We finished all but 15 minutes of the documentary--class had let out and it's available to stream on Netflix. There were very compelling parts of the end. The one that spoke most to me was about Chief Crazy Horse, Chief Thasunke Witko. His name means that his horse is spirited, not crazy. The Chief was an expert horseman whose horses all had spirit. The narrator mentioned several times that most Native Americans do not even know how to ride a horse--something that cinema has made the Indians famous for. There was a bit about a stuntman who specialized in horseback riding because he was sick and tired of seeing men dressed up like American Indians riding the horses in the movies. He trains other young members of his tribe to ride so that in the future they can take his place.
We also read aloud as a class the Navajo Night Chant which takes the reader on a journey through the surroundings of the Navajo and helps him recognize the beauty there is to be had and shared in the world. The sort of chorus begins with "With beauty before me, may I walk" and that sentiment echoes throughout the piece while the words flow with their natural rhythm.
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