Aboriginal people can tell their own stories - watch NAAA ceremonies tonight
Aboriginal actor annoyed - They don't need to involve whites in telling their stories, Adam Beach says
Alex Strachan, CanWest News Service - March 30, 2007
Adam Beach is irked.
He is irked that many filmmakers continue to tell stories about aboriginal issues from a white, anglicized point of view, often through the eyes of a white lead character.
If this weekend's National Aboriginal Achievement Awards do anything, he says, it will be to show the outside world -- and aboriginal people themselves -- that the first nations, Inuit and Metis culture is a thriving, vibrant community that deserves to tell its own stories in its own ways.
"There seems to be this idea that if you're going to do an Indian movie, you have to have white people involved so it will sell the film," Beach said. "When I hear that, you're saying to me that our people aren't interesting enough to sell a film on their own. I see it time and time again. They'll show a white person come to a reservation, be introduced to the culture and then help the Indian person become more aware of their culture through a white perspective."
The Aboriginal Achievement Awards prove that doesn't have to be the case, Beach says. Casual viewers watching it for the first time will be surprised, amazed even, by what they see.
Jennifer Podemski, creative producer of this year's ceremony and a colleague of Beach's from several stage and TV roles, asked him to host this year's ceremony. Podemski wanted a more youthful energy in the program, and she thought Beach would appeal to a younger audience.
Beach agreed, even though it meant taking time out of his busy schedule taping Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, which he recently joined as a regular character. He plays a Brooklyn detective opposite rapper/actor Ice-T.
The NAAA ceremony was taped March 16 in Edmonton. It will be televised Saturday on Global and the APTN specialty channel.
"I felt very honoured," Beach said, "because it's an opportunity to show the successes of our people. We're only honouring a select few recipients, but there are many more people like that in the country. It's important that we show that, because right now we need more role models for our younger generation of aboriginal people. We need to put them on that pedestal, to show that there are people who are making a difference in the world. We need to show our young people that if you succeed, we'll be there to support them."
Viewers can expect to see performances by the Juno-nominated Leela Gilday, accompanied by the Awasisak Nikamowak children's choir from the Prince Charles School in Edmonton, and Gemini nominee and former Aboriginal Achievement Awards host Andrea Menard.
"My best memory of that evening was seeing so many people who were friends of mine I hadn't seen in a while," Beach said. "I really enjoyed being around them because I'm pretty busy with my work and I rarely get to see anybody."
His favourite part of the show itself was a contemporary interpretative dance performance with aboriginal singer Fara Palmer.
"I thought it was really beautiful," Beach said. "It just showed that we have a lot of artists -- actors, singers, dancers, musicians -- who have done a lot with their lives. We just need more of our own people to become more involved and say, 'Yes, we can accomplish our dreams in these types of occupations.'"
Beach is no stranger to a hardscrabble upbringing. He was born of Saulteaux descent in Ashern, Man., and raised with his two brothers on the Dog Creek First Nations reserve. His mother was killed by a drunk driver when he was just eight years old. She was eight months pregnant at the time.
His father died shortly afterwards, in a boating accident. Beach and his two brothers grew up with his aunt and uncle in Winnipeg.
Beach fell into acting after he signed onto a drama class in high school. He thought drama would be a cool place to "goof off" with his friends. Instead, it became his passion.
A lead role with the Manitoba Theatre for Young People, guest-staring roles in TV shows like Walker, Texas Ranger and Touched by An Angel, and starring roles in North of 60, The Rez and Law & Order: SVU soon followed.
Beach's dream role is playing the iconic comic-book hero Turoq, one of the gods of the Arctic, in a live-action version of the '70s comic and present-day series of video games. Beach has just recorded the voice of Turoq for an animated TV version.
"I've always dreamt of doing a live-action movie," he said, laughing. "I'm in talks right now. Who knows? A lot has been coming true for me in the past year -- it's amazing. I've been living a dream."
The 2007 National Aboriginal Achievement Awards airs Saturday, on Global and APTN. Check local listings for times.