Indigenous Performance Productions’ “Stories from the Warrior Society” explores the evolution of the “warrior” role in the United States and within tribal communities and shares narratives of Native American storytellers/military veterans. It draws on the practice of oral tradition to get viewers to gather, bear witness and honor those who have served and cared for others.
The event will be held at Fox Tucson Theatre on Saturday, March 28.
“Stories from a Warrior Society” was first produced in Olympia, Wash., in January with a similar format but a different cast.
The live event blends storytelling with archival and contemporary images and music. It will start with a blessing from indigenous culture bearers, an honor song performed by an indigenous singer and the playing of “Taps.”
During the show, viewers will see images of veterans in their regalia and military gear.
The Tucson event will spotlight three veterans, who will share their experiences and insights.
This includes Alroy Billman, a Navajo rancher and U.S. Army veteran who is originally from Buell Park Ranch near Sawmill, Arizona; Jeri Long, a Navajo U.S. Army veteran from New Mexico who works in the behavioral health and addiction field and Kahealani Kahiapo, a U.S. Army veteran and Native Hawaiian with a background as a spiritual mentor and healer.
“They all served in different capacities and have different stories,” said Executive Creative Producer Andre Bouchard, who is of Kootenai, Ojibwe, Pend d’Oreille and Salish descent.
Bouchard said they find storytellers in a very organic way, by asking around and seeing who others recommend.
“We’ve talked to some veterans. We’ve talked to some community leaders. As you go along, names start coming up. After talking to five, six or seven people, and the same names come up a certain amount of times, you reach out to those people,” Bouchard said.
The project explores the evolution of Native people hunting, defending and protecting others in warrior societies to now serving in the U.S. military or in law enforcement.
“They always had roles of protection, of community, of mentoring, of gathering resources, of ceremony….The U.S. military is a picture of institutional change. In 140 years, they went from rounding us up, putting us on reservations and keeping us there forcibly to celebrating Native service members and Native culture….This is a story that I thought was a rich ground to explore as someone who works in the storytelling arts as a theater director,” Bouchard said.
Throughout the week, the featured storytellers has taken part different activities, including sweat lodges and one-on-one interviews.
“It’s a live storytelling and documentary project…We’re going to be using footage from the live storytelling show, along with interviews and B-reel, to do short documentary profiles of each of these folks… We’re going to have sweats for both the male and female veterans separately because there’s different traditions around them. We also going to have a day where the documentary crew sits with them, and we get them on camera being interviewed by Montana Miller… This is something that should be recorded and kept for future generations, this wisdom, this journey. There’s a lot that I think veterans can teach the world about recovering from trauma, about service to community. There’s a lot that Native veterans can teach the world about integrating our warriors, welcoming them back after they’ve gone to war, bringing them back into culture and community, helping to heal them and help them along the next step of their journey…It’s my way as someone who hasn’t served to give back and honor the people that I’ve known, that have made a difference in my life, and hopefully create a cultural resource in doing so,” Bouchard said.
Bouchard has had family members in the military.
“My dad served, and my uncle served. My uncle lost his life in service. My dad was the eighth or ninth person in my tribe to get his college degree. The year he got his college degree, he enlisted and went off to wear. I always wondered why he did that, and I never got an answer… I always wondered about his story, and I never got to ask him before he passed,” Bouchard said.
The live performance was directed by Montana Miller and Harrison Jim Sr.
Miller is a Navajo actor, writer and director who served in the Army Airborne Infantry.
Jim is a Navajo traditional practitioner, counselor, herbalist and educator who served in the U.S. Navy.
Bouchard said that both directors bring important skills to the project.
“The reason that I as a producer wanted two directors is duty of care. Both of these fellas are veterans. Montana is a theater arts and film professional, and Harrison Jim is a traditional healer but also works at the VA, helping veterans who have severe PTSD… With this project being something that could potentially uncover trauma, the duty of care is to have someone at the helm of the project that can meet that moment and can help folks with the trauma,” Bouchard said.
Miller got involved with the project because of his desire to help people in healing from trauma. He said that veterans sharing their stories is an important part of this.
“Sometimes, family members and community members don’t know how to approach and ask questions or help the veterans get help healing. Sometimes, those veterans are so triggered, and they’re a whole different person than when they left. We want to identify that and bring methods to heal to the community and that veteran… We’re very fortunate that veterans are stepping up to share their process of healing…We have to remember these veterans aren’t actors. They’re not performers. They’re real people. When they ask me for guidance as a director, I lean towards, ‘Can you try to share how you feel?’ But I always reiterate that the veterans are welcome to share anything they want,” Miller said.
Miller said that sharing their stories can be an emotional experience for the storytellers.
“Sometimes, these veterans have relapses while they’re on stage. Then, they come off and they’re like, ‘I wasn’t expecting for it to hit me like that…’ When you see combat and when you talk about it, it’s hard to get those veterans out of that. There’s much emotion there,” Miller said.
Miller said that he is often able to connect with other veterans through comedy.
“I say, ‘You know, I’m the world’s shittiest Indian. They laugh and say, ‘Why.’ I say, ‘I broke every Indian rule my first week of the Army…’ I’m gonna be that example so you can have a battle buddy that’s going to go through it with you,” Miller said.
Stories from the Warrior Society
WHEN: Doors open at 1:45 p.m. and the presentation begins at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 28
WHERE: Fox Tucson Theatre, 18 W. Congress Street
COST: $24
INFO: foxtucson.com/event/conversations-storytelling-26/