1 00:00:14,907 --> 00:00:19,995 We thank the American Museum of Natural History, Library of Congress 2 00:00:20,121 --> 00:00:23,165 and the Smithsonian Institute. 3 00:00:23,290 --> 00:00:29,088 The rituals in this film exist documented in letters and drawings 4 00:00:29,213 --> 00:00:34,927 by George Catlin, Carl Bodmer and other eyewitnesses from that time. 5 00:00:35,052 --> 00:00:40,224 The exercise of the Promise to the Sun is prohibited in the United States during the late 1800s. 6 00:00:59,994 --> 00:01:05,916 Wakantanka, Great Spirit of the Sun, source of all life 7 00:01:06,041 --> 00:01:09,295 created in anger, pleasure and pain 8 00:01:09,420 --> 00:01:15,801 which takes life to maintain the eternal circle of life and death. 9 00:01:15,926 --> 00:01:22,349 I stand humble and obedient before you. Make me worthy! 10 00:02:47,852 --> 00:02:52,106 - How many do we have now? - Six, Your Grace. 11 00:02:52,231 --> 00:02:59,530 - Maddock, you must call me John. - It won't happen again, sir. 12 00:02:59,697 --> 00:03:05,244 - You say wrong at least once a day. - Yes, Sir John. 13 00:03:06,537 --> 00:03:10,458 - Did you say sex? - In a row. Nice shot, John. 14 00:03:10,583 --> 00:03:15,004 - Thanks, Maddock. - You can call me Joe. 15 00:03:17,673 --> 00:03:21,260 - Joe, what did you say that was? - Prairie Hens. 16 00:03:21,385 --> 00:03:28,058 Grouse. At home in England I had shot scratches. 17 00:03:32,313 --> 00:03:37,109 I came to think that I have traveled the world for expensive money 18 00:03:37,234 --> 00:03:40,988 only to kill other birds. 19 00:03:41,113 --> 00:03:44,742 a late? Do you have anything better for you? 20 00:03:44,867 --> 00:03:48,162 No, I haven't, Joe. 21 00:03:48,287 --> 00:03:53,209 For five years I have haven't had anything better for me. 22 00:03:53,334 --> 00:03:59,423 - You must have inherited a lot of clover. - Not just clubs, Joe. 23 00:04:00,508 --> 00:04:04,970 A title, properties, a position. 24 00:04:05,095 --> 00:04:09,391 I inherited everything. 25 00:04:09,517 --> 00:04:13,854 So far I have bought everything I wanted, including the three of you. 26 00:04:13,979 --> 00:04:18,025 In England I looked up to God and the royal house, and down on everyone else. 27 00:04:18,150 --> 00:04:23,989 - But what did you do for five years? - Looked, Joe. Just watched. 28 00:04:26,158 --> 00:04:31,789 In 1820 I committed the unforgivable the sin of resigning from the bodyguard. 29 00:04:31,914 --> 00:04:36,001 I still hadn't earned it of it. I was born for it. 30 00:04:36,127 --> 00:04:40,714 Now I'm here shooting birds. 31 00:04:44,343 --> 00:04:48,139 Your Northwest Territory is beautiful. 32 00:05:01,068 --> 00:05:03,446 Ed... 33 00:05:04,280 --> 00:05:08,784 I poured out the water in his tent. Over the entire tent. 34 00:05:08,909 --> 00:05:14,081 And look what I found: Rome. Surely it says "room" here? 35 00:05:14,206 --> 00:05:17,293 "ROME." 36 00:05:24,216 --> 00:05:27,219 Ed, pull. 37 00:05:35,227 --> 00:05:41,525 Still full as docks. In case of emergency, they also drink kerosene. 38 00:05:53,788 --> 00:05:58,459 Beat the drum, man out of the house. Here comes our big cunt. 39 00:06:12,098 --> 00:06:16,811 - What did you two shoot at? - Nothing special. 40 00:06:18,813 --> 00:06:23,776 - It was an accident. - I am inclined to believe you. 41 00:06:31,367 --> 00:06:36,664 - How far is it to Saint Louis? - The trip takes 1 month if we don't hunt. 42 00:06:36,789 --> 00:06:43,045 We leave tomorrow morning. Make the cart send, leave it and ride on. 43 00:06:44,046 --> 00:06:48,759 - Is that an order, John? - Yes, Maddock. 44 00:06:54,974 --> 00:07:01,605 - Now you have lost another job. - He promised us four months' rent. 45 00:07:01,730 --> 00:07:08,279 - You get your loan. He is not kind. - The family wants to sell a castle. 