Young horse takes up the charge

Page 9

Born into Mistawasis First Nation in 1976, Lorne Horse Duquette grew up street-wise and nomadic, moving from city to reserve and back again, serving time in residential school as a child and prison as a teenager.

He is a young man whose life journey has taken him from a boyhood spent in the wilds of Saskatchewan to the bright lights of Montreal, and then to national exposure as an actor in Big Bear, the CBC television film.

Two threads run through Lorne's transient life -his mother Bertha's struggle to raise five children on her own and the compelling stories of his family's commitment in the political struggle to free activist Leonard Peltier.

Lorne had been raised on the stories of the political struggle, oppression and deaths that took place in South Dakota at Pine Ridge and Wounded Knee. They were tales told of the battles fought by North American Indians, their struggles to defend their lands and treaty rights, their culture, language and traditional ways and to regain the sacred Black Hills of South Dakota.

"The story of Pine Ridge has always had a great effect on me, in the sense that throughout my life, my family has always been there, always a part of the struggle. I grew up listening to the stories of our stand against oppression, the role my uncle Frank Dreaver is still playing in that struggle. Over the years, I asked myself, 'what can I do, a young Native boy living on the rez? How can I contribute to the plight of Leonard Peltier?' Reflecting on my experience as an actor, I realized that I could use my career choice as a tool. Take my proposal for a stage play about the life of Leonard Peltier, present it to Anne and Frank and seek their approval and blessing," said Lorne.

In May, Lorne backpacked to Edmonton to visit the Dreavers, speakers at the International Human Rights Conference at the University of Alberta. As well as renewing family ties, Lorne presented his proposal to write a stage play based on the book by Leonard Peltier: Prison Writings - My Life Is My Sun Dance.

Frank Dreaver, political activist and head of the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee of Canada, had also been born in Mistawasis First Nation. A resident of Toronto for 20 years, Dreaver has always maintained strong ties with his family and band in Saskatchewan. Making the connection with Lorne in Edmonton was a case of fate kicking in for the young actor.

"Meeting up with the Dreavers has tied it all together, given me a powerful focus. Having an opportunity to hear Frank speak out about the political imprisonment of Peltier was amazing. I had been searching for a strong role model, someone who is true to what he believes in. No one has ever come across to me the way Frank Dreaver has. His fire, the warmth he emits and shares with people throughout the world, has encouraged me to build my own fire, gather truth. Hearing his life story, the 25-year battle to free Leonard Peltier, all the good that has come from all the negativity in his life, I realized that Frank is a fire that will continue to burn long after we are gone," said Lorne.

Like his uncle, Lorne's early family life had been disrupted by alcohol, drug addiction, the multi-generational effects of the residential school system and time spent in prison. Like his uncle, he has turned it all around.

As a youngster, Lorne experienced deep regret at having had so little contact with his father, Maxwell Horse, a band councillor at Thunderchild First Nation and a well-known orator and Cree speaker.

It was only recently that he came to realize that he had received a real gift from his dad, the gift of speaking, of holding the attention and imagination of an audience.

An early interest in grass dancing and theatre led to acting classes, auditions and his big break, the role of Round The Sky in Gil Cardinal's production of Big Bear.

Playing the role of a Round the Sky in Big Bear was a real eye-opener for Lorne.

"Landing the part, learning to deliver my lines, facing the camera was totally mind-boggling, something you only dream about. Standing on real gallows with a real wooden lever in place [clamped down to prevent the accidental real life hanging of actors Michael Greyeyes, Ben Cardinal, Michael Obey and Lorne Horse Duquette] was an almost unexplainable experience.

"When they tied those rope nooses and black hoods around our heads, I felt an uncanny connection to the warriors hanged in the rebellion, to Round the Sky, who died fighting for something he believed in," said Lorne.

Success followed with the CBC documentary, Big Bear History Series, music videos, TV commercials, and a stage role.

"Stage acting is a great way to leave the world behind for an hour or two, create your own world, realm and atmosphere, share it with the audience, give them a sense of what is in your mind, in your words, how you portray your character. That's exactly how I'm hoping to take the struggle of Leonard Peltier to the stage. Show what he has endured in prison. Help people to understand and take on a commitment to demand justice and freedom for Peltier. A play with a foundation of spirituality at the root for all of my Native brothers and sisters who are struggling to be free," said Lorne.

In April last year, Lorne was invited to visit the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota by Lakota doctor Sarah Jumping Eagle, to speak as a role model to youth at the Little Wound School. He talked about overcoming his addiction to drugs, alcohol and the terrible abuse and overuse of tobacco, a sacred plant of the people.

"It was during my visit to Pine Ridge that the stories told by my uncles Frank and Wally back at Mistawasis really came to life. I was in 'the place,' like reaching Mecca or the Taj Mahal. I was amazed to be there, to visit Wounded Knee, the Oglala people, the location of the Jumping Bull compound where the shootout [with FBI agents] took place 25 years ago. It was on my birthday, Jan. 1, 2000, that the vision came to me to pull it all together. Wite a play about Leonard as a sacrifice and symbol of Indian people's rights to defend their lands and ancestral treaty rights, their culture, languages and traditional ways - Leonard as a wake up call. It could be you, it could be me or anyone who has the courage to stand up and fight for their beliefs. When Leonard is free, a lot of Indian people will be free as well, within themselves, within their communities. Leonard's freedom will be a huge step for Indian people," said Lorne.

After meeting with Lorne in Edmonton, the Dreavers not only gave their permission and blessing for the stage play project, they also invited Lorne to come to Toronto to work on his vision.

"To have Lorne come forward like this is very important, because youth have a clarity. They can see beyond the rigid mindset of the older generations and despite the fact that youth today is not rooted in any direct experience of the mobilization of those times, Leonard's political imprisonment has left a legacy that needs to be addressed today by all Aboriginal peoples of North America," said Anne Dreaver.