El Pueblo History Museum To Host Indigenous Film Festival

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - From History Colorado: El Pueblo History Museum is excited to host its second annual Indigenous Film Festival on Saturday, November 11, from 10 am to 4 pm, located at El Pueblo History Museum, 301 N. Union Ave. The one-day event will showcase five films that document indigenous peoples’ preservation of traditional lifeways and examine the ways that physical and cultural borders affect indigenous lives.

Native American Heritage Month is celebrated in November by recognizing the diverse cultures, traditions, histories and contributions of Native people. The theme of this year’s festival is Borderlands, in conjunction with El Pueblo History Museum’s fall program series, and the film selections have ties to that theme. The films to be screened and their times are:

Luisa Torres (10:15 am) by director Michael Earney. This classic documentary presents a profile of Luisa Torres, a 79-year-old elder who lives a traditional life on a small farm in the village of Guadalupita in northern New Mexico. Luisa practices traditions that have remained virtually unchanged for generations, a life shared by her parents and grandparents before her.

The Border Crossed Us (11:15 am) by director Rachel Nez . Since time immemorial the Tohono O’odham have crossed borders freely between their communities in the U.S. and Mexico. This work examines the ways in which current immigration and naturalization policies are putting their way of life at risk.

Papa Mau: The Wayfinder (11:45 am) by director Na‘alehu Anthony. A documentary on the lasting legacy of Micronesian master navigator Mau Piailug, who revived the art of traditional voyaging and reawakened cultural pride throughout Polynesia.

The Mountain Ute of Southern Colorado: From an Outsider’s Point of View (1:15 pm), a series of short video lectures detailing the culture of the Mountain Ute nation of Southern Colorado. Produced by a group of CSU-Pueblo Honors Students, this is intended to serve as an educational aide for students of all ages who wish to learn about the native peoples of Colorado.

This May Be the Last Time (1:45 pm) by director Sterlin Harjo. An investigation into Native American filmmaker Harjo’s family history, namely the mysterious 1962 disappearance of his grandfather and the songs of encouragement sung by those who searched for him. This May Be the Last Time premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2014.

The Indigenous Film Festival is free and open to the public and community members are invited to come for any of the screenings. For more information about the films or the event, contact Zach Werkowitch at 719-583-0453 or zach.werkowitch@state.co.us. El Pueblo History Museum is open Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm in the heart of historic downtown Pueblo.

Photo courtesy of El Pueblo History Museum, History Colorado