‘Drowned Land' shines light on Choctaw water rights movement
Sandra Hale SchulmanSpecial to ICT
It took seven years for the feature directorial debut of Colleen Thurston's 'Drowned Land' to be completed, a journey that took her along with a community of people within her tribe, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, and their fight to preserve water rights to the Kiamichi River.
The damming and diversion projects that corporations and states actively pursue in spite of the harmful consequences unfurl through the stories of local advocates, scientists and Choctaw culture-keepers.
'Drowned Land' highlights a fight that is as much about protecting the river ecosystem as it is about breaking cycles of exploitation and displacement.
The film premiered in Washington, D.C. The next screening is April 25 at Thin Line Film Festival in Denton, Texas. Upcoming screenings are planned for Seattle, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Omaha.
'The looming threat of a dammed Kiamichi is not just existential,' Thurston told ICT. 'This is a source of life-giving water and the risk that diversion and commodification bring not only threatens the river's survival but that of its surrounding communities. My hope is that by connecting our peoples' history of displacement due to resource extraction with the present-day struggle of water protectors who are actively working to break these cycles, 'Drowned Land' can offer a glimmer of hope that there are real solutions.
'Among those is a call to return to our traditional matriarchal ways of being where life-giving sources – mothers and rivers – are centered in our societies. These issues exist within the larger context of the Rights of Nature movement, which recognizes waterways as living beings with inherent rights. Acknowledging the Kiamichi in these ways can and will help protect it.'
Thurston attended the premiere screening in D.C. with hundreds in attendance.
'I was there along with Sandy Stroud, Choctaw, and Charlotte Robbins Leonard, Choctaw, who are two of our protagonists from the documentary and our producer, Michelle Lee Svenson. Then the other two screenings in Santa Fe and LA went really well. There were post screening discussions in both places, and we had members of our team on the ground there as well. It feels really exciting and something to celebrate that everything came together like that.
'It was an urgent issue, but it took seven years from conceptualization until release.'
Thurston said it started out as a different documentary that was looking at the story of man-made lakes in Oklahoma. But after working in the communities that were affected, she just kept hearing the call was the story of the fight to protect that water source.
'We built relationships and formed collaborations with some of the water protectors. I had an incredible crew of talented filmmakers as the story shifted with events. I was going to make the approach that was more of a historical documentary about man-made lakes and the stories of the people that were tied to the land. But it's really important if you're coming to a community and telling stories with them to be led by that community and tell the stories that they want to tell.'
Thurston said she learned a great deal.
'In Oklahoma, it often seems to be that nobody cares about us. Even from before the founding of the state with the removals of the eastern tribes into Oklahoma, it's like this was a dumping ground almost. It's been seen as a throwaway place, and I address that in the film. The new value comes from resource extraction, whether it's oil or water, coal or timber. What was most striking is the mindset shift that I felt I overcame, well, this is Oklahoma. So, of course, they're going to exploit this water source, but they can fight back and win. '
Thurston said she realized, if that can happen in rural Oklahoma, an environmental movement can protect a water source anywhere.
'I'm hoping that the film can shed light on the positive aspects of Oklahoma. It's a beautiful place. It's full of people that have survived this trauma, relocation and dispossession. We continue to survive trauma from both internal forces in the state and external. But at the same time, this is what resiliency looks like. And it's not just surviving. It's people that are thriving. It's people that are creating a film community, being leaders and environmental movements. That's really empowering.'
Thurston hopes the film will build awareness of this water rights movement. Another part of it is to elevate the concept of protecting the rights of nature, which focuses on recognizing and granting legal protection for non-human bodies like water sources such as rivers.
'We're really hoping to accomplish a lot, but even if somebody comes into our screening from a different community, and they leave thinking, 'Where does my water come from when I turn on the tap? What is that water source?' And if they start to think about who are the stewards of that water, both currently and historically and traditionally, that's an educational campaign that we want to amplify.
'I want to utilize this film as a jumping-off point for other Choctaw filmmakers. This is the kind of work that we can be doing in the state and in the Choctaw nation, to gain awareness for that and support for that as well.'
