Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
EXTERMINATION?
I SUPPOSE YOU SAY WE'VE EXTERMINATED YOUR INDIAN HERITAGE
RATHER THAN PROVIDED TO YOU THE BENEFITS
OF AN ENTIRE CIVILIZATION?
SENATOR, PLEASE SIT.
SIR, IF EVERY INDIVIDUAL WERE TAKEN PERSONALLY UNDER YOUR CARE,
AS WAS MY GOOD FORTUNE,
I ADMIT, THE OUTCOME MIGHT BE WHAT YOU SEEK.
BUT I AM NOT THE EXAMPLE YOU HELD UP TO THE FRIENDS OF THE INDIAN.
I AM THE EXAMPLE...
OF NOTHING.
I SIMPLY DO NOT SEE HOW PLACING EACH INDIAN MAN
ON A DESOLATE, 160-ACRE PARCEL OF LAND
IS GOING TO LEAD HIS CHILDREN TO MEDICAL SCHOOL.
IT WILL, IN TIME.
BUT FIRST, THIS MUST PASS.
OR I GUARANTEE YOU,
DESTITUTION IS ALL THE SIOUX WILL EVER KNO.
I HAVE MANY OPPONENTS, CHARLES--
- IN THE PRESS, IN CONGRESS-- - YOU HAVE AN OPPONENT
BEFORE YOU, SIR.
YES.
I SEE THAT CLEARLY NOW.
THIS EXPLAINS THE TONE OF YOUR LETTERS.
Charles: DROUGHT, DISEASE, HUNGER-- YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT.
YOU THINK YOU ARE THE FIRST ONE TO DECRY THESE THINGS?
THIS LOOKS ALL VERY GRIM TO YOU, OF COURS,
HAVING BEEN SPARED ALL THIS YOURSELF.
CHILDREN HAVE DIED IN MY ARMS.
I HAVE NOT BEEN SPARED!
I DEVOTED THE LARGER PART OF MY CAREER
TO THE BETTERMENT OF YOUR RACE,
WITH YOU AS THE PRINCIPAL BENEFICIARY.
IS THIS YOUR GRATITUDE?
I AM ACTING IN THE INTEREST OF MY PEOPLE,
FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLE YOU SET FOR ME.
DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU KNOW BETTER THAN I
WHAT IS IN THE INTEREST OF THESE PEOPLE?
YES.
I AM ONE OF THEM, SENATOR.
YOU'RE NO MORE A SIOUX INDIAN
THAN I AM.
CHARLES?
DID YOU KNOW THERE WAS A MOMENT
ON THE TRAIN TO ILLINOIS
WHERE I WAS SENT AWAY TO SCHOOL...
WHEN I MIGHT HAVE RETURNED HOME TO MY OLD LAND?
I NEARLY JUMPED.
JUMPED?
WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
FROM THAT TRAIN.
I NEARLY DID, ELAINE.
I VERY NEARLY JUMPED.
- ( singing ) - ( drums beating )
CHARLES! CHARLES, YOU HAVE TO WAKE UP.
AH-- WHAT?
IT'S ROYER. HE'S ORDERED ALL THE SIOUX TO THE AGENCY.
- HE WANTS THEM ALL HERE. - WHY?
THERE'S BEEN TROUBLE. THEY HEARD ABOUT THE RATION CUTS.
HE SAYS THEY HAVE GUNS AT THE DANCE CAMP.
HE'S WIRED FOR TROOPS.
JUST READ IT FOR YOURSELF:
"UPRISING OF THE WHOLE INDIAN RACE IS IMMINENT."
IMMINENT. I'VE GOT PEOPLE TO PROTECT.
YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT I'M GETTING TROOPS HERE.
IT'S A STUPID PROPHECY.
IT'LL PASS IF YOU LET IT. I'VE BEEN TO THESE CAMP-
- IT'S HARMLESS DANCING. - HARMLESS?
PREACHING DEATH TO ALL WHITES IS HARMLESS?
Charles: IF SOLDIERS COME TO THIS RESERVATION,
YOU'LL HAVE MORE DEAD INDIANS THAN ANY DISEASE HAS EVER TAKEN.
YOU'D BETTER LEAVE LIKE THE OTHERS.
WITH THE THREAT OF TROOPS, MAYBE THE HOLDOUTS IN THOSE CAMPS
WILL BE FRIGHTENED ENOUGH TO SEE REASON.
