Victor Masayesva Jr.

Imagining Indians

Victor Masayesva Jr.

With an all Indian crew, Victor Masayesva visited tribal communities in Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, South Dakota, Washington and the Amazon to produce this film.

ITAM HAKIM HOPIIT

Victor Masayesva Jr.

Ross Macaya

Itam Hakim Hopiit, which translates as "we / someone, the Hopi," is a poetic visualization of Hopi philosophy. Made at the time of the Hopi Tricentennial - marking 300 years since the 1680 Pueblo Revolt against Spanish colonial rule – the film presents a view of Hopi culture and history. Speaking in Hopi, a community elder shares personal recollections and cultural history, recounting stories of the Hopi emergence, perseverance, and the Bow Clan migration stories of his father. Through use of the film medium, Masayesva challenges viewers to understand the Hopi conception of time as cyclic, in which the world starts, ends, and starts again.

Ritual Clowns

Victor Masayesva Jr.

Masayesva (Hopi) deftly alters anthropological footage using montage, oral tradition, and early video animations to depict Hopi symbols and ritual clowns. Shifting between found footage, depictions of land, and school children in costume, Ritual Clowns narrates the educational, cleansing role of Hopi clowns and humor seen in Southwest Pueblo plaza traditions across generations.