things i’m gonna do

For those people who were fans of the anime movie and TV show…

So…I’m here at the symposium, having a great time meeting people and seeing wonderful things.  Ryan and I went to Acoma Pueblo on Wednesday to see Sky City (the oldest continuously inhabited community in America).  It was pretty amazing and very beautiful.  We both got a little flipped out by how impossible it was to judge distance for two West Virginians in a landscape where you can see for miles. 

Yesterday was the first day of the conference, with a variety of guest speakers and special film screenings.  IAIA (the Institute of American Indian Arts) held a special screening of student film projects from this summer’s workshop session that was really interesting; some of the pieces (like Nizhoni and A Thousand Unsaid Words) were truly impressive.  Additionally, there was a special screening of Kent Mackenzie’s 1961 film noir-esque The Exiles which Ryan and I both really loved.

I’m taking a quick break to eat this delicious fruit tart and drink some iced coffee after my plenary session, which I thought went very well (even if my DVD skipped over the title menu and my first quotation).  I really enjoyed the work of both of my co-presenters (Sheila Rochia of the Indigenous Collective of Theater & Art and Barbara Robins of University of Nebraska) - we all agreed afterwards that our presentations were really well matched.  I came up with the perfect introduction for my video essay yesterday evening while driving back for the evening screenings after a delicious meal of sopaipillas soaked with honey and carne adovada with some friends from the conference squished together in our rental car…unfortunately, our panel was pressed for time so I largely ditched it in favor of getting to the DVD, but I’ll have to remember it to use in the future.  The response was largely positive (I did notice some individuals seemed uncomfortable, but there’s a theoretical divide on the concept of using contemporary media and Gen Y digital cultures to discuss Native lifestyles and issues - some people feel the twain should not meet, if you catch my drift).  Two great things, though — I was invited to look into the IAIA summer filmmaking program by a very kind representative who attended my presentation…and SIMON ORTIZ was in the audience for my screening and actually took a DVD with him.  There must be nothing more nerve-wracking then presenting your work in front of someone whose work you really enjoy.

But.

Time for more sessions and presentations…and to finish this delicious tart…