November is National Native American Heritage Month, an excellent occasion to learn more about the original, still very much present residents of the land we now call the United States. SCETV has compiled a heaping helping of classic productions about Native Americans for your viewing pleasure.
If you’re looking for some foundational knowledge, start with Circle of Inheritance. For an esteemed look at a particularly tenacious tribe still inhabiting some of their original land, Snowbird Cherokees from Carolina Stories is a great watch. South Carolina Hall of Fame: King Hagler offers a biographic profile of a prominent Native American ruler from South Carolina’s colonial era history.
Studio See: Honor Dance is a fascinating piece from 1978 comparing two young women being ceremonially introduced to society: one through an honor dance, and one through her cotillion. From a more adult perspective, Connections: Native American Wedding features the ceremony and celebration of a modern-day Native American cultural wedding here in South Carolina, along with interviews with tribe members about issues they face and the importance of their heritage. Those Who Remain serves as an even deeper examination, offering glimpses into the daily life of several Native Americans still living in South Carolina today.
Watch and learn more about these programs online at https://www.scetv.org/watch/etvclassics