For the Generations: Native Story & Performance

This production from Oregon Public Broadcasting and Painted Sky presents a cross-country survey of contemporary Native American artists who perform and talk about their work, interspersed with messages about cultural health and social issues that affect young adults, including homelessness, dropping out of school, Type 2 diabetes, and suicide. Painted Sky outreach director Karen Kitchen says, “It's important that our youth see these other young people as role models.” North Carolina's Jana Mashonee, the first to appear, speaks eloquently about her heritage, but only her fringed outfit and backup dancers seem even tangentially relevant as she sings slick techno-pop covers of Led Zeppelin and Meatloaf hits. Fortunately, the other subjects are better at combining culture with art, including Portland's Painted Sky Dancers, Nashville recording artist Bill Miller, New York R&B singer Martha Redbone, New Mexico's songwriter/flute player Robert Mirabal, and classically trained Vancouver ballet dancers/choreographers Santee Smith and Michael Greyeyes. In addition to performances, For the Generations also captures rehearsals and encounters with fans in Seattle and Bellingham, WA. Despite the off-key start, the film does present worthy examples of artists doing their part to honor ancestors and inspire Native Americans and other interested parties to learn more about their history. Unfortunately, the image quality throughout is soft and slightly blurry, resembling consumer-grade video. A strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)