Short Takes…  

TGIO…Thank God it’s OVER. Christmas is wondrous, New Year’s Eve is annoying and both are utterly exhausting as we recuperate from the excesses of food, festivities, relatives and spending. We simply need a chance to decompress and regain our focus.

So focus we do as we dive into the pallid abyss called January. Get ready; it’s going to be an eventful year. Sure, there will be challenges. Such as dealing with the ethically-challenged ass clowns attempting to undermine those committed to creating an independent, authentic Native presence in media and entertainment. Such as supporting Native artists changing the image of indigenous people in the hearts and minds of mainstream America.  

Challenges. Big ones, but worth it. 

So forget the treadmill and Weight Watchers. Better to go full tilt step by step, mile after mile. After all, the original Olympic competition was a marathon; and this being an Olympic year, we might as well get moving. Starting with a sample of what’s out there and what’s coming…  

• What’s Out there…OYATE

  Oyate is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting an honest portrayal of Native culture and history, especially as it pertains to educating children. As they state on their website: “For Indian children, it is as important as it has ever been for them to know who they are and what they come from. For all children, it is time to know and acknowledge the truths of history. Only then will they come to have the understanding and respect for each other that now, more than ever, will be necessary for life to continue.”

  Despite Oyate’s modest size, they have an ambitious agenda. The organization provides critical analyses of Native-themed literature and maintains an online library of books, videos and curricula. They also offer educational workshops and a small resource center. They get it. We like that:) www.oyate.org  
  

• What’s Coming…COMANCHE MOON  PREMIERES JANUARY 13 

  Wanna see Adam Beach with hair like Cher? Me neither, but the upcoming CBS miniseries Comanche Moon  boasts an impressive pedigree—the prequel to Larry McMurtry’s ballyhooed Lonesome Dove  novel and miniseries stars Wes Studi, Val Kilmer, David Midthunder, Karl Urban and the aforementioned Cher-and-Cher-alike Beach.  Ahh, but will it be worth watching?  Not if it follows the lead of HBO’s Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee  or 2005's Into the West.  But it’s a new year, and I’ve promised not to prejudge even though the promos once again relegate Indians as mere buckskinned backdrops. Take a look-see at the CBS website and videos and decide for yourself…

  CBS "Comanche Moon" webpage

  "Comanche Moon" video clips