46 00:07:08,404 --> 00:07:12,700 What a guy! He doesn't even chew tobacco. 47 00:07:35,431 --> 00:07:41,645 - The water is very cold, Your Grace. - Thanks, Maddock. I can get used to it. 48 00:07:42,229 --> 00:07:46,108 There will be no bath, without skating. 49 00:07:46,233 --> 00:07:49,945 - Now that's enough. - We just warned him. 50 00:08:07,046 --> 00:08:12,134 - Something must have scared it. - Probably our fishy friend. 51 00:13:47,386 --> 00:13:50,097 My God. 52 00:30:21,213 --> 00:30:25,509 God, that's enough! 53 00:30:25,634 --> 00:30:31,640 You damn boots, I'm not a horse! I'm not an animal! 54 00:30:32,683 --> 00:30:35,895 Not Sunken Wakan! 55 00:30:36,020 --> 00:30:40,316 Weechasha or whatever the hell it's called. 56 00:30:40,441 --> 00:30:45,070 Human! I am a human being! 57 00:33:16,639 --> 00:33:19,308 American? 58 00:33:19,433 --> 00:33:25,564 - Don't be ridiculous. Englishman. - Englishman? 59 00:33:35,324 --> 00:33:42,581 - I speak good English. - Speak English with me, d�. 60 00:33:44,667 --> 00:33:49,547 Sure, I'll speak English. 61 00:33:52,049 --> 00:33:58,556 Lucky that the chief likes people who are angry. You screamed, made yourself strong. 62 00:33:58,681 --> 00:34:03,269 Be glad he didn't kill you. You can be very happy. 63 00:34:03,394 --> 00:34:09,650 I can hardly believe my lucky �de. Who the hell are you? 64 00:34:09,859 --> 00:34:16,866 Batise. Caught then five years. Five! 65 00:34:16,991 --> 00:34:23,539 - You can't be French. - Gentle powers, no! 66 00:34:23,664 --> 00:34:29,503 Dad was French. Bl� �gon. But mom... 67 00:34:29,628 --> 00:34:33,758 ...was the flathead Indian. True. 68 00:34:35,676 --> 00:34:38,888 The whole family was killed. 69 00:34:41,849 --> 00:34:47,897 - They hear the Indians, the Sioux. - I can very well believe that. 70 00:34:52,067 --> 00:34:55,488 Did you ever try to escape? 71 00:34:59,074 --> 00:35:05,122 Well, they cut off my leg. 72 00:35:05,247 --> 00:35:11,545 zip! I try to escape again, take the other leg with them. 73 00:35:11,670 --> 00:35:14,924 Then I started crawling. 74 00:35:23,224 --> 00:35:29,313 But I'm very cunning. I play crazy. 75 00:35:29,438 --> 00:35:34,235 Indians don't kill fools. Tokar need not hunt, not work. 76 00:35:34,360 --> 00:35:39,698 They have received the spirit of Wakantanka. It means luck for the village. 77 00:35:39,824 --> 00:35:44,620 - So you gave up. - I didn't give up anything! 78 00:35:45,287 --> 00:35:47,790 I am very cunning 79 00:35:47,915 --> 00:35:52,920 but you are playing english importantpetter. 80 00:35:53,462 --> 00:36:00,136 You play ass, the hounds go. Do you know what is happening? 81 00:36:00,261 --> 00:36:06,475 There are mean Indians there. Shoshones, Blackfoot, Cherokee. 82 00:36:06,600 --> 00:36:10,729 They cut everything. Zip, zip, zip, zip. 83 00:36:16,944 --> 00:36:23,826 But you're not human anymore. You are Buffelkohuvud's workhorse. 84 00:36:24,952 --> 00:36:28,539 She might cut off some more. 85 00:36:28,664 --> 00:36:35,838 A stallion is not a good working horse. Everyone will be happy, except maybe you. 86 00:37:15,044 --> 00:37:20,216 It is very fat. Don't you have any dried meat? 87 00:42:27,148 --> 00:42:29,775 Batise! 88 00:42:31,193 --> 00:42:33,154 What the hell is going on? 89 00:42:33,279 --> 00:42:38,784 - Black eagle takes Yellow Hand's sister. - Sister? Isn't she his wife? 90 00:42:38,909 --> 00:42:43,247 No, the Running Deer is his sister. Water lily is his wife. 91 00:42:43,372 --> 00:42:50,880 Now Svarte ern buys his sister. The Indians must buy their wives. 92 00:42:51,005 --> 00:42:55,259 It is important for the Black Eagles. He is only deputy chief. 93 00:42:55,384 --> 00:43:00,264 If she takes him, he becomes Yellow Hand's brother. It is very important. 