Harjo's films

Of all the films we viewed, I enjoyed Sterlin Harjo's Barking Water and Four Sheets to the Wind best. The films were relatable to Indians and non-Indians in that they are stories about family and connections. Everyone can relate to the loss of a loved one, whether by terminal illness or suicide, as in the case of Irene losing Frankie in Barking Water and Cufe and Miri losing their father in Four Sheets to the Wind.

In Barking Water, Frankie recruits Irene, a former love, to accompany him on his journey home to Wewoka to make amends with his daughter and meet his grandchild before he dies. With that objective as the premise for the trip, we see through flashbacks that the journey is really about Franking making amends with Irene and dying with her by his side. The beginning of the film has Irene basically breaking Frankie out of the confinement of a hospital bed. We discussed with Sterlin how most Indian people would prefer to die at home where they are comfortable and surrounded by family and familiarity. I think most of us would prefer to go that way as opposed to withering away in the hospital.

Four Sheets to the Wind addresses issues Native Americans face today including some of the stereotypes. The newspaper headline in the mother's morning paper addresses the diabetes problem among Native American populations. The father commits suicide, Miri has problems with alcohol and being disconnected from home. Cufe honors his father's wishes by laying him to rest in their pond rather than burying him in a box in the ground. After his sister, Miri, returns home for the funeral, Cufe soon sets out to Tulsa after her. We get a glimpse into Miri's troubled life and learn that she gave up asking for help a long time ago. She resolved as a child, after no one could answer a question she had or offer her help with it, to never ask for anyone's help again. Eventually, though tragically, Miri is able to return home and come back to her family. Cufe notes that it is the first time his family has slept under the same roof since he was a child.

I like how Harjo's stories are relatable, and most anyone can identify with his characters. The concept of family is universal, and I think this is why these are films Harjo does not have to explain.

It was awesome getting to meet with Sterlin to discuss his films and success. I hope I get to see Barking Water in one of the local art house theaters soon, and I am excited for his next film, which has promised not to be about death.