Building on Tainted Soil is a documentary by Anneleen Ophoff that explores America’s history of Native boarding schools. Using her experience as an award-winning journalist, Ophoff dives into the first-hand history of America’s open secret, interviewing three generations of Native Americans whose cultures and languages were systematically decimated by the over three hundred and sixty boarding schools across the country. This CineCulture Official Selection looks not just to history, but to today, outlining how past abuses create the struggles of the present, robbing today’s Native people not only of their cultures but of their elders’ affection. Building on Tainted Soil uses a modern psychological understanding of trauma to address the multigenerational effects of America’s native genocide.
Perhaps the only big issue with this documentary is its distracting sound design. Building on Tainted Soil makes an excellent choice to spotlight native performers by using their music as a soundtrack, but the implementation is clumsy: We go from a heart-wrenching moment of watching an old woman break down in tears recounting the abuses she faced as a child only to be thrown into loud metal riffs, post-punk anthems, or ear-battering rap tracks. However, this clumsy style does little to dampen the overall impact of the film. Building on Tainted Soil is an excellent breakdown of America’s native genocide from its first implementations after the Civil War through the reforms of the 1970s and as an even more efficient glimpse into modern native culture.
If you’re looking for a well-rounded native documentary to bulk up your Native American documentary collection, Building on Tainted Soil is an excellent choice. If your library serves a college community with a healthy history department, this documentary would be a perfect resource for instructors looking for titles that sum up Native American history without overlooking the existence of modern Natives and culture. Highly Recommended.
Where does this title belong on public library shelves?
Building on Tainted Soil belongs on Native American or history documentary shelves.
What kind of college instructor could use this title?
Professors teaching Native American history or American history post-civil war would find Building on Tainted Soil to be a fantastic in-class resource.