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Minnesota film festival highlights Indigenous stories
Hosted by Twin Cities Film Fest, the free event took place in celebration of Native American Heritage Month.
MINNEAPOLIS — “You have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
That’s one of the things filmmaker Rita Davern said she learned as she worked on her documentary Stories I Didn’t Know. The film delves into her family’s history of settling on land that belonged to the Dakota people.
Davern’s documentary was one of six productions featured in the MNmicro Film Festival in St. Louis Park on Sunday. Hosted by Twin Cities Film Fest, the free event took place in honor of Native American Heritage Month.
“Pike Island has a really amazing Indigenous history that I didn’t know,” Davern said ahead of her documentary’s screening. “And I knew I had no right to tell that story.”
That’s why Stories I Didn’t Know features Ramona Kitto Stately and her son Reuben, who share their family’s history in the film.
“We have 12,000 years of living human history of the Dakota right here in the Twin Cities area, and I do tours for people in places of power within the Twin Cities,” Stately explained. “Meeting Rita and being able to bring those two things together was really powerful because she comes from a place where people are connected to the land, and the Dakota come from a place where we’re connected to the land. So as different as our stories are, they’re very similar.”
Stately emphasized the importance of accurate historical representation: “We lack a true narrative of American history. When we think about the Indigenous history, the history of civilization, every other country knows that, but not in America. So I really hope that people will say, ‘You know what? That’s right. We’re missing some history that’s beforehand. Is that important, and why is that important for people to know?'”
Stately’s son Reuben, an artist who was also featured in the film, said it was an honor being a part of the film with his mother. “The generational learning and telling our story as a family is our tradition,” he added. “And then storytelling as Dakota people is tradition as well.”
The other featured films include The Jingle Dress, The Electric Indian, Without Arrows and The Coyote Way | We Come From The Stars.
The next MNmicro Film Festival is planned for February in honor of Black History Month.
A Nov. 22 event from the Alzheimer’s Association digs into the ‘why’ of that disparity and what we can do about it.
MINNEAPOLIS — An event this week marks an important opportunity to learn more about a persistent disparity in our greater community and within the fight against Alzheimer’s and other dementia.
Native Americans – including American Indian and Alaska Native peoples – are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia than white or Asian Americans, according to a report from the Alzheimer’s Association. In fact, the Alzheimer’s Association found that one in five Native American adults aged 45 and older reports experiencing memory or thinking problems that might be a sign of dementia.
The report also found that Native Americans are also often excluded from dementia research, resulting in a relatively poor understanding of the unique cultural, social and health factors that impact the community. And Native Americans often have less access to health services and a timely diagnosis.
To begin countering these trends, the Alzheimer’s Association, Minnesota-North Dakota Chapter is hosting a virtual presentation that is open to the public. You can register or learn more about the Nov. 22 event – ‘Addressing Disparities: Native American Perspectives in Dementia Research – by clicking here or calling the Association’s 24/7 Helpline at 800-272-3900.
November marks both National Native American Heritage Month and Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.
Police say the shooting occurred at Tantrum NightClub just before 1:50 a.m.
MINNEAPOLIS — At least one person was shot inside a Minneapolis nightclub Sunday morning after police say a fight broke out inside the venue.
According to the Minneapolis Police Department, officers were responding to a call just before 1:50 a.m. when they heard gunfire coming from the Tantrum NighClub at Dulono’s Minneapolis. Officials found a man inside the club with a gunshot wound. The man was transported to a nearby hospital with an apparent “non-life-threatening” gunshot wound, according to MPD.
While responding, police say they heard additional gunfire from a parking lot near the club. Officials found a man “driving recklessly” through the lot, and eventually took him into custody. A news release says a gun was also recovered.
While taking the man into custody, police say more gunfire was heard. Two other people, including a juvenile, also arrived at the hospital with injuries officials say are “non-life-threatening,” however, it’s unclear where they were shot.
“Responding urgently to chaotic incidents like (the) latest shooting inside Tantrum nightclub and the shooting at Vanquish nightclub two weeks ago requires a large and immediate police response,” said MPD Chief Brian O’Hara in a press release. “This shows why we need sufficient numbers of officers available at bar close in Downtown, Dinkytown, and Uptown—without depleting the cops patrolling our neighborhoods. Thanks to the bravery and professionalism of our cops, a man was arrested after discharging a firearm, and a bad situation was interrupted before it got even worse.”
Police are still determining how the man who was arrested was involved, and whether there were other people involved.
*This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
A 31-year-old suspect was taken into custody with help from the Isanti County Sheriff’s Office
PINE COUNTY, Minn — One man is dead and another is in custody following a shooting in Pine County on Friday.
According to the Pine County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to the 57000 block of Barn Springs Road, about 20 miles east of Hinckley, with the report of a shooting. Witnesses reported seeing the shooting and fleeing for safety.
Deputies located the deceased victim upon arrival. A Pine County Sheriff’s Office press release said a 31-year-old was identified as the suspect based on witness accounts and was quickly taken into custody with help from the Isanti County Sheriff’s Office.
He is currently being held in the Pine County Detention Center for second-degree murder.
The Pine County Sheriff’s Office says that additional information will be released once charges are filed against the suspect. The victim’s identity has not yet been released.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) is actively investigating the case, along with the Pine County Sheriff’s Office.
