>>
>> WE
>> WE ARE
>> WE ARE NATIVE PEOPLE. WE DON'T FIT IN WITH THE MIX
CONTINUE, PUERTO RICAN, BLACKS
AND WHITES.
AND WHITES. WE ARE A SEPARATE GROUP.
AN INDIAN HAS TO WALK IN TWO
WORLDS.
WORLDS.
WORLDS. HE IS PRESSURED IN SOCIETY.
HE REALLY DOES STRUGGLE.
>>> NOVEMBER IS NATIVE AMERICAN
HERITAGE MONTH.
HERITAGE MONTH. TWIN CITIES PUBLIC TELEVISION
IS HIGHLIGHTING NATIVE CULTURES
WITH SPECIAL EVENTS AND
PROGRAMMING.
PROGRAMMING. ONE IS A DOCUMENTARY THAT
CENTERS AROUND THE EXPERIENCE
OF NATIVE AMERICANS WHO SERVED
IN VIETNAM.
IN VIETNAM. SHERRY MEEK IS DIRECTOR OF
PROGRAMMING FOR TWIN CITIES
PUBLIC DIVISION.
PUBLIC DIVISION. LEAH HALE IS THE DIRECTOR OF
THE CULTURE ACTIVITIES.
TWIN CITIES HAS SOMETHING
SPECIAL GOING ON THIS MONTH,
RIGHT?
RIGHT?
RIGHT? >>
RIGHT? >> WE SURE DO.
WE HAVE SPECIAL BROADCASTS.
WE HAVE SCREENINGS.
WE HAVE ONLINE PRODUCTIONS.
WE ARE JUST REALLY TRYING TO
MAKE IT A CELEBRATION OF NATIVE
STORIES AND STORYTELLERS.
>> WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO
TAKE PART IN THIS AND SHOWCASE
NATIVE AMERICANS?
NATIVE AMERICANS? >> MANY REASONS.
IT IS IMPORTANT HISTORY.
IT IS IMPORTANT HISTORY TO OUR
AREA.
AREA.
AREA. WE
AREA. WE KNOW OUR VIEWERS ARE
EXTREMELY INTERESTED IN IT.
WE KNOW THAT THESE ARE STORIES
THAT ARE UNDERREPRESENTED IN
ALL MEDIA.
ALL MEDIA. IT WAS JUST A CHANCE TO REALLY
RAISE THEM UP AND AMPLIFY THEM
AND SHARE THEM WITH OUR
AUDIENCE.
AUDIENCE.
AUDIENCE. >> LET'S TAKE A QUICK CLIP OF
THE MOVIE.
THE MOVIE. WE'LL SHOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THIS AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE
PEOPLE'S PROTECTORS.
PEOPLE'S PROTECTORS. TAKE A LOOK.
>> THERE WAS AN ENEMY BUILD UP
ON A VILLAGE THREE CLICKS OVER
TO THE NEXT ONE.
WE HAD TO GO DOWN TO THE
VILLAGE.
VILLAGE.
VILLAGE. WE HAD TO PACK THOSE PEOPLE UP
AND TELL THEM THEY ARE GOING TO
LIVE A BETTER LIFE ABOVE THE
DMZ AND BURNED EVERYTHING TO
THE GROUND AND SHOT EVERY WATER
BUFFALO, PIG, CHICKEN.
PEOPLE WERE SCREAMING AND
YELLING.
YELLING.
YELLING. THEY WERE LOOKING AT US WITH A
LOT OF HATE.
SOME GUYS ARE GETTING OFF ON
IT.
IT.
IT. ONE
IT. ONE WOMAN LOOKED LIKE MY
GRANDMOTHER, TO BE TRUTHFUL.
THEY TOLD US IT WAS A NECESSARY
EVIL.
EVIL.
EVIL. >>
EVIL. >> THAT IS VERY POWERFUL.
I WAS WATCHING IT EARLIER.
LEAH, WHEN YOU WERE MAKING
THIS, WHAT DID YOU LEARN WHILE
MAKING THE MOVIE AND GETTING
EVERYTHING TOGETHER?
EVERYTHING TOGETHER? >> I LEARNED A LOT FROM THIS
MOVIE.
MOVIE.
MOVIE. I
MOVIE. I WAS APPRECIATIVE TO THE
ELDERS THAT TOOK PART IN IT.
I LEARNED HOW POWERFUL OUR
PEOPLE ARE.
PEOPLE ARE. EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THIS
CONFLICT -- I GUESS YOU COULD
SAY -- THIS NEGATIVE HISTORY
WITH THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, A LOT
OF OUR PEOPLE WERE STILL
WILLING TO PUT THAT ASIDE TO
ENLIST VOLUNTARILY IN THE
VIETNAM WAR.
VIETNAM WAR. THAT HAPPENS STILL TODAY.
NATIVE AMERICANS SERVE THE
HIGHEST AMONG ALL ETHNIC GROUPS
IN THE U.S. MILITARY TODAY.
>> HE SAID ONE LOOKED LIKE MY
GRANDMOTHER.
GRANDMOTHER. THEY TALKED ABOUT HOW THE
PEOPLE LOOKED LIKE THEM.
WERE THEY CONFLICTED?
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. MANY OF THE STORIES THAT ARE
WITHIN THE DOCUMENTARIES, THEY
TALK ABOUT THIS INTERNAL
CONFLICT THAT THEY HAD.
ONE ELDER EVEN DESCRIBED HOW
ONE OF HIS DUTIES WAS TO PICK
UP DEAD BODIES AFTER A BATTLE
AND HOW HE DESCRIBED THAT TO
ONE OF OUR HISTORIC, TRAGIC
EVENTS, WOUNDED KNEE.
HE DESCRIBED HOW OUR PEOPLE HAD
TO PICK UP OUR OWN DEAD BODIES
FROM THE TRAGIC EVENT.
>> WHAT DO YOU HOPE PEOPLE TAKE
AWAY FROM THE MOVIE?
>> I HOPE THE GENERAL AUDIENCE
SEES NATIVE PEOPLE HAVE A
STRONG COMMUNITY AND STRONG
CONNECTION WITH EACH OTHER.
WE PROVIDE A VALUABLE SERVICE
TO OUR COMMUNITY EVEN BEYOND
MILITARY SERVICE.
MILITARY SERVICE. I WANTED TO STRESS THE
IMPORTANCE OF HOW OUR PEOPLE
ARE PROTECTORS.
ARE PROTECTORS. I WANT TO STRESS THE IMPORTANCE
THAT EVERYONE IS A PROTECTOR IN
YOUR COMMUNITY, WHATEVER WORK
THAT YOU DO IN YOUR OWN
COMMUNITY, YOU HAVE A ROLE AND
IMPORTANT PURPOSE.
IMPORTANT PURPOSE. WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF ONE
ANOTHER AND PROTECT EACH OTHER
NO MATTER WHAT.
>> THANK YOU FOR COMING IN.
YOU CAN WATCH THE