The Extinction of Native Cultures

By Jane Waide

n June 26, 1975during what Steve Kroft of 60 Minutes called a time of well-documented government misconduct against dissident groups, including the American Indian Movementa shoot-out occurred on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, resulting in the deaths of a young Native American man and two F.B.I. agents. Based on what has since been found to be questionable evidence and coerced testimony, Leonard Peltier, a young Native American man and member of The American Indian Movement (AIM), was found guilty of the deaths of the two F.B.I. agents and was sentenced to two life terms in prison. Today, 36 years later, Preston Randolph, a young lmmaker who is passionate about human
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rights and dedicated to the long-sought exoneration of Leonard Peltier, is making a lm. The project, entitled Wind Chases the Sun after Peltiers native name, is currently in pre-production and slated for release in late 2012. Randolph and co-producer Dan Battaglia intend to create a feature-length docu-drama that brings to light the inconsistencies and biases which they feel led to Peltiers conviction, subsequent imprisonment and most recently, denial of parole. Preston cites his father and grandfather, both historians specializing in Native American culture, as primary inuences in engendering his long-time interest in and commitment to Peltiers case. He considers himself an activist and speaks with