Yellowrobe teaches art workshop at Fort Belknap

Rebecca Bishop-Goss

Bill Yellowrobe Jr. traveled from his home in Arlee to Fort Belknap Indian Reservation to provide insightful direction in "How to adapt your novels to screenplays," at Aaniiih Nakoda College.

He discussed the fact that there are very few native playwrights, and his observations as to why this deficit exists.

"In the past Native Americans were so used to being told no that although there was a need for the stories to be told and heard, we felt we had no platform to stand upon," he said during his presentation.

"I was told this and when I am told you can't do something it gives me the negative motivation to go ahead and do it anyway," he added. "We are natural storytellers that is how we pass our history down to the next generation."

He talked about Malcom X and Sitting Bull, and he cited many of his literary and civil rights heroes and heroines.

"What makes a warrior is one who is willing to put their life on the line to change an injustice, to speak out and to make changes."  

Conflict management was a big part of the workshop, using the ability to communicate better and resolve issues by listening and understanding different perspectives.

Yellowrobe is a member of the Assiniboine tribe at Fort Peck and has worked all over the U.S. as a director, poet, playwright, actor and educator.

Yellowrobe has received numerous awards from literary and theatrical entities.

After the two-day workshop, Yellowrobe directed two plays in Hays-Lodge Pole and Harlem high schools to offer students an opportunity to act out a play and maybe catch the acting "bug."