Latest news with #MississippiBandofChoctawIndians
6 days ago
- Entertainment
'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.'
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free 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. Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. '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
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
This Artist's Take On America's Histories Is A Vibrant Act Of Resistance
When artist Jeffrey Gibson's work lit up the 60th Venice Biennale last spring, it became a vivid reflection of his place in America's colorful history and the forces that shaped it. Gibson made history as the first Native American artist to represent the United States with a solo show at the global art spectacle in Venice, which is often dubbed 'the Olympics of the art world.' He is a member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and is also of Cherokee descent. 'I think I really felt, 'This is the moment that the art world wants this,' Gibson told HuffPost at a preview of the art exhibit. 'This is the moment that America wants this.' His exhibition, 'the space in which to place me,' will now make its U.S. debut at Los Angeles' Broad Museum on Saturday. The exhibit, which includes paintings, sculptures, flags, murals and video, situates Gibson's personal experience within a broader historical narrative, blending prismatic color and traditional Native craftsmanship with bold geometric texts that reference queer, Native American and U.S. histories. Words from the Declaration of Independence and the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 are in conversation with rapturous lyrics from Nina Simone and Roberta Flack, excerpts from Martin Luther King Jr.'s speeches and letters between founding fathers George Washington and James Madison. Meanwhile, garments with intricate beading and fringe offer an ode to Native Americans' diverse powwow culture. Through his work, Gibson reveals his radical form of patriotism; it confronts the nation's challenges with joy and optimism. But as his celebration of history and color makes its way to the United States, American values are being redefined in increasingly narrow terms. In an effort to reshape America to his own vision, President Donald Trump and his administration have begun targeting the country's top cultural institutions. After the Trump administration proposed eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts outright, the agency changed its application to bar recipients from using funds to promote 'diversity, equity and inclusion' or 'gender ideology.' The NEA then canceled or withdrew millions of dollars of grants for artists and arts organizations earlier this month, citing a shift in priorities. Those cuts included a $50,000 award to the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) approved last year to support Gibson's installation, 'POWER FULL BECAUSE WE'RE DIFFERENT.' The exhibit is expected to remain on view as scheduled through August 2026. In an executive order titled 'Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History' in late March, Trump also accused the Smithsonian Institute of coming 'under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology' and 'replacing objective facts with a distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth.' Gibson, who has worked with several of the Smithsonian's 20-plus institutions, reflected on the shifting cultural landscape in an interview with the Los Angeles Times earlier this month. 'To me, it's almost whiplash going from Venice to what's going on at the Smithsonian now,' he said. The president's bid to take control of the nation's museums and theaters is unnerving many Americans as well. Last month, a Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed 66% of people surveyed across party lines disagree with his interventions. But as the U.S. Pavilion for the 2026 Venice Biennale prepares to open, the Trump administration seems eager to impose its new priorities. When the application portal opened this month, it introduced new guidelines requiring applying artists to represent 'American values' and 'American exceptionalism.' Gibson, whose work engages in both a critique and celebration of American culture, has long defined American values in his own terms. 'American values for me are representative of a vibrant community within the context of what I could critique about American culture,' he told HuffPost. 'I grew up believing that that's what America was about. America was about this diversity. America was about celebrating and allowing for people to have their own free choice, their own free voice, and that you were putting it into a dialogue that was, in unspoken terms, being managed as a civil conversation. So that's the American value that I've clung to my entire life.' The effort to cage in creative expression and enforce a one-dimensional image of America is something Gibson resists in his work and in his ethos. At The Broad, visitors are greeted with an exquisitely beaded bird sculpture titled 'if there is no struggle there is no progress,' named after a line in a 1857 speech by abolitionist Frederick Douglass. It's a powerful reminder that growth has always come with tension. Looking beyond the present moment, Gibson's work envisions a new chapter of history filled with creativity, rebellion and abundance. 'There's all kinds of resistance,' he said, reflecting on his role in shaping a different future. 'I have had to come to terms with truly believing that my artwork is my contribution to enabling a different form of existing.' He added, 'What happens next is about maintaining a sense of self in the most stable environment we can find. But we're not being offered the most stable environment to be humane and civil to each other. That's not what's happening right now. So we have to find a way to craft that environment for each other and for ourselves.' As a professor, Gibson said that he's seen generations of students eager to collapse boundaries and embrace a future of progress and engagement. 'I think the thing you really want to know is that you always want people to know they have choices,' he told reporters at the press preview at The Broad. 'Even in the most dire situations. Once people believe they don't have a choice anymore, that's really the beginning of the end.' Jeffrey Gibson's 'the space in which to place me' runs through Sept. 28 at The Broad Museum in Los Angeles. For more information, visit here. Heavy Metal Is An Unexpected Tool To Resist Trump's Ignorance — And This Artist Is Bringing The Heat This Filmmaker Is Finally Giving Us The Full Range Of Indigenous Identity We Deserve On-Screen This Artist Is Weaving Her Indigenous Ancestry Into Meaningful Wearable Artwork
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mississippi Choctaws featured in Ryan Coogler's ‘Sinners'
PHILADELPHIA, Miss. (WJTV) – Ryan Coogler's 'Sinners' has become a cinema event at the box office after being released a little more than two weeks ago. If you haven't seen it yet, the film opens with a scene featuring Mississippi Choctaws. According to the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, Coogler and his team cast actual Mississippi Choctaws, used accurate Choctaw language and paid close attention to period-specific dress and cultural representation. 'Sinners' mixes blues, vampires and the Mississippi Delta into Ryan Coogler's 1st original film We extend our heartfelt thanks to Director Coogler, Proximity Media, and Warner Bros. for their commitment to accurate and respectful representation of Native Americans. Your dedication to using accurate Choctaw language and culture makes a meaningful difference. Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians The Mississippi Choctaws involved in the film include Tobiah Ben, Mark Patrick, Marco Patrick, Jaeden Wesley, Jay Wesley, Eric Willis, Cynthia Massey and Sherrill Nickey. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Choctaw Indian Fair marks 75 years with more entertainment
CHOCTAW, Miss. (WJTV) – The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians will celebrate 75 years of the Choctaw Indian Fair with an expanded schedule and entertainment line-up. According to organizers, the expanded schedule now includes five official days starting Tuesday, July 8 through Saturday, July 12, 2025. In addition to concerts, fairgoers will enjoy authentic Choctaw social celebrations, cultural activities, Tribal arts and crafts, competitions, demonstrations and exhibits, and the thrilling action of World Series Stickball. Street closures announced for 2025 Red Brick Roads Festival in Clinton Starting Tuesday, Gospel Night at Ayipa Village will feature praise and worship music from local singers and groups. At the Main Stage, Grammy-award winning Contemporary Christian and Gospel artist Tasha Cobbs Leonard will perform. On Wednesday, Tribal Chief Cyrus Ben will host a special stage ceremony prior to the 70th edition of the Choctaw Indian Princess Pageant. On Thursday, a new format will be introduced to the line-up with Native American Night featuring well-known actor and comedian Tatanka Means and Native Blues musician Indigenous. Country music acts will take the stage on Friday night starting with Mississippi's own Chapel Hart opening for multi-platinum, global entertainer Chris Young. Closing out the fair's Main Stage concert series on Saturday is award-winning and chart-topping rapper, singer and songwriter Flo Rida. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
