Ohiyesa: The Soul of an Indian
Friday, April 27th, 2018
This year’s Minneapolis St. Paul Film Festival includes a remarkable new film that reflects Minnesota’s vital Dakota past and present. Ohiyesa: The Soul of an Indian “follows Kate Beane, a young Dakota woman, as she examines the extraordinary life of her celebrated relative, Ohiyesa, also known as Charles Alexander Eastman (1858-1939). Biography and journey come together as Kate traces his path—from traditional Dakota boyhood, through education at Dartmouth College, and in later roles as physician, author, lecturer and Native American advocate.”
You can view the film tomorrow, Saturday, April 28 at 1:30 pm at St. Anthony Main Theater.
As the filmmaker notes, “Charles Alexander Eastman was a renowned physician, author, lecturer and Native American rights advocate. His life has been documented in various articles throughout history, but Ohiyesa: The Soul of an Indian makes for a truly unique effort—a project helmed by Eastman’s descendants. Kate Beane and her family bring Eastman’s story to screen, charting from his childhood growing to his education to his illustrious career.
“Beside his beloved wife, Elaine Goodman Eastman, Charles (Ohiyesa) produced a lasting body of work that continues to inform Native American culture and the global representation of it. A family effort, filmmaker Syd Beane (whose great grandfather, John Eastman, was brother to Charles) and Kate showcase not only their ancestor’s career but the lasting influence his life had on future generations, making for a film that weaves together past and present to tell the story of Ohiyesa.”
We are honored to have Dr. Kate Beane as a colleague here at the Minnesota Historical Society. She was a Gale Fellow and is now Program and Outreach Manager working with the MNHS Native American Initiatives team. A member of the Flandreau Santee Sioux tribe in South Dakota, she holds a Ph.D. in American studies from the University of Minnesota. Her research and writing is included in Mni Sota Makoce: The Land of the Dakota by Gwen Westerman and Bruce White. Her section in the book on Bde Maka Ska, formerly known as Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis, details a Dakota agricultural community living there in the 1830s led by another one of her ancestors, Mahpiya Wicasta (Cloud Man).
Here are a few links to learn more about Ohiyesa and Dakota history and culture:
MNopedia: Charles Alexander Eastman, Ohiyesa
Historic Fort Snelling: The Dakota People
MNHS Press: Dakota Philosopher: Charles Eastman and American Indian Thought by David Martinez