94 00:43:02,224 --> 00:43:05,519 Big problems. The Yellow Hand said no. 95 00:43:45,142 --> 00:43:48,354 You've been working hard, haven't you? Water? 96 00:43:49,939 --> 00:43:55,361 Yes, now that her son is dead she has none left. 97 00:43:55,486 --> 00:44:01,033 Nobody cares about her. She cut off take a finger and she eats waste. 98 00:44:01,158 --> 00:44:04,245 When winter comes, there she is. 99 00:44:05,329 --> 00:44:12,253 Like you. Then you were a great Englishman, now you are forever a horse. 100 00:44:15,798 --> 00:44:19,969 Quiet! Stop laughing and listen to me. 101 00:44:20,636 --> 00:44:24,348 I've had enough of your nonsense. 102 00:44:30,438 --> 00:44:35,025 You're not fooling me. I'm going from here and you will help me. 103 00:44:35,151 --> 00:44:39,989 - And why would I do that? - Because you also want out of here. 104 00:44:40,114 --> 00:44:45,536 Those other Indians you were talking about if we need an army before. 105 00:44:45,661 --> 00:44:52,418 - The Sioux don't have any guns, do they? - They have never seen any guns. 106 00:44:52,543 --> 00:44:57,590 They fight in close combat. It is braver to touch the enemy. 107 00:45:01,552 --> 00:45:05,806 You look, you like her. 108 00:45:05,931 --> 00:45:12,897 Marry the Running Deer, so you get a war army of the Yellow Hand. 109 00:45:13,022 --> 00:45:16,942 You can have it all, great white gentleman. 110 00:45:17,401 --> 00:45:22,239 She said no to Svarte �rn to give himself to Autumn. 111 00:45:22,782 --> 00:45:29,079 But not even an old squaw kissing someone with hair on the face. 112 00:45:48,849 --> 00:45:53,354 I have a lot to learn, Batise. And you will teach me. 113 00:52:22,326 --> 00:52:26,163 Give them to your mother. Ina Ku. 114 00:52:26,288 --> 00:52:29,708 To her from me. 115 00:53:00,614 --> 00:53:03,951 How can flowers be so much fun? 116 00:53:11,834 --> 00:53:14,295 I'm sorry. 117 00:53:18,632 --> 00:53:22,470 Should I make love to her? Drive now, no! 118 00:54:10,684 --> 00:54:16,732 Batise, what is she? Trying to change your shoe? 119 00:54:21,278 --> 00:54:26,492 - She has no heel in her moccasin. - What the hell does that mean? 120 00:54:26,617 --> 00:54:31,580 - That means she is a virgin. - I don't doubt that. 121 00:54:31,705 --> 00:54:37,461 A virgin can take any man she wants. But not you, Englishman. 122 00:54:53,894 --> 00:54:57,106 Get lost, you old hag. 123 00:59:07,273 --> 00:59:12,403 - They said you killed two Shoshones. - And I took these horses. 124 00:59:12,528 --> 00:59:15,739 And scalps! Scalpers! 125 00:59:21,328 --> 00:59:25,916 - Now you have your big chance. - I can't hear you! 126 00:59:26,041 --> 00:59:31,881 - Horses, scalps! - Now a wife, then a warrior! 127 00:59:32,006 --> 00:59:38,387 - And soon chief! - A wife sounds good. We're going there. 128 00:59:39,096 --> 00:59:43,642 And then a war army and then we stick! 129 00:59:48,939 --> 00:59:52,234 We stick, we stick, we stick! 130 01:00:00,117 --> 01:00:05,873 No, don't look the mother in the face, otherwise you will be her cinksi... son. 131 01:00:05,998 --> 01:00:10,961 - Until she dies. - Oh, it suits me perfectly. 132 01:00:46,956 --> 01:00:50,334 The fall... The horses! 133 01:01:29,540 --> 01:01:32,334 - Does that mean we're married? - Not �n. 134 01:01:42,970 --> 01:01:47,683 - What the hell is it now? - No tears, no promises. 135 01:01:47,808 --> 01:01:49,894 Yes, �rr and The promise to the sun. 136 01:02:00,321 --> 01:02:04,366 Swear your promise, so you become his brother. 137 01:02:04,492 --> 01:02:09,914 But I just bought her. Or? What the hell did I do? 138 01:02:10,039 --> 01:02:16,170 The marriage must be sanctified first. Through the sun. 139 01:02:25,096 --> 01:02:30,893 Without pain nothing good is born. Even a seed fails before it germinates. 