BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE
Beginning with the Sioux victory over General Custer at Little Big Horn, BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE intertwines the unique perspectives of three characters: Charles Eastman (Adam Beach), né Ohiyesa, a young, Dartmouth-educated, Sioux doctor held up as living proof of the alleged success of assimilation; Sitting Bull (August Schellenberg), the proud Lakota chief who refuses to submit to U.S. government policies designed to strip his people of their identity, their dignity and their sacred land - the gold-laden Black Hills of the Dakotas; and Senator Henry Dawes (Aidan Quinn), one of the architects of the government policy on Indian affairs.

While Eastman and patrician schoolteacher Elaine Goodale (Anna Paquin) work to improve life for the Sioux on the reservation, Senator Dawes lobbies President Grant (Thompson) for more humane treatment, opposing the bellicose stance of General William Tecumseh Sherman (Feore).

Hope rises for the Sioux in the form of the prophet Wovoka (Studi) and the Ghost Dance - a messianic movement that promises an end of their suffering under the white man.

This hope is all but obliterated after the killing of Sitting Bull and the massacre of hundreds of Lakota men, women and children by the 7th Cavalry at Wounded Knee Creek on Dec. 29, 1890.

Published in 1971, Dee Brown's book is one of the foremost works documenting the systematic subjugation of the American Indian during the latter half of the 19th century. It has sold nearly five million copies and has been translated into 17 languages.

From Brown's encyclopedic tome chronicling the fate of the Dakota, Ute, Cheyenne and other tribes, the film focuses on the events leading up to the massacre of the Sioux, which many consider one of the most grievous atrocities in United States history.

A Joint TURKISH - NATIVE AMERICAN COMMITTE TO BE FORMED TO DISCUSS ALLEGED COMMON ROOTS BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS

Committe to include
Brian Paterson ; Head of Western Tribes
Prof. Marjorie Mandelstam Balzer: Researcher
Asst. Prof.Carol Lujan: Arizona State University
Frank Keel: US State Department
Prof Turker Ozdogan: George Washington University
Prof. Timur Kocaoglu: Michigan State University

SOME COMMON WORDS BETWEEN THE LANGUAGES (NATIVE INDIAN: Turkish)

YATKI : Yatilacak yer, ev
TAMAZKAL : Hamam (temiz kal)
T-SUN : Uzun
TEPEK : Tepe
HU : Selam (hu)
YONUNDA : Yaninda
ASH-KOZ : Yemek (as)
TETE : Dede
TURE : Tore
ATISH-KA : Ates
YU : su
YU-MAK : Yikamak (yumak)
Kusha : Kus
Kun : Gun
Koç : Göç

Wiping The Tears Of Seven Generations
In December of 1990, 300 Lakota Sioux horseback riders rode 250 miles, in two weeks, through bitter sub-zero winter weather, to commemorate the lives lost at The Wounded Massacre of 1890. This program relates the story of how the Lakota Nation mourned the loss of their loved ones for 100 years. They also mourned the loss of some of their people's sacred knowledge which died with the elders that day. Then, inspired by dreams and visions of unity and spiritual awakening, a group of Lakota decided to bring their people out of mourning through a traditional Lakota ceremony which they call Washigila; "Wiping the Tears" The Bigfoot ceremonial Ride was that ceremony.


FilmFestivals, Screenings, Awards
American Indian Film Festival "Best Video" Award, 1991
National Educational Film Fest " Gold Apple: Award, 1992
C.I.N.E. "Golden Eagle" Award, 1992
American Film & Video Festival "Red Ribbon" Award, 1992
Munich International Film Festival "One Future" Prize, 1992
Parnu Anthropology Festival "Best Educational Film", 1992
New York Festivals "Silver Medal" Award, 1993

"Sensitive. Moving. Wiping The Tears Of Seven Generations is a model of the way art can be used to effect reconciliation and renewal" — Professor Huston Smith, Author of The World's Religions