Into the West (miniseries)

Into the West is a 2005 miniseries produced by Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks which began as a six-week event on June 10, 2005 on Turner Network Television (TNT). Each of the six episodes is two hours in length (including commercials).

Episode 6 - Ghost Dance

Ten years have passed since the end of Episode 5. Robert and Clara Wheeler return home, disillusioned by the school they have been hired to run, and Clara begins to teach Native American children on the reservation. Loved by the Buffalo (Joseph M. Marshall III) believes he has found the foretold prophet when a mysterious Indian named Wovoka (Jonathan Joss) inspires his people with the Ghost Dance and a vision of their restored land at a Paiute reservation near Yerington, Nevada. But the ritual stirs up more fear among those who wish to contain the Native Americans. Voices That Carry (Chaske Spenser) is reunited with his brother Red Lance (Eddie Spears). Within weeks, the Ghost Dance becomes a phenomena in the reservation. Local white governors and suppliers, who are tasked with the job of providing clothing and food for the Natives, become fearful of an Indian uprising. Local newspaper reporters overly exaggerate the dance as being sadistic and rebellious in nature. Margaret Light Shines is living in the reservation to help tend to the local children and sick. One of the newspaper reporters, not realizing she speaks English and knows how to use a camera, confronts her and trades his camera for a Ghost Shirt.

Related Topics:
Wovoka - Ghost Dance - Paiute - Yerington, Nevada

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After Sitting Bull is ?accidentally? killed by Indian Police sent by the Indian Agent, the Ghost Dance rebellion grows, which in turn leads to more brutality toward the Native Americans. Indian Agent Daniel Royer (David Paymer) fearful of the Ghost Dance sends for help and Colonel John W. Forsyth arrives with the 7th Cavalry Regiment. The 7th Cavalry regiment moves outward from the reservation into the hills and valleys restricted of Indian settlement where Big Foot and his followers are hiding out. Fearful of the slaughter of his people who are poorly armed, Big Foot agrees to return to the reservation peacefully.

Related Topics:
David Paymer - John W. Forsyth - 7th Cavalry Regiment - Big Foot

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While on the journey back to the reservation settlement, the groups stop and rest at a valley called Wounded Knee. While there, the Colonel Forsyth requests Big Foot's men turn over all their weapons. The natives do so peacefully; however, when the Forsyth sees how few arms Big Foot's men are carrying, he becomes angry. Believing his reports that Big Foot's men were well armed, the soldiers begin tearing apart the camp, taking anything that could be used as a weapon, including sticks and utensils. One of Big Foot's warriors is deaf and did not hear the request to turn in his gun. When a U.S. soldier attempts to pry it from his hands, the gun goes off by accident. The American soldiers then proceeds to open fire at will upon Big Foot and his men. While Big Foot's men rush to pick up their weapons and defend themselves, the women and children run in opposite directions only to be mowed down by the 7th Cavalry's gunfire. Most of the Natives, including Big Foot, are slaughtered. Robert Wheeler, who was attached to the 7th Cavalry in supplying Big Foot's men with blankets and food, survives the massacre.

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The survivors of the Wounded Knee Massacre are marched back to the reservation. Word goes round rapidly about the slaughter and Margaret Light Shines goes out to the field at Wounded Knee to photograph the massacre. While there, she meets and photographs the newspaper reporter who sold her the camera, who is standing with horror at the sight of the hundreds of frozen dead natives which he indirectly had contributed to. She is also reunited with her uncle Loved by the Buffalo, who is performing the death rights for the deceased. Margaret brings him to meet her parents, Thunder Heart Woman (Sheila Tousey) and Jacob Wheeler (John Terry).

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Loved By the Buffalo and Jacob Wheeler meet again, closing a circle that began many years ago, and Loved By the Buffalo comes to realize that his destiny was not to prevent what was destined to happen, but to preserve it and the memory of his people; to teach the young Lakota children the ways of their people. "So long as there are still a few Lakota left who understand the traditional ways of their people, the tribe, history, and the memories and lessons of our past can still be preserved so that future generations may also learn from them."

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The final scene shows Loved by the Buffalo sitting with a group of Lakota children, Margaret, and Thunder Heart Woman, teaching them the past of the people and his own experiences. At the same time miles away, Jacob Wheeler is sitting on the porch with Robert and Clara's son, telling him about his own experiences, past, and the lessons he has to teach.

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• "The only history a man knows for certain is that small part he owns for himself." - Jacob Wheeler
• "I always told my children - you are one part Lakota and one part Virginia - be proud of both." - Jacob Wheeler
• "When you tell these stories, you touch the Grandmothers and Grandfathers." -Loved by the Buffalo