Another documentary on wise Indians

Local filmmaker opens door to pastEd Breeding thinks it's time to draw on the wisdom of the past and the beauty of American wilderness and indigenous cultures to inspire change and healing.

Breeding has drawn on many of his own diverse talents—along with those of regional artists—to produce "Echoes From The Ancestors," which he describes as "a 30-minute film featuring quotes, voiceovers and music by Native Americans."Comment:  Since I haven't seen Breeding's film, I can't comment on it directly. But it sounds like a lot of the documentaries I've seen. I'd say it's time to do something other than drawing on the wisdom and beauty of indigenous cultures to inspire change and healing. In other words, something that hasn't been done a hundred times before.

Using myself as one of many possible examples, I don't duplicate the efforts of those who have written about Native cultures before. Instead, I run a Stereotype of the Month contest on my website. I critique Native-themed products in this blog. I (try to) publish Native-themed comics. Whether you agree with these efforts or not, you must admit they're not the same old documentaries with ponderous voiceovers and flute music in the background.