Fighting Indians
2022•1h 48m•Released
Documentary
On May 16th, 2019, the State of Maine made history by passing LD 944 An Act to Ban Native American Mascots in All Public Schools, the first legislation of its kind in the country. For Maine's tribal nations, the landmark legislation marked an end to a decades long struggle to educate the public of the harms of Native American mascotry. Fighting Indians chronicles the last and most contentious holdout in that struggle, the homogeneously white Skowhegan High School, known for decades as "The Home of the Indians". This is the story of a small New England community forced to reckon with its identity, its sordid history, and future relationship with its indigenous neighbors. It is a story of a small town divided against the backdrop of a nation divided where the "mascot debate" exposes centuries old abuses while asking if reconciliation is possible.
Director
Derek Ellis
Writer
Ryan Griffis, Derek Ellis, Mark Cooley
Languages
English
Studio
Stove Up Productions
Cast
Maulian Dana
Self - Penobscot Nation Ambassador
Barry Dana
Self - Former Chief, Penobscot Nation
James Eric Francis
Self - Penobscot Tribal Historian
Dwayne Tomah
Self - Passamaquoddy Nation
John Bear Mitchell
Self - Penobscot, Professor
Dawn Neptune Adams
Self - Penobscot Filmmaker
Dena Rose Joseph
Self - Aroostook Band of Micmacs
Mike Wise
Self - Sports Journalist
Dave McKenna
Self - Sports Journalist
Jesse Seinfeldt
Self - Sports Psychologist
Al Carroll
Self - Historian, Professor
Jeffery Powers-Beck
Self - Literary Historian
Zach Heiden
Self - Chief Counsel ACLU, Maine
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