of which go unsolved. Abuse of various sorts are rampant, child, sexual, alcohol and the list goes on. Bad behavior breeds bad behavior.

Many of the elders on the reservation were victims themselves in the government- imposed white boarding schools of the 1920s through 1960s. Many students were beaten, raped and even murdered. Their hair was cut, and their language was forbidden. These seemingly simple acts of conformation to the whites were devastating identity-destroyers to the students who have become today’s elders.

Many of the elders  have also suffered from the post-traumatic stress of the wars that our Native people have repeatedly stepped up and served in, holding relevant positions, such as that of the Navajo Code Talkers. These wars could not have been won without them. Nonetheless, the aftermath of the war left many elders who would be leaders and role models for their communities addicted to drugs and alcohol. And since they are unavailable as healthy examples to their children and grandchildren, the cycle of abuse and pain continues.

While some reservations have unemployment rates as high as a 99%, certain casino tribes are trying to alleviate economic problems by partially funding American Indian independent movies. The Sundance Institute also supports film endeavors through its Native American and Indigenous Program which makes fellowships and mentorships available to emerging Native American filmmakers.

However, the greatest obstacle, is that “the arts aren’t really supported on the reservation.” according to Means. “Reservation kids are shy. They don’t want to talk.” That has not stopped the 24 year-old from stepping up as a mentor on his own reservation though. The actor is putting together a documentary with various performing artists of Native American heritage to inspire kids to engage in the arts. “Indians are very visual.” If kids see a documentary showing them that they can do something, then they begin to have faith in their capabilities Means told NOVA students.

The fact that a lot of people don’t have  the traditions and teachings of their grandparents.today is not isolated to American Indians. Many feel that cultural identities are being transferred, muted and sometimes lost to a certain extent in the growing global community where finances, education and culture are increasingly being exchanged and interwoven.

The stereotype that Indians never smile is false, Tatanka told his audience. “They’re always laughing, joking. People will always pay to see comedy,” despite their financial constraints. Likewise when we “invest in the happiness and well being” of our neighbors unconditionally, in the words of C.F. Volney in his book The Ruins: Or, Meditation on the Revolutions of Empires: And the Law of Nature, surely we will not be short of joy and security ourselves.

You can find out more about Tatanka Means and his work at www.tatankameans.com.

By: Annie Ryan

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