Saturday evening I attended the 16th annual
First Americans in the Arts (FAITA) awards ceremony. It was held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in (of course) Beverly Hills. With comedian Charlie Hill as the MC, a good time was had by all.
Here are the awards, in the order they were presented, and the presenters, to give you an idea of who was there.
Will Sampson Memorial Award: First Nations Composer Initiative. Presented by Mary Kim Titla, the San Carlos Apache woman running for Congress in Arizona.Outstanding Performance by an Actor, TV (Mini-Series), Lead: August Schellenberg for Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. Presented by Gil Birmingham. (Schellenberg wasn't present.)
Birmingham said that Schellenberg said that Sitting Bull was his favorite role. Schellenberg first played Sitting Bull in Crazy Horse.Outstanding Achievement in Directing: Sterlin Harjo for Four Sheets to the Wind. Presented by producers Gale Anne Hurd and Valerie Red-Horse.
Harjo noted that he was amazed by Will Sampson's first words in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest: "Juicy Fruit." Amazed that an Indian said something modern--in this case about chewing gum. He said these words stuck with him and were partially responsible for his making films about modern-day Indians.Outstanding Musical Achievement (Contemporary): Fara Palmer. Presented by actor Miko Hughes. (Palmer wasn't present.)Outstanding Performance by an Actress, TV: Tonantzin Carmelo for CSI: Miami. Presented by newswoman Hattie Kauffman and Oneida Representative Ray Halbritter.
Carmelo noted that the CSI: Miami episode has caused some controversy, but she thanked CBS for devoting an hour to a modern-day Indian story. (An episode about an Indian murdering and scalping someone? I'll say it caused some controversy.)Outstanding Performance by an Actor, TV Series: Adam Beach for Law & Order: SVU. Presented by FAITA trustee Shawna Clay and Gary Farmer. (Beach wasn't present.)Outstanding Literary Achievement: Drew Hayden Taylor for his book Me Funny. Presented by Jhane Myers, head of the American Indian National Center for Television and Film.Trustee Award: Christina Wright for costume design for Native Voices at the Autry. Presented by Mark Reed of American Indians in Film and TV.Outstanding Performance by an Actor, TV (Mini-Series), Supporting: Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse for Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. Presented by Delanna Studi.Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: Chauntal Lewis for Seance. Presented by Bird Runningwater of the Sundance Institute.Outstanding Musical Achievement (Traditional): Davis Mitchell. Presented by FAITA trustee Donna Talamantes and Saginaw Grant. (Mitchell wasn't present.)Legacy Award: Silent actress Minnie Ha Ha. Presented by Maree Cheatham.Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Film: Irene Bedard for Tortilla Heaven. Presented by actor Zahn McClarnon.For more on the subject, see
First Americans in the Arts.
8 comments:
Writerfella here --
In actual point of fact, Will Sampson as 'Chief' Bromden in the film ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST, first said, "Ah. Juicyfruit." writerfella especially remembers because he saw an August 1975 advance screening at the Writers Guild Theater in Los Angeles, three months before the national release. And the film was so powerful and captivatingly done that it turned an audience of jaded writers into just another movie audience, one that laughed and cheered and cried and applauded. On exiting the theater, people began to reach out and touch and grab at writerfella, clearly mistaking him for Will Sampson. EVERYBODY wanted to know that Native character and, though writerfella is large, tall, and long-haired, it's just that Will Sampson was larger, taller, and longer-haired. writerfella was in the wrong place at the right time. Luckily, writerfella was rescued by Harlan Ellison or he might not have gotten out of there in one piece...
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
Thanks for letting us know Sampson said "Ah" before "Juicy Fruit." I don't know what we would've done without that information. ;-)
Incidentally, "Juicy Fruit" is two words, not one, according to the official Wrigley website:
http://www.wrigley.com/wrigley/products/products_juicy_fruit.asp
Writerfella here --
And we're sure Will Sampson certainly would have valued being told about the term being two words rather than one, as it only could have added nuance to his performance...
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
I see we are still chewing on this one.
Writerfella here --
Naw, writerfella still prefers a stick of Beeman's...
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
are you going to post pictures?
Yes, I'll post some pictures when I receive them from the photographer. I didn't take many pictures myself because it was too dark. Give it a week or so.
Here you go:
Pix of the 2008 FAITA awards
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