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Embracing indigenous culture after 13 years away by returning to his ancestral home in “Without Arrows” on INDEPENDENT LENS – Jan. 13 at 10pm
< < Back toAN INTIMATE PORTRAIT OF THE VIBRANCE AND STRUGGLE OF ONE LAKOTA FAMILY,
“WITHOUT ARROWS”
PREMIERES ON INDEPENDENT LENS ON JANUARY 13 at 10:00pm
Decades after leaving South Dakota, a Lakota dancer returns to the reservation to reconnect and carry on the family legacy.
The poignant feature documentary “Without Arrows” premieres January 13, 2025 on INDEPENDENT LENS. The film chronicles three generations of a Lakota family as Delwin Fiddler Jr., an acclaimed grass dancer, returns to his ancestral home on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation in South Dakota. After 11 years of living in Philadelphia, he leaves his big city life behind, aiming to reconnect with his mother and father and learn more about their family history.
Credit: Jonathan Olshefski
A portrait of the Fiddlers, “Without Arrows” begins as Delwin works to rebuild his life and sense of identity while navigating within his family and within the larger culture of the reservation. Delwin experiences struggles and frustrations as he attempts to rekindle an interest in traditional Lakota lifeways while healing from the trauma that caused him to leave home in the first place. Through tenderness and tragedy “Without Arrows” celebrates the emotional arcs and hidden longings of the Fiddler family as they strive to carry on the legacy of their ancestors to the next generation.
“We are grateful to the Fiddlers for sharing their story and we hope that audiences will relate to this multi-generational story and gain new insights about the joys and challenges a Lakota family experiences, “ said Producer and Director Jonathan Olshefski and Elizabeth Day. “As this is a story about a family legacy that goes back many generations, we want to emphasize the importance that every link in the chain has in creating a foundation for the ones who come next. We hope our film will cause audiences to consider the legacy that they leave behind as they live their lives and pursue their own hopes and dreams.”
“Without Arrows” premieres on PBS’s INDEPENDENT LENS on January 13, 2025, at 10 p.m. The film will also be available to stream on the PBS App.
Credit: Jonathan Olshefski
The observational documentary weaves beautiful imagery and personal interviews to portray the complexities of Delwin and his family’s experiences, exploring universal themes of love, family, trauma, and cultural identity.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
Jonathan Olshefski, Producer/Director
Jonathan Olshefski is a documentary filmmaker from Philadelphia. He tells intimate and nuanced stories that honor his protagonists’ complexity by employing a production process that emphasizes collaboration, dialogue, and relationship. He is a professor at Rowan University where he teaches in the Department of Radio, Television, and Film.
Elizabeth Day, Producer/Director
Elizabeth Day (Ojibwe) is a filmmaker born on the Leech Lake Reservation and raised in the Twin Cities. Day blends her Native American heritage with her urban upbringing to create films that employ traditional Ojibwe-style storytelling. Her work explores the tension between traditional Native teachings and the life of a modern Indian.
Delwin Fiddler Jr., Main Protagonist
Delwin Elk Bear Fiddler, is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Sans Arc band, and a world renowned Native American performing Artist. Delwin’s accolades include performing for two American President’s and the Royal Family in England. As a teenager he was a champion Grass and Hoop dancer on the pow-wow circuit. His traditional Grass Dance is displayed in a continual loop at the Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. Delwin created the non-profit PAZA Tree of Life to fulfill his mother’s dream of returning the people to the roots of their culture. You can learn more about Paza here: https://www.pazatree.org/