Our stories are worth telling. Our stories are worth sharing. Our stories are worth your support. Contribute $5 or $10 today to help ICT carry out its critical mission. Sign up for ICT's free newsletter.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
2 days ago
'Sinners' puts 'truth on screen' for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
CHOCTAW, Miss. -- It's a small part in a big movie, but for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, their scene in "Sinners" is a huge deal. The horror movie blockbuster, starring Michael B. Jordan as a gangster turned vampire slayer, paints a brief but impactful portrait of the tribe using Choctaw actors and cultural experts. For some, it's the first time they've seen the Choctaw way of life accurately portrayed on the big screen. In the scene, a posse of Choctaw, riding on horseback and in an old truck, arrives at a small farmhouse to warn the couple that lives there of coming danger. When the couple refuses their help, a Choctaw man wishes them luck in his native language before riding off. 'I've not seen another movie that has our language, like, spoken correctly,' said Cynthia Massey, a cultural consultant for 'Sinners.' Massey runs the tribe's Chahta Immi Cultural Center alongside Sherrill Nickey and department director Jay Wesley. All three were hired as cultural consultants to ensure a genuine depiction of the tribe in the film. Together, they sifted through archives, researching how their ancestors would have dressed, spoken and acted in the 1930s, when 'Sinners' takes place. 'I was honored and humbled by the fact that they wanted a true representation,' said Wesley, who also acted in the movie. Wesley connected the filmmakers to Choctaw actors and artifacts like the beaded sashes the Choctaw characters wear in the movie. Those sashes are now part of a 'Sinners' display at the cultural center. The movie's introduction also features a short snippet of a Choctaw war chant, performed by Wesley's daughter, Jaeden Wesley, who is a student at the University of California, Los Angeles. While recording, Jaeden Wesley said the filmmakers told her they wanted the Choctaw people to hear their music in the movie. 'We were catering to our own people, even in that short little second,' Jaeden Wesley said. Shining a spotlight on often overlooked cultures and topics, like the Choctaw people, is part of the mission at Proximity Media, which produced 'Sinners.' The company was founded by 'Sinners' director Ryan Coogler, his wife and film producer, Zinzi Coogler, and producer Sev Ohanian. 'It was never a question for us that if we were going to portray the Mississippi Choctaw, we got to have the right people who can tell us, who can tell Ryan, what we're not knowing, what we're not thinking,' Ohanian said. 'It was all because we're trying to serve Ryan's story of like putting truth on screen." Ohanian and his co-founders didn't stop with Choctaw consultants; they enlisted a small army of experts who advised on the confluence of cultures mingling in the Mississippi Delta, where the film is set. The resulting cinematic world was so well received, community organizers penned an open letter, inviting Coogler and his fellow filmmakers to visit the Delta. Last week, the Cooglers, Ohanian and others took up the offer, attending a 'Sinners' screening in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Clarksdale is where the film's events unfold. 'I hope this encourages other filmmakers to find opportunities to be authentic in their storytelling and to look at this rich tapestry of culture that's right here in America,' Ohanian said, noting the film industry has historically misrepresented nonwhite groups. For Wesley and his fellow consultants, the hope is the film will cultivate curiosity in audiences, encourage them to learn more about Choctaw culture and visit the Chahta Immi Cultural Center. 'It's important to be connected to this culture because this was here before the public was here,' Massey said. 'Probably three-quarters of Mississippi was Choctaw land, and now we only have 350,000 acres.' They say Choctaw participation in the film has cultivated a sense of pride among tribe members. Nickey hopes it will encourage a sort of cultural renaissance at a time when she says fewer and fewer Choctaw speak their native language. 'I know for a fact that there are a lot of kids out there that don't even know how to speak our language. They only speak English,' Nickey said. 'I hope they know it's okay to speak our language.'
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Associated Press
'Sinners' puts 'truth on screen' for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
CHOCTAW, Miss. (AP) — It's a small part in a big movie, but for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, their scene in 'Sinners' is a huge deal. The horror movie blockbuster, starring Michael B. Jordan as a gangster turned vampire slayer, paints a brief but impactful portrait of the tribe using Choctaw actors and cultural experts. For some, it's the first time they've seen the Choctaw way of life accurately portrayed on the big screen. In the scene, a posse of Choctaw, riding on horseback and in an old truck, arrives at a small farmhouse to warn the couple that lives there of coming danger. When the couple refuses their help, a Choctaw man wishes them luck in his native language before riding off. 'I've not seen another movie that has our language, like, spoken correctly,' said Cynthia Massey, a cultural consultant for 'Sinners.' Massey runs the tribe's Chahta Immi Cultural Center alongside Sherrill Nickey and department director Jay Wesley. All three were hired as cultural consultants to ensure a genuine depiction of the tribe in the film. Together, they sifted through archives, researching how their ancestors would have dressed, spoken and acted in the 1930s, when 'Sinners' takes place. 