Valley filmmaker brings insider's eye to tale of Geronimo
Filmmaker Dustinn Craig has tried to bring out some of the complexity of this tale in Part 4 of "We Shall Remain," a five-part PBS special that looks at Native American history.
Craig, who grew up on the Fort Apache and Navajo reservations, lives in the Valley. His work includes "Home: Native People of the Southwest," part of an exhibit at the Heard Museum, and a film on the Apache creation story for the Apache Cultural Center and Museum at Fort Apache. He learned to make films by recording friends skateboarding.
"That was my film school," Craig said.
Sarah Colt co-produced the Geronimo film. "We Shall Remain" is part of PBS' American Experience series, a large operation for an independent filmmaker to walk into, Craig said. He enjoyed the experience, though putting Geronimo's iconic persona on film was frustrating at times.
"That icon was not created by our people," Craig said at a promotional event for the film at the Heard Museum. "What you really see is what outsiders have decided is important about us. . . . People yell 'Geronimo!' when they jump into the pool, and they don't even know who he was or where he came from."
People died as a result of Geronimo's actions. Some Apaches believed the sooner the Indian wars ended, the better, and there was no shortage of Apache scouts who volunteered--and risked their lives--to search for him.
But making the decision to help U.S. troops hunt Geronimo was not easy. At first, many of the scouts were Western Apache, a separate group from the Chiricahua.
In the end, a number of volunteers were Chiricahua. After Geronimo was captured in 1886, they were shipped off to a prison in Florida with him. This was one of many injustices of the wars, a complexity that is often overlooked.
What does Graig know about Geronimo he gets his facts from other White man History not from a Real Apache. Geronimo, Victorio,Nana,Mangas Colorado, Mangas came from us Chi'shii'or Warm Spring Rez now dissolved by the U.S. gov. Now we live under the Navajo Nation. We still call ourselves Che'shii'or the red face people We still live within hindsight of our Mountian the San Mateo Mt. or Mt. Whitington near Magalena, N.M. Where the Apache Kid is Buried at. Geronimo defended our families from being slandered by U.S. soldiers hired by mining, lumber,land speculators for ranching, and railroad companies who bought most of the land. Geronimo saw the displacementsof his famlies from their homeland, hunting grounds, and trade, He(Geronimo) fought for freedom to exists, a right to live, the God given right to live what ever right he wanted for his family. now the americans know what freedom is. We che'shii' knew that right to live free. We were victims of their so called "Manifest Desting" What I called the land mowner effect. Kill everything for their path. they kill all grizzlys, buffulos, mountians lions and the eagles for ranchers so they( the Americans)can live safe. What about our safty or security, freedom, and a right to live on this earth. God made us for what we are. To the White man Geronimo was a killer a mean looking man , a sugum of the earth, a man who stood in front of the so called Manifest Destiny that's the reason why they sent him to Florida because He embearess the whole U.S. Nation. Remember the Movie "Forth of July" with Will Smith. How the Aliens invaded Earth. Just to use up or deplited all the earth resource and leave earth baren and kill all the inhabitants of earth first so they won't be in there way and give them trouble The people of earth fight back to save their home, land and freedom to live. thats how Geronimo fought against the U.S. The freedom to Exists I 'm sick and tired of the White Man thinking they know what First Americans is. in the All they want is to make money on us. Trying to sell their Ideas of First American is, and Geronimo. One day All the Che'shii' or remanet of Geronimo's family and nation will come to together again with Fort Sill,Ok Our Prays, song and dances will heard again from Mt. Wittington. Our Grandpa will smile in heaven..
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