Fighting Indians

Fighting Indians (2022) is a documentary film directed by Derek Ellis, Mark Cooley.

On May 16th, 2019, the State of Maine made history by passing LD 944 An Act to Ban Native American Mascots in All Public Schools, the first legislation of its kind in the country. For Maine's tribal nations, the landmark legislation marked an end to a decades long struggle to educate the public of the harms of Native American mascotry. Fighting Indians chronicles the last and most contentious holdout in that struggle, the homogeneously white Skowhegan High School, known for decades as "The Home of the Indians". This is the story of a small New England community forced to reckon with its identity, its sordid history, and future relationship with its indigenous neighbors. It is a story of a small town divided against the backdrop of a nation divided where the "mascot debate" exposes centuries old abuses while asking if reconciliation is possible.

Cast

Maulian Dana

Self - Penobscot Nation Ambassador

Barry Dana

Self - Former Chief, Penobscot Nation

James Eric Francis

Self - Penobscot Tribal Historian

Dwayne Tomah

Self - Passamaquoddy Nation

John Bear Mitchell

Self - Penobscot, Professor

Dawn Neptune Adams

Self - Penobscot Filmmaker

Dena Rose Joseph

Self - Aroostook Band of Micmacs

Mike Wise

Self - Sports Journalist

Dave McKenna

Self - Sports Journalist

Jesse Seinfeldt

Self - Sports Psychologist

Al Carroll

Self - Historian, Professor

Jeffery Powers-Beck

Self - Literary Historian