What is it about?
This article is about a silent film from the 1920's that featured a cast entirely comprised of Kiowa and Comanche actors. Unlike many silent films of the era, it displayed tribally-specific acts of visual culture, including traditional dance and sign language, instead of stereotypes.
Featured Image
Photo by Auke Bakker on Unsplash
Why is it important?
This film is a unique production from the silent film era, not just because of its all-Indigenous cast but because of where it was filmed (Oklahoma) and that it survived 90 years in subpar conditions. It's valuable to see how Indigenous actors and extras found ways to integrate their cultural traditions into the action of the film during a time when Indigenous people were thought to be vanishing.
Perspectives
Writing this article was a challenge and a pleasure. I thoroughly enjoyed watching, rewatching, and learning from the film, and immersing myself it its history. I had the opportunity to collaborate with an expert in Plains Indian Sign Language (PISL), Dr. Melanie McKay-Cody, who transcribed the scenes featuring PISL, which was both an edifying and exciting experience. I truly appreciate the editors and reviewers at AIQ who offered essential feedback and guidance in bringing this piece into fruition. I hope that this article inspires the readers to seek out and watch this film themselves.
Shannon Toll
University of Dayton
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Embodying Relationality and Enacting Resistance: Celluloid Mobilities in the Silent Film The Daughter Of Dawn, The American Indian Quarterly, March 2023, Project Muse,
DOI: 10.1353/aiq.2023.a906095.
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