Sequoyah, or ᏍᏏᏉᏯ in Cherokee, is a well-known figure in Native American history and perhaps the most famous Cherokee. Born in the early 1770s, Sequoyah lived his early life in the southeastern corner of modern-day Tennessee.
In 1821, Sequoyah unveiled his Cherokee syllabary to the world. After some struggle and a lot of language lessons, the Cherokee nation adopted this language system as its official writing script. Almost overnight, the population of the varied Cherokee lands became literate in this innovative and unifying language. If we know all of this, why are we Searching for Sequoyah?
His later life is poorly documented and a plethora of myths both from the Cherokee and the white man have muddied the facts about Sequoyah’s life. Searching for Sequoyah seeks to use history and archeology to help divide fact from fiction and properly biologize the man behind the syllabary.
Sequoyah has risen to legendary status even among non-natives in America. The pictures we have of him are actually creative depictions using a model dressed like a typical Cherokee man of Sequoyah’s generation, and most of those are copies and reproductions at that. Most of what we are taught about him in school is a myth.
Never before or since has anyone created a syllabary on their own and in one lifetime, so in many ways, Sequoyah deserves much of the praise heaped upon him. More complications arise in studying Sequoyah as each different group of Cherokee has different stories and interpretations of Sequoyah’s life and struggles: Some are unabashed in their praise of the hero, while others view him as a troublemaker with a good idea.
The final segment of this film posits that Sequoyah’s final resting place may be in Mexico, as towards the end of his life he was seeking out relatives of the Cherokee people in an effort to convince them to unify with the greater Cherokee nation.
Hundreds of other interesting and groundbreaking historical tidbits are encapsulated in this hour-long documentary. Searching for Sequoyah is an excellent choice for Native historians and linguists or any patrons and students looking to learn about Sequoyah’s life and works. Highly Recommended.
Where does this title belong on public library shelves?
Educational and historical documentary sections would benefit from the addition of Searching for Sequoyah.
What type of film series could use this title?
Searching for Sequoyah would be excellent in a film series about the Cherokee language and culture, Native history, and biography.
Is this documentary available for Public Performance Rights?
Educational institutions can now purchase an in-perpetuity streaming license for Searching for Sequoyah. The license is only available through Turtle Island Productions, LLC, which owns the copyright of the program. The license will provide the institution with the ability to host and stream their own digital file of the program from their own server, or with any third-party streaming platform that is encrypted, and password protected with no ability for users (faculty, staff, students) to download the program.
The term of the license is in perpetuity. The license does not include rights to public performance, such as ticketed screenings, without the additional written permission of the Turtle Island Productions, LLC. The cost is $1000, with a sliding scale for non-profit educational organizations, and tribal colleges and schools, that are operated by Tribal Nations legally recognized by the U.S. Federal government, or a state government. For more information and a sample licensing agreement, please contact James Fortier, owner of Turtle Island Productions, using the contact tab of this website or directly at james_fortier@live.com.
Blu-Ray sales are coming by the end of October or sooner. It will be a 2-Disc set. Disc 1 will include the 57-minute PBS Broadcast version and some bonus scenes that were not included in the original film. Disc 2 will include the longer 67-minute Film Festival version and a Film Festival version with Spanish subtitles. The Blu-Ray offering will be available for Educational and Institutional purchase with or without the In-Perpetuity Stream License, and it will also be available for personal home video purchase at a much lower price. There will be a sliding scale for Native American and First Nation institutions and non-profits operating on limited budgets. For details and pre-purchase orders contact james_fortier@live.com.
Searching for Sequoyah is a collaboration of James M Fortier (Ojibway) Producer/Director, LeAnne Howe (Choctaw) Writer/Producer, and Joshua B. Nelson (Cherokee Nation) Co-Producer/Narrator.