Pow Wow Highway (1989)

A Shaman in born

This is an excellent video that leads the audience to empathy and birth. It presented the process of passing a heritage -- stories, legends, myths, and culture -- onto the next generation. When a Native American follows the Red Road, he knows that he must put the next and next and next generation onto the same road. This is what happens in this excellently presented visual media presentation! June 29, 2008

Welcome to the third world

"Powwow Highway" is a tale of Native American life today, which is very third world. The film is told via the contrasting stories of two Cheyenne men from Lame Deer, Montana.

Philbert Bono (Gary Farmer) is a big, gentle soul who trades his homegrown weed for a `war pony', a beat up old rustbucket of a car, to go out on a traditional vision quest. He's going to achieve his medicine by gaining three tokens on the way.

The first thing he gains is a passenger, his high school best friend, Buddy RedBow (A. Martinez). Buddy's been claiming his Native American heritage in a more traditional way. A member of AIM (The American Indian Movement) he's been at Wounded Knee and has earned a Purple Heart in Vietnam.

Buddy had no plans to leave the rez. There's a critical vote coming up on some land issues and he needs to be there to get his tribal members out to the polls, but his sister Bonnie RedBow ( Joannelle Nadine Romero) got arrested in New Mexico on a trumped up drug charge and he's the only one who can get her out of jail and back to her two very young kids.

The story's very much an `odd couple' pairing between the two men who take radically different approaches to solving problems. RedBow is much more confrontational while the gentle Bono seeks ancient wisdom.

"Powwow Highway" takes viewers across the gambit of emotions. You cannot look upon the third world vistas of Native poverty without being moved to tears. But, there are light moments where Philbert is telling ancient stories to his friends.

The soundtrack of this film is also excellent. Robbie Robertson provides much of the music, which is well worth listening to.

My only wish would be to see some bios of the cast of this film. A. Martinez, Gary Farmer, and the others are all people who I'd like to learn more about.

Rebecca Kyle, June 2008 June 23, 2008

choosing sides, playing with stereotypes

I very much enjoyed Smoke Signals, and this was next on my list. I love the humor, which is subtle. The movie mocks at our stereotypes, but also reminds us that some stereotypes are true.
I found that the physical road travelled in this movie is similar to the travels of the Cheyenne as they were herded northward. That made the movie even more special.
What was interesting to me was the way the "old ways", spirituality, campaigning for rights, and militant revolt all played roles in the movie. Each of us must always try to figure out ways to react to injustices done to us, and this movie offered several possibilities.
The plot could use some strengthening, but the movie was fun to watch, especially when one could fall into the director's point of view of the slightly mocking and yet truthful way of seeing the world from a contemporary Cheyenne viewpoint. I found it more humorous with each watching! June 2, 2008

Authentic

At the time of purchase I was dating a man who is 3/4 Cheyenne. He loves this movie - says it is authentic of Native American culture. He grew up in Lame Deer, MT, and knows some of the actors in the film, so this only adds to his pleasure. May 31, 2008

great movie

One of my old favorites and now glad to own it! Quality of product was recieved as advertised. May 9, 2008

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