Woman Walks Ahead Page #4

and the white man

will leave us alone.

They dance until they fall.

There's nothing left for them

but to dance.

[SPEAKS LAKOTA]

[DRUMMING AND CHANTING]

[DRUMMING AND CHANTING]

[CARRIAGE APPROACHES]

Mrs. Weldon, last night

I asked the spirits for help.

What did they say?

They told me it was time

for you to go into town,

do some shopping.

People get scared

when Indians dance.

Dancing was scalps and war.

They see dancing,

they want soldiers.

By the way, General Crook and

McLaughlin are having a dinner.

They told me to tell you

you're invited to the party.

I can only give you 32 sacks of

white flour, ma'am. That's it.

The rest is earmarked

for the Army.

Very well, then.

32 will have to do.

And beans, I've only got

black beans in that quantity.

Black beans is fine.

100 large sacks, please.

And 50 barrels of molasses.

All set.

Alright, keep 'em coming.

[DOG BARKS]

Whoa, whoa.

And this is all for

the Sioux police barracks?

So, how come

the white woman's paying cash?

No English. Hup.

Aah.

Catherine Weldon.

[SCREAMS]

There you go, whore.

Now you're red, just like him.

[GRUNTS]

[GRUNTS]

[SNIFFS]

[SOBS]

[SOBS]

You'd better go.

They're looking for rope.

Woman Walks Ahead.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

- Right, we all ready?

- [SHE MURMURS ASSENT]

Good morning.

Yeah, we'll see. Right.

[THEY SPEAK LAKOTA]

Number 21, please.

[SPEAKS LAKOTA]

Yeah, wait, she does understand

that her beef and flour rations

have been cut in half,

doesn't she?

[SPEAKS LAKOTA]

[SPEAKS LAKOTA]

What did she say?

She said she already

has enough flour.

- From where?

- [SPEAKS LAKOTA]

[SPEAKS LAKOTA]

[SUSAN] She said

from the Great Spirit.

[GUNSHOT]

General Crook.

We have a problem

at Standing Rock.

Mrs. Weldon is buying

food for the Indians,

thereby... thereby undermining

the ration system.

I recommend we arrest her,

keep her locked up

until after the vote.

[GUNSHOT]

Thought you said I didn't need

to worry about Sitting Bull.

I was wrong.

She's agitating him.

She has him wearing

buckskins and feathers.

You can't arrest someone

for spending their own money.

Sir, with all due respect,

our job here

is to deliver a ratification

of the Allotment Act.

I bet my old friend Sitting

Bull feels about potatoes

the way I feel about you,

Mr. Groves.

She's agitating the Bull, sir.

She's agitating him to act.

No, she's a painter

painting what she sees.

When she sees the Bull,

she sees a warrior.

I, too, am a warrior. Our

destinies appear to be entwined.

Sir, I fear that for some

among your regiment,

this return to Dakota

is about revenge.

Vengeance is

for the Lord to take.

But maybe our good Lord

sent us Mrs. Weldon.

Sir...

Permission to issue

an arrest warrant is denied.

Do you remember who did this?

[CATHERINE] The whole town.

I guess I really

made them mad, huh?

The local paper...

[CLEARS THROAT]

...seems to have gotten

the idea that...

you and me are somehow

romantically connected.

Some joke, huh?

They also think that...

...you and me are planning

some kind of uprising.

Imagine.

A painter of a certain age

and an old potato farmer.

Once, I would have

taken 100 warriors

and finished that whole town.

But I've learnt to swallow it,

like swallowing rocks.

If we fight,

they'll massacre us all.

We can fight it in an election.

They have to put

the treaty to a vote.

There won't be any need

for violence.

Where are you going?

To get someone to saddle Rico.

[GRUNTS]

[SHE GRUNTS]

Sometimes, the sadness I feel

for the passing of the old days

is such that I find it

hard to swallow.

The Dakota wind,

the smell of buffalo

and churned-up grass,

smoking pine,

burning fat, tobacco,

Indian girls wearing cut sage,

sleeping on soft furs.

But, you see, it is time.

Time cannot be resisted.

Change comes

the way the rain comes.

Those days cannot return.

But, still,

there are rocks inside a man

that the rain won't wash away.

- Meaning what exactly?

- Meaning debts remain.

You reckon

you're owed something?

Should we serve the soup?

General Crook,

since the arrival of your men,

I must say, there's been an air

of sourness about the place.

Yes. Because debts remain.

Those beautiful days are

not quite gone. Not quite.

Yes, Susan, why don't you

bring the soup?

[KNOCK AT DOOR]

I got your invitation.

Sorry I'm a bit late.

I have decided to help

with the democratic process.

What happened to you?

I've already written

to Senator Fracks

about my presence here

at the reservation.

I posted the letter

in Cannon Ball,

where certain

wild rumors about me

led to a very violent reception.

Mrs. Weldon,

if you have been assaulted,

I will take the matter up with

the police and the military.

I've decided to help

the campaign against the treaty.

I've a democratic right

to do this

as part

of the political process.

Any violent move against me

or any of the people

I campaign with

will be reported

to the Senator by wire.

You really should see

a doctor about that.

I have been to a doctor.

Good evening.

Maybe you should begin by

explaining what the allotment is

and show them how much land

will be taken away

if they agree.

I can't be seen taking

orders from you.

Now we will have to wait.

[HE SNIFFS]

[CLEARS THROAT]

[THEY WHOOP AND YELL]

[THEY WHOOP AND YELL]

How's it going?

These elders, they don't

care to be told what to do.

How do we convince them to vote?

With food. I hope it's good.

[LAUGHTER]

Mm-hm.

[LAUGHTER]

- [LAUGHTER]

- What are they saying?

The older ones, the new ways

of resisting may take some time.

[THEY YELL AND WHOOP]

[MAN SINGS IN LAKOTA]

[CROWD YELLS AND WHOOPS]

[THUNDER ROLLS]

The crowds are getting bigger

every time.

Getting angrier too.

They've been angry

for a long time.

Are we here for the night?

You are here for the night.

Where are you going?

Can't you hear?

The thunder spirits

have returned.

I read that

the thunder spirits bring war.

They will vote for us.

[DRUMMING AND SINGING]

[BIRDSONG]

What's happening?

My campaign committee.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[BANGS GAVEL]

People of the Sioux Nation...

...I declare this commission

open for submission.

Let me introduce

the commission's mediator,

Colonel Silas Groves.

Good afternoon.

[SPEAKS LAKOTA]

Before I ask the General

to give his own testimony

to his commission,

I have a list of council elders

who've all agreed to share

their opinions with us

and, to begin, I'd like to start

by calling Sioux Chief Black

Bear of the Sans Arc Sioux.

[SPEAKS LAKOTA]

[YELLING AND WHOOPING]

[YELLING SUBSIDES]

[SPEAKS LAKOTA]

Chief Black Bear, please

carry on with your testimony.

[SPEAKS LAKOTA]

He's saying

that's all he has to say.

Guess the cat got his tongue.

Next we'll hear from, uh...

[CLEARS THROAT]

...Chief Yellow Hand.

Yellow Hand?

Then can we hear from

John Grass of the Minneconjou?

Come on, John!

Sir, maybe

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