'I was honored and humbled by the fact that they wanted a true representation,' said Wesley, who also acted in the movie. Wesley connected the filmmakers to Choctaw actors and artifacts like the beaded sashes the Choctaw characters wear in the movie. Those sashes are now part of a 'Sinners' display at the cultural center. The movie's introduction also features a short snippet of a Choctaw war chant, performed by Wesley's daughter, Jaeden Wesley, who is a student at the University of California, Los Angeles. While recording, Jaeden Wesley said the filmmakers told her they wanted the Choctaw people to hear their music in the movie. 'We were catering to our own people, even in that short little second,' Jaeden Wesley said. Shining a spotlight on often overlooked cultures and topics, like the Choctaw people, is part of the mission at Proximity Media, which produced 'Sinners.' The company was founded by 'Sinners' director Ryan Coogler, his wife and film producer, Zinzi Coogler, and producer Sev Ohanian. 'It was never a question for us that if we were going to portray the Mississippi Choctaw, we got to have the right people who can tell us, who can tell Ryan, what we're not knowing, what we're not thinking,' Ohanian said. 'It was all because we're trying to serve Ryan's story of like putting truth on screen.' Ohanian and his co-founders didn't stop with Choctaw consultants; they enlisted a small army of experts who advised on the confluence of cultures mingling in the Mississippi Delta, where the film is set. The resulting cinematic world was so well received, community organizers penned an open letter, inviting Coogler and his fellow filmmakers to visit the Delta. Last week, the Cooglers, Ohanian and others took up the offer, attending a 'Sinners' screening in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Clarksdale is where the film's events unfold. 'I hope this encourages other filmmakers to find opportunities to be authentic in their storytelling and to look at this rich tapestry of culture that's right here in America,' Ohanian said, noting the film industry has historically misrepresented nonwhite groups. For Wesley and his fellow consultants, the hope is the film will cultivate curiosity in audiences, encourage them to learn more about Choctaw culture and visit the Chahta Immi Cultural Center. 'It's important to be connected to this culture because this was here before the public was here,' Massey said. 'Probably three-quarters of Mississippi was Choctaw land, and now we only have 350,000 acres.' They say Choctaw participation in the film has cultivated a sense of pride among tribe members. Nickey hopes it will encourage a sort of cultural renaissance at a time when she says fewer and fewer Choctaw speak their native language. 'I know for a fact that there are a lot of kids out there that don't even know how to speak our language. They only speak English,' Nickey said. 'I hope they know it's okay to speak our language.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
'Bachelorette' alum Katie Thurston reveals memory loss amid breast cancer battle
Katie Thurston, former star of "The Bachelorette," is opening up about a challenging side effect she's experiencing amid her breast cancer treatment. In an emotional Instagram video shared Sunday, Thurston, 34, revealed she's been struggling with memory loss after completing her second month of breast cancer treatment. 'Bachelorette' alum Katie Thurston marries comedian Jeff Arcuri following breast cancer diagnosis Back in March, she shared on "Good Morning America" that she had been diagnosed with Stage 3 triple-positive ductal carcinoma, a type of cancer where tumor cells have estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and HER2 receptors on their surface, according to the U.S. National Cancer Institute. In her latest update, Thurston noted that her breast cancer had spread to her liver, making it Stage 4. "After finishing two months of my medication, my hair is coming out in an unnatural amount of clumps… I'm losing my memory," she said. "Going through customs and them being like, 'where are you coming from?' And I looked at them, I was like, 'I don't remember.'" Thurston, who tied the knot with comedian Jeff Arcuri in March, said the memory lapse even sparked a minor disagreement with her husband. "I think this has happened before. He's like, 'when?' I was like, 'I don't know, but I know it has,'" she recalled, adding that they have been able to find light in the situation. "We're able to laugh about it now," she continued. "Cancer is s---. Sometimes I'm like, 'Stop feeling bad for yourself.' Other times I'm like, 'You're allowed to feel bad for yourself. Cancer f------ sucks.'" Thurston also shared that her current medication, a hormonal therapy known as Zoladex, didn't effectively suppress her ovarian hormones production, which led to an unexpected period. As a result, her doctors are switching her to Lupron. "And if that doesn't work, I have to get my ovaries taken out," she said. She said she remains "optimistic about medical advancements in the future," even though she said her treatment may be required long-term, if not lifelong given that her breast cancer is now stage 4. "But anyway, it's National Cancer Survivors Day," she added. "And you know, every day that I'm alive, I'm a survivor, so go me. I guess." During the interview with "GMA" earlier this year, Thurston shared that she initially dismissed a small lump on her breast, assuming it was related to her menstrual cycle but when she eventually sought medical care, she was ultimately diagnosed with cancer. Thurston said she hopes that by sharing her story, she can inspire others to prioritize their breast health including routine cancer screening. "I think that's the biggest takeaway, is telling people like, 'Don't wait,' you know, 'Be proactive, get checked out,'" she said at the time. "You could be doing yourself a favor in the future." 'Bachelorette' alum Katie Thurston reveals memory loss amid breast cancer battle originally appeared on
