Documentary uses Native poetry

Native American poetry gets a voice in locally produced documentaryVeteran local filmmaker Thom Marini has wanted to do a documentary using Native American poetry for a long time.

"Poetry is one of those things like music that has always been with man," Marini says. And he has always appreciated Native Americans' command of the language.

So when he had the chance to direct a project with Dan Jones at Turning Stone Casino, he asked if Jones knew a poet who might be interested in being the subject of his documentary.

Jones, vice chairman of the Oklahoma Indian Affairs Commission and the former chairman of the Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, ran out to the car and got his book, Words of the Wind. Marini was sold after the first page.

The result, Blood of Our Earth, airs at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday on WXXI-TV (digital channel 21.1, cable channel 11). WXXI worked closely with Marini and producer Lou Angora at the local Morning Light Films to get it distributed across the country through American Public Television.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Native Documentaries and News.