Pioneer Photographer Focus of University of Arkansas’s Native American Film Symposium

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The University of Arkansas will host its 14th Annual Native American Film Symposium Nov. 6 and 7. This year’s symposium features the work of Edward S. Curtis, a major early 20th century photographer who devoted his life to documenting the disappearing world of the American Indian.

The symposium starts at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6, at Mullins Library with the opening of an exhibit of Curtis photographs put together by members of the Honors Film Association and hosted by Dean Carolyn Allen. At 12:30 p.m. in Giffels Auditorium anthropologist Gloria Young, will speak about Curtis and the Kwakiutl Indians. Associate professor Frank Scheide will lecture on the treatment of American Indians in American film at 2 p.m. in Kimpel Hall, room 102. This lecture will be followed by a screening of the award winning documentary, Coming to the Light: Edward S. Curtis and the North American Indians.

At 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7. in Giffels Auditorium, there will be a special screening of the silent film In the Land of the War Canoes, One of the first feature length docudramas, this is a tale of love and revenge among the Kwakiutl Indians that was filmed and directed by Edward S. Curtis in 1914. This historic motion picture is being shown through the courtesy of University of Washington Press, and will feature live piano accompaniment by Rodney Sauer of the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra. A reception will follow the screening.

The University of Arkansas Native American Symposium is sponsored by the Honors Film Association, the Honors College, the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, and the departments of communication and anthropology. For more information visit the Web site at http://cavern.uark.edu/%7Ehfa, or contact Frank Scheide at 575-5961 or fscheide@uark.edu.