Chiefs: Sitting Bull 2002
Distributed by National Film Board of Canada, 1123 Broadway, Suite 307, New York, NY 10010;800-267-7710
Produced by Richard Elson and Arnie Gelbart
Directed by Brian McKenna
VHS, color, 2 tapes, 47 min. each
Jr. High - Adult
Anthropology, Animal Rights, Canadian Studies, Ethics, Holocaust and Genocide Studies, History, Human Rights, Multicultural Studies, Native American Studies, Storytelling
Date Entered: 04/07/2004
Reviewed by David M. Liberty, StreamNet Library, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish CommissionThis documentary of the life of Sitting Bull, the great Lakota warrior and Chief weaves the story together using beautiful visuals, intriguing storytelling and accurate historical accounts. Especially noteworthy is the excellent combination of narration by voice-over and first person storytelling. Intertwined throughout the video is a grandson of Sitting Bull, Ronald McNeil, telling his tribal history to his two children. This method gives much more meaning to the story when it is shared on such a personal level.
The video is in two parts totaling over 90 minutes, but did not feel drawn out. Actors are used to represent key characters in the story and they all do a good job of expressing the emotion and the times.
However, the story is often tragic, not only because of the circumstances surrounding the death of Sitting Bull and most of his people, but how the misguided philosophies of early United States policy toward Indian people resulted in the mass slaughter of an innocent bystander: the buffalo.
Sitting Bull fled with his people to Canada shortly after their victory over the Seventh Cavalry. Their time there is rarely mentioned in the stories I have read, but is well documented here. A Canadian Mountie became good friends with Sitting Bull and did a lot to help the Lakota people during their exile.
While the documentary is sobering it is also educational. It has the historical accuracy few documentaries about Native Americans provide. It is highly recommended.