140 01:02:31,018 --> 01:02:33,395 Swear your oath of valor. 141 01:02:33,521 --> 01:02:39,068 I promise to prove my courage and endure all pain. 142 01:02:42,446 --> 01:02:48,869 You will be in the sun all day and the night until the sun rises again. 143 01:02:49,537 --> 01:02:53,082 Then you will suffer a lot of pain. 144 01:03:04,385 --> 01:03:09,432 May God watch over you now, with Wakantanka watching over you. 145 01:03:15,479 --> 01:03:21,068 Now you are ready for the sun the holy tent. Hope for courage. 146 01:03:21,318 --> 01:03:26,532 - Pray that Wakantanka will let you live. - I will survive, Batise. 147 01:03:26,657 --> 01:03:32,621 Yes, and after that we bring a war army and then we go to England. 148 01:03:37,334 --> 01:03:40,212 England? 149 01:03:41,547 --> 01:03:47,178 I serve you wherever you go. Are you happy with me? 150 01:03:47,303 --> 01:03:51,682 Yes, Batise, you have served me well. 151 01:03:56,020 --> 01:04:00,566 - When can I kiss the bride? - When you have shown that you are a man. 152 01:04:00,691 --> 01:04:07,281 Then before you kiss a lot in that white tent. 153 01:04:07,406 --> 01:04:13,537 She has to purify herself in a bath of sweat. That's how the Indians do it. 154 01:04:13,913 --> 01:04:18,334 She sweats, sings, prays, purifies herself. 155 01:04:18,584 --> 01:04:24,465 The medicine man prays to Wakantanka that no harm may happen to you. 156 01:04:24,590 --> 01:04:29,595 And then you have peace and love. 157 01:06:07,693 --> 01:06:10,780 The chief wants me to come inside. 158 01:07:16,929 --> 01:07:23,102 He talks about the Shoshones, the scalps. Great medicine. 159 01:07:31,193 --> 01:07:34,613 You must prove your courage before God. 160 01:07:34,739 --> 01:07:38,909 Now talk about why you should be allowed to swell the sun breath. 161 01:07:45,458 --> 01:07:51,756 The Yellow Hand, when you brought me here 162 01:07:51,881 --> 01:07:55,176 You said I was a horse, an animal. 163 01:08:03,809 --> 01:08:10,357 And for me you were all mean, evil 164 01:08:10,483 --> 01:08:15,446 stupid, superstitious, ugly, unenlightened savages. 165 01:08:15,571 --> 01:08:19,658 - No! - Repeat it. Repeat it! 166 01:08:44,225 --> 01:08:46,644 Repeat exactly as I said. 167 01:09:03,202 --> 01:09:08,082 To me you are no different than other people on earth. 168 01:09:21,429 --> 01:09:25,850 When you've had your fill and slept a whole night 169 01:09:25,975 --> 01:09:30,104 you know you must hunt after food again. 170 01:09:30,229 --> 01:09:34,150 When your enemy's arrows stick your heels on your skins, 171 01:09:34,275 --> 01:09:36,318 you bleed just like everyone else. 172 01:09:41,198 --> 01:09:46,328 But it seems you are alive only to hunt buffalo... 173 01:09:48,247 --> 01:09:53,085 battle against the Shoshones and be with your women. 174 01:09:54,879 --> 01:09:58,215 I know you had told me, "What else is there?" 175 01:10:04,346 --> 01:10:08,017 The Yellow Hand likes your words, but not the medicine man. 176 01:10:08,142 --> 01:10:15,065 Say I will be chief. - I will be chief! 177 01:10:25,409 --> 01:10:31,999 Do you want to prove that you are brave, must you endure pain! Don't give up! 178 01:11:02,738 --> 01:11:07,701 He said you're weak because you're white. Shame on Wakantanka. 179 01:12:05,342 --> 01:12:10,681 Medicine bag. bones, pearls, auspicious. It is a great era. 180 01:16:55,633 --> 01:16:58,928 My God! 181 01:17:31,544 --> 01:17:38,175 I am Tatankaska, the spirit animal, the white buffalo. 182 01:17:38,300 --> 01:17:43,472 Speak the truth in humility to all people. 183 01:17:43,597 --> 01:17:48,477 Only then can you become a true one human and free from your chains. 