Posted by Elaine on December 01, 1999 at 10:42:06:
In Reply to: Nathan Lee Chasing Horse and MORE posted by Ayesha on December 01, 1999 at 09:54:01:
: Hi Everyone,
: I am finally back in town and have some time to post. Collin and I saw the post on Nathan Lee Chasing Horse last evening. We just saw Nathan Lee at the Native American Film Festival. He is an amazing human being. He gave up acting 4 years ago in order to travel around the country and visit the youth living on reservations. He has never had drugs or alcohol in his body. He is on a mission! Collin and I were so impressed with him. He gave one of the most inspiring talks we have ever heard. I am so curious, as to find out what led him on his path at such a young age. Does anyone out there know???? He is only 24 years old. He looks like someone out of one of our history books, as though he lives his life in the old ways. He is so striking. His hair goes down past his waist and he wears large shell earings. He looks almost like a young Chief Joseph. I believe he is Souix. During the intermission of the awards evening at the Film Festival, all the the young girls were asking to have their picture taken with him. Collin and I sat and watched the whole thing. We did not know who he was, until later in the evening when he received an award for his wonderful work. We are so thankful that we were able to know about him and the work that he is doing. I believe he said that he spends time working in Washington D.C. on Native issues. It is amazing that he gave up an incredible career, in order to help the "lost ones" find their way on the "Red Road"
: Blessings,
: Ayesha
Hi, Ayesha!
It's interesting to read your impressions of Nathan Lee Chasing Horse. He was just a boy when we met him in '87. He wore his hair past his waist then, too. He was quiet and VERY polite ... a really, really nice kid.
He comes from Wanblee, Pine Ridge. His acting career kind of just 'happened' ... I remember Selo telling us later (I guess it was a couple of years later) about a film that was going to be shot at Pine Ridge & that Nathan had gotten a part in it. It was "Dances With Wolves" of course. It seems to me that Nathan wasn't really 'looking' for a film career but it found him anyway.
Perhaps he got all he could from the film experiences and is simply continuing to pursue those things that were always important to him. I hear he is a VERY private person.
How did he find this path at such a young age? Only he can answer that but perhaps he's always been on it. If Jake Little Thunder, then in his 80s, was as influential to Nathan as I think he might have been, then I can understand how this boy has grown to be the person he seems to be. I wish ALL of you could meet Jake! You'd never forget him.
Here's the URL for the '87 pictures of Nathan and Jake ...