LGM Film Club, Part 520: Itam Hakim, Hopiit

Itam Hakim Hopiit is a 1984 film directed by Victor Masayesva, Jr. This is a Hopi film by a Hopi director to present a Hopi vision about the tribe’s cosmology to celebrate 300 years of kicking the Spanish out during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. Most of it is an old man telling a story that will be nearly incomprehensible to anyone not Hopi. The visuals are various scenes from Hopi Pueblo, the land, animals, kids playing, whatever. Masayesva had no interest in telling whites a story that would make sense to the outside world. He wanted to force viewers to embrace a Hopi worldview. Typically, it was Germans who funded this project, as the Germans have their long fascination with Native America, often overly romanticized, but also willing to provide money for projects like this. It’s a fascinating hour of film, I will say that much.

The first 10 minutes are in this clip, Criterion Channel has the whole thing.