184 01:18:55,503 --> 01:19:01,592 I want you. My hunger is real, but you mean freedom to me. 185 01:19:01,717 --> 01:19:07,181 - When the opportunity comes, I do. - I know. 186 01:20:16,375 --> 01:20:22,548 - What did you say? - "Scratch." It is a small bird. 187 01:20:22,840 --> 01:20:27,762 I used to shoot them in England a long time ago. 188 01:26:02,179 --> 01:26:08,644 - Batise, what's up with the Yellow Hand? - He takes the bearskin belt. 189 01:26:08,769 --> 01:26:16,485 He promises not to retreat in battle. He wants to die bravely and save his honor. 190 01:26:16,652 --> 01:26:19,947 The Black Eagle took the Sleeping Beauty. He was her first husband. 191 01:26:20,072 --> 01:26:26,787 This means that Black can take Yellow Hand's woman when he wants. 192 01:26:26,954 --> 01:26:30,499 If the Yellow Hand complains, is he weak 193 01:26:39,133 --> 01:26:46,265 That might be good, Englishman. If he dies, you become chief faster. 194 01:26:46,390 --> 01:26:49,685 Then you can organize an army for us. 195 01:26:56,484 --> 01:27:01,322 You have lived here for five years without learning anything about them. 196 01:27:01,447 --> 01:27:07,578 All his death means to you Is a way to escape. Get her out of here. 197 01:27:10,414 --> 01:27:12,541 Get her out of here! 198 01:28:54,310 --> 01:28:59,690 You do it very well, very difficult for me, Little Freedom. 199 01:28:59,815 --> 01:29:05,321 - Very, very difficult. - Free... Free... 200 01:29:05,446 --> 01:29:09,533 - Freedom? - Yes. 201 01:29:09,658 --> 01:29:15,456 You are Little Freedom. 202 01:29:15,581 --> 01:29:18,834 - Freedom? - Yes. 203 01:29:27,843 --> 01:29:31,555 - Ina Ku. - Mother. 204 01:29:35,810 --> 01:29:37,937 Ina Ku? 205 01:29:52,284 --> 01:29:58,582 Little Freedom, now belongs to the truth �moment. You are a part of me. 206 01:29:58,707 --> 01:30:01,752 When I go, you follow. 207 01:30:03,462 --> 01:30:07,091 Forever. Ohiniya. 208 01:30:10,261 --> 01:30:14,390 - Ohiniya? - Yes 209 01:31:56,075 --> 01:31:59,495 Here lies the lake, the mountains. 210 01:32:00,913 --> 01:32:04,250 Peace River to the south. Adirondacks. 211 01:33:04,185 --> 01:33:10,441 The buffalo leaves after the winter. The village must be moved. The place is bad. 212 01:33:16,906 --> 01:33:20,951 We're going to move west. Even further from home. 213 01:33:26,582 --> 01:33:28,417 Clear the map, Batise. 214 01:35:08,851 --> 01:35:11,937 Something is going crazy. Get your weapons. 215 01:35:51,394 --> 01:35:53,187 Get the weapons! 216 01:38:01,065 --> 01:38:04,318 The Shoshone chief took the bear belt. 217 01:38:23,921 --> 01:38:27,842 Tell them to get the bows! 218 01:38:44,442 --> 01:38:46,944 Put them up! 219 01:38:52,950 --> 01:38:57,288 Two lines. One at the front and one at the back. 220 01:39:04,378 --> 01:39:07,673 First line on the knee. 221 01:39:08,883 --> 01:39:11,343 The second line remains. 222 01:39:23,856 --> 01:39:26,692 Only the first line shoots. 223 01:39:36,702 --> 01:39:38,788 Shoot! 224 01:40:04,146 --> 01:40:08,484 Now we can go anywhere! 225 01:40:11,445 --> 01:40:14,240 �h, no... 226 01:42:39,051 --> 01:42:41,720 Little Freedom. 227 01:42:44,807 --> 01:42:47,435 Ohiniya? 228 01:42:49,478 --> 01:42:51,897 Ohiniya. 229 01:42:54,483 --> 01:42:57,236 John! 230 01:43:04,243 --> 01:43:06,787 Ohiniya. 231 01:47:20,082 --> 01:47:23,878 Cinksi, cinksi. 232 01:47:34,180 --> 01:47:36,932 oh god... 233 01:47:37,058 --> 01:47:43,689 You have no one to take care of you, you have to give everything away, rummage through the garbage. 234 01:47:43,814 --> 01:47:46,942 This winter you will be there for a month. 235 01:48:01,457 --> 01:48:06,670 Son. I will be your son. 236 01:48:11,258 --> 01:48:14,053 Cinksi. 237 01:52:02,156 --> 01:52:04,742 Adj�, Little Freedom. 238 01:53:20,359 --> 01:53:23,654 FINAL