Russell Means, Indian activist, "Last of the Mohicans' co-star, dies at 72

Mercury News ^ | 10/22/12 | Dirk Lammers

[Borges]

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- Russell Means, a former American Indian Movement activist who helped lead the 1973 uprising at Wounded Knee, reveled in stirring up attention and appeared in several Hollywood films, has died. He was 72.

Means died early Monday at his ranch in in Porcupine, S.D., Oglala Sioux Tribe spokeswoman Donna Solomon said. Means, a Wanblee native who grew up in the San Francisco area, announced in August 2011 that he had developed inoperable throat cancer.

He told The Associated Press he was forgoing mainstream medical treatments in favor of traditional American Indian remedies and alternative treatments away from his home on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

Means was an early leader of AIM and led its armed occupation of the South Dakota town of Wounded Knee, a 71-day siege that included several gunbattles with federal officers. He was often embroiled in controversy, partly because of AIM's alleged involvement in the 1975 slaying of Annie Mae Aquash. But Means was also known for his role in the movie "The Last of the Mohicans" and had run unsuccessfully for the Libertarian nomination for president in 1988.

AIM was founded in the late 1960s to protest the U.S. government's treatment of Native Americans and demand the government honor its treaties with Indian tribes. Means told the AP in 2011 that before AIM, there had been no advocate on a national or international scale for American Indians, and that Native Americans were ashamed of their heritage.

[Vigilanteman]

FWIW, I lost track of Russell Means sometime shortly after he threw his lot in with the A.I.M. crowd in the early 1970s. Then, a mutual acquaintance set us up for a chance meeting when I was working in Japan in the early 1990s.

We had a nice talk. Russell was on a trade mission to Japan and seeking advice from people who might help him sell goods produced on the reservation to the Japanese. I opened up my business card file, selected a half dozen or so contacts which I thought might be able to help and introduced him to one in the neighborhood whom I thought would be most appropriate. His demeanor was more like the old Russell I had once known than politicized jerk created by Banks, Peltier and the A.I.M. I invited him for lunch, but he had but a short time in Japan and a hectic schedule to meet.

I like to think that he left this world more like the old Russell I knew. I think his role of Uncas was roughly the same time in his life, wasn't it? If so, then I think you were seeing the real Russell.

[LittleBillyInfidel]

NOOOOOOOoooooooooooooo! Don’t tell me that you don’t have that tape!! That’s a great story, with a legend! That riff would be priceless!! Thanks for sharing that story - what a great memory that must be.

(I’m such a nerd, that I save the voice messages of celebrity level actors who’ve called me. I need to get those transferred...)

[Vigilanteman]

You're right . . . and I did mean Chingachgook. It has been a long time since I saw the film. Wasn't Uncas the treacherous one imbedded as a guide in the Brit detachment?

[nickcarraway]

Last of the Mohicans was 2nd in a series of 5 novels. Why didn't they film the rest? I though Deerslayer was better than LOTM

[righttackle44]

Uncas was Chingachgook's son. I made the same mistake. What was interesting to me was, when I was a boy, I saw the first Last of the Mohicans--the one with Randolph Scott--at a re-run house here in Phoenix. The movie was made released in 1936, so it was about 1951 when I saw it. I only remember two scenes: one was when the Indians were raking the forest leaves and sticks up to burn Major Haywood. The other was when they guided the canoes over the rock berms of the lake. I remembered the scenes before I remembered the movie, which I saw again a few years ago on TCM, and recognized the scenes.

Are you speaking of Magua?

[dennisw]

He actually played Chingachgook in Last of the Mohicans. And, I agree — I thought he was very good.
Particularly, when he killed Magua in the final scene...

One of the my favorite movie scenes where the older Indian Chingachgook wasted the evil Magua via skilful means ...meaning an symmetric attack
Here is a Russell Means interview on how he messed with Michael Mann (the director) and other movie details Last of the Mohicans

[dennisw]

Perfect music. Great fighting. The old man avenged and prevailed over the savage. The girl lept to her death. The best ten minutes in movie making...or one of the best

Michael Mann my favorite director. Thanks for posting

[fella]

Russell was a step on the path of the American Indian traveling from the stone age into the modern world. Most of the world is still on that path.

[Vigilanteman]

Yep. Magua.

[lowbridge]

” Wes Studi is a great guy. I hired him as a voice narrator for a documentary I produced about 1812.”

Oh come now. You and Wes couldn’t possibly be THAT old.

;)

[JT Hatter]

Ya. The scene where Magua talks of killing the general's seed is powerful. You know Cora and Alice are in real trouble.

You got to work with him? What a real trip. I grew up in Indian territory and can tell you there are some astonishing people among them. Rats too, but those who rise to the top are incredible.

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.

[Borges]

Mann has really fallen off the rails. Miami Vice and Public Enemies were awful!

[x]

I’m sure Hitler and Stalin and Mao were nice to strangers or animals or old ladies or little babies. All that personal stuff is irrelevant in a policy discussion forum.

Means did run for office as a libertarian. That suggests that perhaps he doesn't fit into the usual left versus right cookie cutter molds.

Also, if your ancestors had fought against the US and lost, you might have a hard time making your way to the views the rest of us start out with without any struggle or difficulty.

So I'd say, yes, the personal stuff (which isn't all to his credit) is part of who Russell Means was and is relevant if we're talking about the man, rather than just rehashing tired political insults.

[dennisw]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhiO8rT_LnA

You may be right but Ten Million Slaves was awesome for the Public Enemies Soundtrack even you have to admit this. Public Enemies had some great scenes and atmospherics.

[dennisw]

“Crime Story” was Michael Mann at his best with Dexter Gordon and Stephen Lang and lots of good actors I tried to watch it all the time