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a12 people & arts
Monday 13 June 2022

Navajo mystery series 'Dark Winds'

seeks true storytelling

Eyre. "That's what the se-
ries is about, this beautiful
paradox of this world we
haven't seen before, this
mystery."
The series counts actor-film-
maker Redford and Martin,
of "Game of Thrones" book
and TV fame, among its ex-
ecutive producers. Viewers
may recall a 2002 miniseries
featuring Leaphorn and
Chee, which Redford pro-
duced. Martin is new to the
mix but not to Hillerman's
This image released by AMC shows Zahn McClarnon in a scene work — both New Mexico
from "Dark Winds." residents, they were part
Associated Press of a writers' circle that met
regularly in Albuquerque.
By LYNN ELBER tating toll of entrenched The PBS series, "Skinwalk-
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Robert inequality. ers: The Navajo Mysteries,"
Redford and George R.R. The last aspect is painfully made before authentic-
Martin are the big names illustrated by a midwife's ity gained serious traction
behind "Dark Winds," but warning to a pregnant in Hollywood, was notable
they're not the most impor- woman to avoid a hospital for its Native American
tant. birth or risk unwanted steril- cast and a Native director
That distinction belongs to ization, a reflection of what — Eyre, a member of the
the Native American cre- Native Americans faced in Cheyenne and Arapaho
ators and actors who en- the series' 1970s setting, the Tribes, who shared direct-
sured the AMC mystery se- producers said. (A 1976 U.S. ing duties.
ries rings true to the Native General Accounting Office But "Dark Winds" also boasts
experience and enduring study found that women a a nearly all Native writing
culture, which largely has under 21 were being steril- staff, with one exception.
been snubbed or recklessly ized despite a moratorium, Eyre ("Friday Night Lights,"
caricatured by Hollywood. among other issues.) "Smoke Signals") directed
This time the storytelling is "A lot of our history is based the full series, and creator
"an inside job," said director on oral tradition, said Zahn and executive producer
Chris Eyre, resulting in what McClarnon, who stars as Lt. Graham Roland is Chicka-
he describes as a "Native Leaphorn. "We've been tell- saw.
American, Southwestern ing our stories for thousands The cast features prominent
film noir." of years.....I think that the Native actors including Mc-
Based on Tony Hillerman's television business is finally Clarnon ("Fargo," "Long-
admired novels featur- seeing that, and realizing mire"); Kiowa Gordon ("The
ing Joe Leaphorn and Jim that we have our own sto- Twilight Saga" franchise)
Chee of the Navajo Tribal ries, and that they're rich, as Chee; Jessica Matten
Police, AMC's "Dark Winds" deep stories." as police Sgt. Bernadette
puts the newly teamed law- "Dark Winds," debuting Manuelito, and Deanna
men on a double-murder Sunday on AMC (9 p.m. Allison as Leaphorn's wife,
case that could be linked EDT) and on streaming ser- Emma.
to a brazen armored-car vice AMC+, is imbued with Their resumes and perfor-
heist. the stark grandeur of New mances refute longstand-
The investigation and what Mexico, where it's largely ing industry complaints
underlies it is gripping but, set and was shot. about a lack of experi-
as with Hillerman's books, "In the daytime, the land- enced Native actors.
what distinguishes "Dark scape is just beautiful. In "I've heard that excuse be-
Winds" is its intricate blend the nighttime, it turns into fore," said Roland. "What
of nuanced characters something else, it becomes we found when we went
and relationships, spiritual intimidating that there's so about casting this was the
traditions and the devas- much land out there," said Native talent pool is a lot
deeper than even I real-
ized....Everybody in the
show is amazing."
Roland ("Tom Clancy's Jack
Ryan," "Fringe") was con-
nected with the proposed
series in 2019, before the
recent boomlet of Native-
inclusive shows including
"Reservation Dogs" and
"Rutherford Falls."q