A documentary about a Native American-owned South Dakota business premieres in over 40 million homes tonight on cable platforms such as Comcast, Time-Warner Cable and the American Express You Tube Channel. We spoke with the director of “Buffalo Returns” to ask what attracted her to making a film about Native American Natural Foods.
“Buffalo Returns” was produced by Tribeca Digital Studios and American Express. It tells the story of the “Tanka Bar”. The all-natural, buffalo and cranberry snack bar is manufactured by Native American Natural Foods in Kyle, South Dakota and sold at over 6000 locations in all 50 states.
Director Gini Reticker says what most impressed her about Native American Natural Foods was the attitude of the company’s founders – Karlene Hunter and Mark Tilsen.
“That they said ‘We are not waiting for somebody else. We’re not waiting for somebody to ride in on a white horse and save us,’ Reticker explains. “They really see private enterprise as a way out of their situation and that they have the ability to create an economy on the reservation.”
Gini Reticker adds that she found it rewarding to tell a different story about dealing with poverty on a Native American reservation.
Related story:
Tanka Bar Documentary Has National Premiere
http://listen.sdpb.org/post/tanka-bar-documentary-has-national-premiere
For more information:
http://www.tankabar.com/cgi-bin/nanf/public/main.cvw
http://www.tribecadigital.com/