More Than Frybread

“More Than Frybread” is a comedic pseudo documentary that was released in 2012 which was directed and written by Travis Holt Hamilton. The 96-minute comedy premiered at the Harkins Valley Art Center on May 4, 2012.[1] This film stars Tatanka Means, Greg Fernanadez and Mary Kim Titla. Wanting to celebrate and showcase Native cultural tradition, Hamilton says “More Than Frybread is a comedy to showcase nationalism and inter-tribal competition”

[2]

Plot

This 90 minute mockumentary shadows fry-bread making obsessed tribes, Navajo, Tohono O’odham, Yavapai- Apache, Hopi, and the Hualapai and the wacky events that follows them all throughout the national competition as they each represent one of the 22 Arizona tribes to compete at the annual State of Arizona Frybread competition.[3] This story starts with Buddy Begay and his food truck where he sold fry bread on his family's reservation in Arizona.[4] Enjoying the attention from the crowds and the fans, Buddy gloats his way to the World Wide Frybread Association competition and is determined to do whatever it takes to win. In the finals, Buddy is joined by “Sunshine Smith (Dey Gomez), Stormy (Gomez’s real life twin Tawnya), Sharmayne Cruz (Teresa M. Choyguha) and Sammy Powsky (Camille Nighthorse). While displaying the cultural pride in the dish, Hamilton goes on to show the characters and their journey towards the competition.[5]

Cast
  • Tatanka Means - Buddy Begay / Frybread Roadman
  • Greg Ferenandez: Joel Thomas. Reporter
  • Mary Kim Titla: Tracey Lightning
  • Teresa M. Choyghua: Sharmayne Cruz
  • Camille Nighorse: Sammy Powskey
  • Dey Gomez: Sunshine Smith[6]

Background

The title and concept of this film was heavily influenced by the post-colonial native dish frybread which has a daunting and sad history. In 1864-1968 Navajo Native Americans were forcibly evicted and endured a three-hundred mile journey from Arizona to New Mexico which was formally known as “The Long Walk”. Living on flour, sugar, salt and lard given by the government, was transformed into “Fry Bread”. This dish has been seen as a symbol of pride and has been passed down from generations.[7] When asked “ Why Frybread?” Hamilton responded “I wanted to make a movie that gave us an excuse to shoot on numerous reservations and make new friends. I thought frybread was a good thing that had the potential to bring people together. I liked the idea of a mockumentary frybread contest and wondered why there wasn't a real national frybread contest. I didn’t realize how big frybread really was."[8]

Hamilton's main goal is to change the way people view Native Americans. Due to the fact that there is a very limited amount of comedies and dramas regarding Natives in the mainstream media. He wanted to use frybread as something that could bring people and other culture together.[9] This film's success and great feedback inspired Hamilton to create a spin off of the show as a comedy called "Frybread".[10] The show was put on hold until funding could be found to support the project.

Wanting to continue to display Native Americans through various characters and narratives, Hamilton has made four contemporary films; the others are “Pete and Cleo (2010), “Blue Gap Boyz” (2008) and Turquoise Rose (2007).

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References
  1. "'More Than Frybread': Native American mockumentary fries up fun". AXS. Retrieved 2016-12-20.
  2. "More Than FryBread". navajotimes.com. Retrieved 2016-12-19.
  3. "'More Than Frybread'". azcentral.com. Retrieved 2016-12-20.
  4. Goodykoontz, Bill. "'Frybread' overdone: Native fun wears thin". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. pp. P1, P2. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  5. "'More Than Frybread'". azcentral.com. Retrieved 2016-12-20.
  6. Hamilton, Travis Holt; Apachee, Deshava; Apachee, Jesse S.; Arviso, Ojay (2012-02-03), More Than Frybread, retrieved 2016-12-20
  7. "Commod bods and frybread power. Government food aid in American Indian culture". Journal of American Folklore. 126.499: 55–59. 2013.
  8. "More Than Frybread". Holt Hamilton Films. Retrieved 2016-12-19.
  9. "More Than Frybread Mockumentary Going Rez to Rez - Indian Country Media Network". Indian Country Media Network. 2012-03-25. Retrieved 2016-12-20.
  10. Fellow, April Sperry Entertainment; Post, The Huffington (2014-02-13). "Could 'Frybread' Become America's First Native American Sitcom?". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2016-12-20.
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