WHY SHOULD THEY SEE REASON? THE LAND DEAL WAS SHOVED DOWN THEIR THROATS,
AND STILL THEY'RE PUNISHED WITH RATION CUTS.
A MILLION POUNDS OF BEEF, ELAINE-- A MILLION.
IT HAS TO HAVE BEEN A MISTAKE. THEY WERE PROMISED BY THE COMMISSION.
YOU'VE BEEN HERE LONGER THAN I.
YOU KNOW THESE ARE NEVER MISTAKES.
TO PROVOKE THE SIOUX FURTHER IN THIS PANIC?
- DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? - YES. KNOWING THE WHITES.
I THINK YOU SHOULD GO.
WE'RE STILL NEEDED HERE.
AS WHAT, WITNESSES?
IT WON'T COME TO THAT.
- ( Sioux singing ) - ( drum beating )
WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? WHAT DO YOU WANT?
WHY HAVEN'T YOU BROUGHT THESE PEOPLE IN?
FOR WHAT? ANOTHER COUNCIL?
MORE ROTTEN MEAT?
THIS IS NONSENSE.
YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN.
YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN THIS.
THEN TELL ME WHAT TO BELIEVE.
TELL ME WHAT TO BELIEVE IN, WHITE MEDICINE MAN.
I ORDERED YOU TO SHUT DOWN THESE DANCE CAMPS.
I CAN'T.
WHY NOT?
SITTING BULL PERMITS THE DANCING.
THE PEOPLE LISTEN TO HIM AGAIN.
- BRING HIM IN. - WHAT IF THERE'S TROUBLE?
THERE IS ALREADY TROUBLE. SOLDIERS ARE RIDING FOR PINE RIDGE
AND I'LL BE DAMNED IF THEY'LL RIDE IN HERE.
THE AGENT HAS SENT FOR YOU. DRESS.
I SAID, DRESS.
Charles: YOUR EYES ARE GETTING WORSE.
- ( hoofbeats approaching ) - ( people shouting )
( man groaning )
( woman screaming )
QUICK, SOMEBODY GET DR. EASTMAN!
HURRY!
- EASY, EASY. CAREFUL. - THIS WAY.
- WHERE DO YOU WANT HER? - RIGHT HERE!
HERE.
Man: BEHIND YOU.
CHARLES! CHARLES, HURRY!
- WHAT HAPPENED? - SHE'S BEEN SHOT.
Chasing Crane: HELP!
SOMEBODY HELP!
WHERE ARE MY CHILDREN?
HELP ME!
( coughing )
WHAT HAPPENED?
MY CHILDREN...
TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED.
THEY CAME FOR MY FATHER.
THEY CAME TO ARREST SITTING BULL.
THEY CAME TO TAKE HIM AWAY.
- WHAT IS GOING ON? - ( all yelling )
WE TRIED TO STOP THEM.
- WHERE ARE YOU TAKING HIM? - FATHER, DON'T LET THEM TAKE YOU WITHOUT A FIGHT.
BE QUIET! I WON'T GO, I WON'T GO!
STAY BACK, STAY BACK!
OR WE WILL ARREST YOU ALL.
- ( crying ) - OH, I GOT IT.
THE HORSE...
( horse neighing )
Scarlet Whirlwind: THE WHITE HORSE...
IT DANCED.
WE ALL TURNED TO LOOK AT IT.
AND HE FIRED!
- ( all screaming ) - NO.
THEY KILLED HIM!
THEY KILLED SITTING BULL!
NO!
HIS BOY'S OVER HERE!
Scarlet Whirlwind: THEY SHOT CROW FOOT!
HE WAS JUST A BOY.
THEY KILLED HIM TOO.
WE RAN AWAY,
BUT THE SOLDIERS FOUND US.
( woman wailing )
Scarlet Whirlwind: THEY TOOK US TO WOUNDED KNEE CREEK.
OH NO! NO!
WHERE ARE MY CHILDREN?
WHERE ARE MY CHILDREN?
DOCTOR! DOCTOR!
IT WAS AT WOUNDED KNEE, NEAR WHERE WE WERE DANCING.
ELAINE, BAG!
THEY TRIED TO TAKE OUR WEAPONS.
YOU HAD MORE THAN THIS.
YOU HAD WINCHESTERS AND HENRYS.
I KNOW YOU HAD WINCHESTERS AND HENRYS.
