Our condolences to her family, her community and everyone she worked with.
Georgina Lightning has died at 63.
The filmmaker, born in Edmonton and an enrolled member of Samson Cree Nation, died following an incident during an Indian Relay event at the Enoch Rodeo Grounds. It remains under investigation.
Her daughter Crystle Lightning, co-creator of the musical Bear Grease, shared the news.
"I have lost my mother, my sons Kohkum, my matriarch, my role model, my confidant," she posted.
What Enoch Cree Nation is asking
The Nation issued a statement Saturday evening.
"Enoch Cree Nation is mourning the loss of a community member following an incident at this evening's Indian Relay event at the Enoch Rodeo Grounds," it read. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and loved ones during this difficult time."
"Out of respect for the family and all those affected, we ask that the public refrain from sharing videos, photos, or speculation related to the incident on social media."
That request deserves to be honoured. If footage reaches you, don't pass it on.
She was first
In 2008, Lightning wrote, directed and starred in Older Than America, becoming the first North American Indigenous woman to direct a major feature film.
The film follows a woman whose visions expose a priest's effort to suppress the truth about atrocities at an Indian boarding school. It stars Adam Beach, Tantoo Cardinal, Wes Studi and, in an early role, Bradley Cooper. It premiered at South by Southwest in March 2008 and won more than 20 awards, including Best Director at the American Indian Film Festival.
The story came from her own family, inspired in part by her father's experiences and her family's residential and boarding school history.
"Our goal in making this film was to shed light on a widely unknown issue that has had a lasting impact on the Native American community," Lightning said of it. "The phrase 'Older Than America' refers to who we were as a nation before mandatory assimilation transformed our identity."
The rest of the work
Lightning was born in Edmonton on July 4, 1963, raised off-reserve near the Samson community, and worked in film for more than 35 years.
Her screen credits include Johnny Greyeyes, DreamKeeper, Blackstone, Trickster, Three Pines and Alaska Daily.
In 2007, Filmmaker Magazine named her one of its 25 New Faces of Independent Film. In 2010 she received the White House Project's Epic Award for Emerging Artist.
What she built for other people
The part of her career that may matter most wasn't her own filmography.
She co-founded Tribal Alliance Productions with executive producer Audrey Martinez, specifically to create opportunities for Native American, First Nations and other Indigenous filmmakers. She also helped establish the Native Media Network, focused on promoting Native talent and Indigenous media representation.
Beyond directing, she worked in Native casting, produced independent projects, consulted on cultural content and raised money for Indigenous films.
Model and actor Ashley Callingbull was among those who spoke about that on Sunday.
"This is so heartbreaking. She has done so much for the Indigenous community, her family and has even played a role in my life," Callingbull posted. "She built such a legacy and opened the door for so many people. My heart hurts for Crystle and the entire Lightning family."
The family carried it forward
All three of Lightning's children work as performers.
Crystle Lightning is an actor and co-creator of Bear Grease, the Indigenous-led musical that has toured widely. Cody Lightning is an actor and director whose credits go back to Smoke Signals. William Lightning has also performed.
What Indian Relay is
For readers who haven't seen one, it's worth understanding what the event was.
Indian Relay is a bareback horse relay run by Indigenous teams across the Prairies and the northern United States. Riders race a lap, then leap from a running horse to a fresh one held by their crew, and go again. There are no saddles.
It's fast, physical, and widely described as one of the most demanding equestrian sports on the continent. It's also deeply rooted, drawing on horse cultures that predate rodeo.
Enoch Cree Nation hosts events at its rodeo grounds west of Edmonton.
Police have not released details, and the investigation is ongoing.
What's still unknown
The circumstances of the incident.
Whether any findings will be made public, and when.
Funeral and memorial arrangements, which the family has not announced.
Sources
Enoch Cree Nation, public statement
Comments from Crystle Lightning and Ashley Callingbull, and details of Lightning's death, as reported by CTV News. Biographical details and film credits from public records and previously published interviews.
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