The
program "Shoshone Voices, Native Choices" covers the revolutionary
project at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC and the Museum
of the American Indian on the Washington Mall. The project was
created to invite members of many tribes of North American to come to
Washington for the purpose of identifying the thousands of Native
American artifacts that reside in the Smithsonian's archives in
Suitland, Maryland.
Although
initially met with suspicion, the leader of the project eventually
convinced members of the Eastern Shoshone tribe to send 6 elders and 6
students to participate.
As many
tribes around the nation are dealing with the loss of cultural
awareness among their young people, this documentary suggests career
paths in museum science and contemporary cultural studies for young
Indians to pursue.
Robin
Levin, Head Librarian for the Fort Washakie School/Community library
believes, "Tribal students are modern people looking for modern
opportunities. This project blends their tribal culture, wisdom of the
elders and high tech careers. Striking a balance between excellent
production value and respect for tribal ways can be difficult to
achieve. The creative team at Flashback has managed to exceed the
tribe's hopes for such a project."