- WHERE ARE YOUR WEAPONS? - "WHERE'S YOUR WEAPONS," HE SHOUTED.
- SEARCH THE TEPEES. - ( women screaming )
HAVE HEART, MEN.
THE MESSIAH'S PROMISE WILL COME TRUE.
THEIR BULLETS WILL NOT HARM YOU.
THEIR BULLETS...
WILL NOT HARM YOU.
SEARCH ALL OF THEM!
HE TRIED TO TAKE A GUN FROM A DEAF MAN!
- HE COULD HEAR, THEY DIDN'T CARE. - GIVE ME THAT GUN.
- LEAVE HIM ALONE! HE CAN'T HEAR YOU! - LET GO OF IT.
- LET GO! - ( gunfire )
( Sioux whooping )
AND THEN THE CANNONS CAME.
( women screaming )
GO AFTER THEM!
( calling out )
I CANNOT MEND THE LEG.
NO.
YOU WILL NOT TAKE IT.
PLEASE.
YOU HAVE NO CHOICE.
THERE IS A CHOICE.
WE DIDN'T FIRE FIRST.
I SWEAR TO ALMIGHTY GOD, WE DID NOT FIRE FIRST.
Red Cloud: BLUE COAT...
YOU WHITES USE MANY WEAPONS AGAINST US.
DO NOT HAVE SUCH A BAD HEART ABOUT IT.
WE HAVE ALWAYS FEARED YOUR GUNS THE LEAST.
FOR TWO DAYS, THE SNOW PREVENTED
A SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS...
AND THE BURIAL OF THE DEAD.
FROM THAT DAY ON,
NOTHING WOULD BE THE SAME--
NOT FOR THE SIOUX AS A PEOPLE,
AND NOT FOR CHARLES.
( horse bridle jingling )
TELL ME WHAT YOU SEE.
I'M THE ONE WHO TOLD OUR PEOPLE TO STAY.
TELL ME STRAIGHT. I HAVE EARS FOR IT.
Elaine: WITNESSES.
IT'S NOT WHAT WE SET OUT TO BE.
BUT IN THE END, IT'S WHAT WE WERE.
CHARLES WOULD PRACTICE MEDICINE AGAIN ONLY BRIEFLY.
A SUCCESSION OF POSITIONS ALWAYS SEEMED TO END
IN VOLUNTARY RESIGNATION OR DISMISSAL
AND EVENTUALLY, FINANCIAL HARDSHIP.
CHARLES?
SOON HE HAD NOWHERE TO TURN.
CHARLES?
Elaine: AND WE NEEDED MONEY.
- WELL, HOW ARE YOU? - I'M FINE.
I'M SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR RESIGNATION-- AND YOUR WIFE'S.
GREAT LOSS TO THE RESERVATION.
YOU'RE AWAITING THE COMMISSIONER?
YES.
WELL, WE WOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOUR SERVICES AGAIN
FOR THE RENAMING PROJECT.
- RENAMING PROJECT? - YES.
I ONLY KNOW THERE'S A POSITION AVAILABLE.
YES, I PUT YOU UP FOR IT MYSELF,
KNOWING YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES.
IT'S THE INDIVIDUAL DEEDS TO THE LAND.
THEY'VE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE TO ASSIGN
WITH EACH INDIAN GOING BY SO MANY TRIBAL NAMES,
SO MUCH CONFUSION.
SO WHAT WE NEED IS A SINGLE NAME--
A CHRISTIAN NAME-- FOR EACH SIOUX,
ASSIGNED BY YOU, RANDOMLY OR AT YOUR DISCRETION,
WORKING FROM THE LAST CENSUS.
DOCTOR? DR. EASTMAN?
WE'RE READY FOR YOU NOW.
- GOOD LUCK. - SENATOR.
CHARLES.
GIVE MY BEST TO YOUR WIFE.
I WON'T DO THIS!
CHARLES?
SHOULD HAVE JUMPED.
WHAT?
SHOULD HAVE JUMPED FROM THE TRAIN.
MIGHT HAVE GOT OFF...
MIGHT HAVE GOT OFF IN SIOUX CITY.
YES, THAT'S...
WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE.
I WOULD HAVE WALKED
TILL I REACHED THE RED RIVER...
WHICH I WOULD HAVE FOLLOWED TO THE NORTH WOODS.
THAT'S HOW I WILL FIND MY WAY HOME.
BY THE RED RIVER.
BY THE RED RIVER.