Colours of Us put out a list of 32 Native American Children's Books.
The Open Education Database presented 20 Native American Authors You Need to Read.
Goodreads has a list of Popular Native American Author's Books.
I personally recommend Sherman Alexie and Stephen Graham Jones.
You know what? How about some films? It doesn't have to be all about books.
Indian Country Today put out a list of 11 Essential Native American Films You Can Watch Online Right Now.
I can definitely recommend Rhymes for Young Ghouls, which is available on Netflix. It's a fascinating mix of gritty reality and magical realism. Smoke Signals is not on that list, but it's a great film, and one more folks are maybe aware of. Unfortunately, it's not on Netflix. It was the first movie I saw Adam Beach in, though I don't know if it was his first film overall. He's come a long way, which is wonderful to see, though I wasn't excited about his role in Suicide Squad.
Curious about Native American actors and actresses? Native Celebrities has a list. Some of these folks are recognizable (Adam Beach, Wes Studi, Graham Greene, Jason Momoa, and others.)
Here's a list of Native American artists.
And Wikipedia offers a list of Native American musicians. If you like rap, check out Frank Waln, who infuses a rap song with a beautiful flute solo and traditional Native sounds. For New Age/instrumental, Brule is a great choice. They perform around Christmas each year here.
Finally, I'd like to leave you with a short film (less than four minutes). It's a poem performed by twelve Native women about the effects of colonization. Pamela J. Peters wrote and directed "My Once Life."
I hope you've discovered a new writer, artist, actor, or musician you didn't know about before.
What is your favorite Native film? Writer? Actor/Actress? Musician? Have you ever seen Brule perform? Have you seen the film Smoke Signals? Any recommendations I missed?
May you find your Muse.
24 comments:
Very cool! Thanks!
"Hey Victor!!" Loved Adam Beach in Smoke Signals. It's the beginning of a promising career, even though he hasn't had the awesome career I want him to have. I also recommend "Pocahontas In Space" (aka Avatar) featuring Wes Studi. But Studi in The Last of the Mohicans is one of the greatest unsung "villains" in cinematic history. Graham Greene was awesome in Die Hard 3 & Dances With Wolves (I have to mention Die Hard 3 whenever I can even though it has nothing to do with Native American culture; just a great actor playing a smart-ass NY cop. Great post, Shannon!!
Now I'm adding some new movies to my Netflix TBW list! Wonderful post. :)
I'd love to check out that children's reading list. Sounds great!
I love Tony Hillerman books and three episodes. It should have become a series. Adam Beach and Wes Studi. Longmire also takes place on the res, with excellent actors.
You know. my son was just asking me to read another book with him, and I decided it was time to bring out Naya Nuki. The author toured my elementary school when I was young, and my mom bought two of his books. I inherited both. Lucky me. =)
One of the great cultural observers is also Native American, William Least Heat-Moon, a travel writer most famous for Blue Highways.
I'm interested in SkySisters and the other children's stories. One I own and loved when I was younger was Walk Two Moons.
I heard Sherman Alexie speak at an SCBWI conference a few years ago, and what a story this man had to tell. The way the people on the Res are treated made me heartsick. Of course, I immediately bought his Absolute True Diary and gobbled it up.
Hi Shannon - what a wonderful post ... loved the "Once My Life" film ... and now I'm listening to Frank Wain with AbOriginal ... amazing ... thanks for highlighting for us .. cheers Hilary
Thanks for the recommendations. I'm particularly interested in checking out Stephen Graham Jones' books. I love that cover!
What a cool post! I love this. I have hardly digested any Native American art, and I need to remedy that. I am a big sucker for R. Carlos Nakai, though. Great music for writing and for meditation.
I'm always happy to pass along some great Native artists!
Studi, Greene, and Beach are great actors. I wasn't happy with Beach's role in Suicide Squad, and felt like it was a huge step backward for him, but I had to tell myself I can't expect him to constantly be representing Natives.
Yay! I hope you like them!
A series based on the Leaphorn books is available on Netflix right now. I hadn't heard of it previously, so I figure it was on one of the non-main cable channels.
It should be noted that both those series are by white men, however, which is why I didn't mention them in this particular post.
How cool! I love to hear that.
I'll have to look him up, thanks!
I've heard of Walk Two Moons. I wish I'd had a list like this when my kids were still reading picture books.
I love his writing! I'd like to hear him speak some day, but his rate is too high for my local writer's conference, which is unfortunate. Some day, somewhere.
Yay, I'm so glad you liked the music!
I hope you like them. He's one of my favorite new authors.
Great to hear about Nakai! Thanks!
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