Circle of the Sun facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Circle of the Sun |
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|---|---|
| Directed by | Colin Low |
| Produced by | Tom Daly |
| Written by | Colin Low |
| Narrated by | Pete Standing Alone Stanley Jackson |
| Starring | Pete Standing Alone |
| Music by | Eldon Rathburn |
| Cinematography | John Spotton Dalton Muir |
| Editing by | Tom Daly |
| Studio | National Film Board of Canada |
| Release date(s) | 1960 |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
Circle of the Sun is a short documentary film from 1960. It shows the Kainai Nation, also known as the Blood Tribe. This Indigenous group lives in Southern Alberta, Canada.
The film was special because it was the first time their important Sun Dance ceremony was filmed. Leaders of the Blood Tribe allowed the filming. They wanted to create a visual record of this tradition. They worried the ceremony might be disappearing.
The film was directed by Colin Low. He grew up near the Blood Tribe's land. His father knew many people from the tribe. Colin Low first saw the Sun Dance in 1953. He filmed parts of the Sun Dance in 1956 and 1957. The movie was finished in 1959. It also showed modern parts of Blood Tribe life. For example, it included scenes of an oil well on their reserve.
Pete Standing Alone: A Key Voice
Circle of the Sun features narration from Pete Standing Alone. He was a young man from the Blood Tribe. At the time, he worked on oil rigs.
When Colin Low finished editing the film in 1959, he shared a recording. It was a conversation with Pete Standing Alone. Another filmmaker, Stanley Jackson, was very impressed. Pete Standing Alone was then flown to Montreal. He helped record the narration for the film. His involvement was very important. It was rare for Indigenous voices to be heard in films back then.
Pete Standing Alone's Story Continues
In 1982, Colin Low made another film. It was called Standing Alone. This hour-long documentary followed Pete Standing Alone for 25 years. It showed his life as a young man. He was an oil-rig worker, rodeo rider, and cowboy. The film also explored his concerns. He wanted to keep his tribe's spiritual traditions alive. This was important even with modern industry around them.
On National Indigenous Peoples Day in 2011, a special collection was released. It was called the Pete Standing Alone trilogy. This set included Circle of the Sun and Standing Alone. It also featured a newer film from 2010, called Round Up. This trilogy shows 50 years of life for the Kainai Nation. It also highlights Pete Standing Alone's journey. He grew from a young man into a respected tribal elder.
