All-Indigenous Team Creates Operatic Film to Honor Zitkála-Šá
Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 3:00AMArticle by Becky Fillinger, photos provided
Perhaps you are unfamiliar with Zitkála-Šá? I’m going to venture a guess that most of us are unaware of this trailblazing person in U.S. history. Well, get ready to learn more. October 14 is the debut of an original film, Mináǧi kiŋ dowáŋ: a Zitkála-Šá opera (“My Spirit Sings” in Dakota), to honor her life and legacy. The work was born through a conversation between director/artistic producer Sequoia Hauck (Anishinaabe, Hupa) and Kelly M. Turpin, founder of the local company, An Opera Theatre (AOT). The project is produced and presented by AOT.
Sequoia (they/them) shared the following information about Zitkála-Šá and how this project will honor her.
Sequoia HauckThe question always is, why this project, why now? We created this and picked Zitkála-Šá because some people were unaware of her life and legacy; I didn’t even know who she was before this. We realized that if they knew of her, it was as the first Native person to write an opera, full stop. Yet I feel strongly that defining her by this one artistic act is short-sighted. To show her as a whole person is important, and doing so is a way of acknowledging that Native people are still here, will always be here, and will continue to be here. We just hope to celebrate Indigenous people and indigeneity from now until the end of time.
Zitkála-Šá, meaning Red Bird, was a Yankton Sioux Dakota writer, editor, translator, musician, educator, and activist. She wrote several works chronicling her struggles with cultural identity, and these were some of the first to bring Native American stories to the white majority culture. She performed in the Oval Office in 1900, premiered an opera in 1913, co-founded the National Council of American Indians in 1926, and is actually buried not far from JFK. She is noted as one of the most influential Native Americans of the 20th Century. Our creative team believes that her story should be more widely known and celebrated today and not be allowed to pass away over time.
Mináǧi kiŋ dowáŋ: a Zitkála-Šá (“My Spirit Sings” in Dakota) - the original operatic film debuts on October 14 at Water Works Park in Minneapolis. The following week, three more screenings will take place at Indigenous Roots Cultural Center. The underlying opera was created by an all-indigenous team.
Jaysalynn Western Boy (singing artist) in a still clip from the film shown walking next to the Birch Lodge at Prairie Island Indian Community
We made the creative decision to turn the opera into a film so that it will be easier to share this story with communities far beyond these Twin Cities premieres. We’re proud of the stunning cinematography, visual illustrations, and music that complement the operatic storyline. Additionally, almost a third of the libretto is translated and will be sung in Dakota because we are committed to preserving the language. As an indigenous team, we created this piece using our own process, not the linear, prescriptive ways Western culture dictates we should, so this is a truly unique expression of our culture, values, and way of being in community in more ways than one.
Zitkála-Šá’s writing and advocacy paved the way for contemporary Indigenous people. It continues to uplift Indigenous leadership, arts, and culture and underscores its important impact. Our intention is that audiences will learn the inspiring ways in which Zitkála-Šá’s art and actions reflected her desire to leave the world a better place than the one she was born into and will leave feeling inspired to let others know about this important person and her powerful story. More background and info can be found at www.anoperatheatre.org.
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