A Dialogue with Diné Director Blackhorse Lowe

May 5, 2022 | Blog, Inside the College Fund, Native Arts, Think Indian

dsktp_reservation-dogs_1280x600_(1)

April 26, 2022 -The American Indian College Fund’s Fund Employee Engagement Team (F.E.E.T.) Film Festival started as an endeavor to show films and documentaries that spotlight Indigenous issues with Indigenous voices. Watching films and guest appearances by Indigenous guest speakers in the film industry lend voice and traction to the important work the College Fund is doing.

Blackhorse Lowe

Blackhorse Lowe

Diné film and TV director Blackhorse Lowe met with the College Fund to speak about what it means to be an Indigenous director. Lowe grew up on the Navajo Nation hearing traditional and family stories and watching movies–lots of movies, which influenced his path on becoming a film and TV director.

Reservation Dogs is perhaps the first Indigenous TV show that portrays Native people in a contemporary context. Shot on location on the Muscogee Nation in Oklahoma, the show shatters the romanticization of the Native American, challenges religious beliefs, illustrates the ennui of rez life, and brings to light the issue of suicide among our Indigenous teens.

The premise of the show centers around four Indigenous teens: Bear (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis), Elora (Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs), and Cheese (Lane Factor), who thieve to make money to escape the rez in hopes for greener grass in California, all while honoring the memory of their belated friend, Daniel, who committed suicide. As our beloved teens walk the streets of their rez neighborhoods, we meet all sorts of characters who make the Indigenous community rich, fun, while making reservation life more and more difficult to leave.

Reservation Dogs includes an all-Indigenous cast, as well as Indigenous producers, writers, and directors–leading us back to Blackhorse Lowe.

Lowe directed Season 1 Episode 3: Uncle Brownie and Season 1 Episode 5: Come and Get Your Love. Uncle Brownie introduces Gary Farmer (as Uncle Brownie), who the teens seek out to teach Bear to fisticuff bullies. Come and Get Your Love traces the origins of how young Big became a tribal cop (Zahn McClarnon) by way of encountering Deer Woman, a Native American being prominent in folklore, whose ominous presence inhabits the reservation. By being a good boy and becoming a good man, Big is spared Deer Woman’s vengeance and eventually her presence.

Blackhorse Lowe’s presence was palpable through the laptop screen–funny, approachable, and down-to-earth as he openly shared his experiences as an Indigenous director, from overcoming barriers to securing funding for projects to promoting his work. He says his challenges have been steppingstones and learning opportunities, moving him towards attaining the concrete outcome of his vision as a filmmaker. He said although it may be at times be a lonely endeavor as an artist to see a project through to the finish line, support from friends like our very own Kelley Mitchell, (Diné, American Indian College Fund Full Circle Program Coordinator in the Student Success Services team), fellow director and writer Sterlin Harjo (Muscogee and a citizen of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma), and fellow writer Taika Waititi (Māori and Jewish decent) help to make the vision a reality. And reality is what the show does best!

As our time with Blackhorse Lowe came to an end, more questions about his work bubbled up from the College Fund team. Blackhorse Lowe shared his passion projects of Indigenous storytelling using genres like horror and sci-fi, and his tireless work with Native youth to help them realize their goals.

The conversation with director Blackhorse Lowe demonstrated that although the work of an artist is solitary, one never knows how many people one may touch through their art. You just might save a life by being an inspiration, most especially for underrepresented Indigenous people. It’s a weighted responsibility, but one that we as Indigenous people share with our ancestors.

Aho!

At the time of this blog’s publication, the second season of Reservation Dogs was being filmed. You can watch Season 1 on Hulu.

 

Image sources:

  • https://assets.fxnetworks.com/cms/prod/2021/06/09/dsktp_reservation-dogs_1280x600_(1).jpg
  • Blackhorse Lowe

 

Recent Blog Posts

Highlighting Indigenous Innovation on Indigenous Peoples Day 

Highlighting Indigenous Innovation on Indigenous Peoples Day 

This Monday, October 14, marks Indigenous Peoples Day, a day to honor and celebrate the histories and cultures of Native peoples here in the United States. As of last Indigenous Peoples Day in 2023, approximately 195 cities and states recognized the holiday. Here at the American Indian College Fund, we want to take this day to highlight some of the amazing contributions Indigenous peoples have made to the world and share a preview of our upcoming Native American Heritage Month activities. 

American Indian College Fund Launches Virtual Learning Series to Tribal College Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Students

American Indian College Fund Launches Virtual Learning Series to Tribal College Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Students

Two of the American Indian College Fund’s (College Fund) programs are collaborating to launch a new virtual learning series for early childhood educators as well as elementary and secondary educators in Indigenous communities.

American Indian College Fund Celebrates National Transfer Student Week 

To create awareness about how to successfully transfer to a college or university, with opportunities to hear from other Native students who have navigated the process, the American Indian College Fund will host two webinars: Transfer 101 and a Transfer Student Experience panel. Participants will also have access to a transfer process toolbox online. The College Fund is also creating awareness of transfer activities at TCUs by providing $2000 to institutions to assist transfer students by hosting on-campus events, augmenting transfer student resources, or compensating potential transfer student site visits.