Public Screening of ‘Little Brother of War’ Set for Sunday, Oct. 13 at the Two Mississippi Museums
A free, public screening of “Little Brother of War” will be held Sunday, Oct. 13, at 2 p.m. in the Craig H. Neilsen Auditorium of the Two Mississippi Museums. This screening is part of a monthly series and is made possible through partnership with the Mississippi Humanities Council, the Mississippi Film Society, the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, and the Mississippi Film Office.
Directed by Bryan W. Carpenter, the 89-minute film focuses on the origins of the Native American game of stickball and the struggle by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians to keep their traditions alive. The Oct. 13 screening is the first public screening outside of Philadelphia, Mississippi. The film premiered Oct. 3 at the reservation.
For centuries, stickball has been an important custom of the Choctaws, originally serving to handle disputes between different Native American tribes. Since 1975, various stickball teams have competed in Mississippi. The sport, which serves as the basis for lacrosse, consists of two teams of 30 players who attempt to control and shoot a ball at the opposing team’s goal, where each player has two sticks.
Following the screening, Carpenter will moderate a panel discussion with Jay Wesley and Casey Bigpond, members of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
Bigpond serves as the director of cultural affairs for the Jena (Louisiana) Band of Choctaw Indians. He also makes stickballs, handcrafting sticks for players. Wesley is the director for the Department of Chahta Immi, which consists of the Choctaw Tribal Language Program, the Cultural Affairs Program, the Special Projects/Media Program, and the Chahta Immi Cultural Center.
Carpenter is a Carthage native who has worked as an armorer on several projects and provides armorer and stunt services and consultation through his company Dark Thirty Film. He is also a producer with several upcoming Mississippi-made projects through his 13 South Productions.
The Two Mississippi Museums opened Dec. 9, 2017, in celebration of the state's bicentennial. Museum hours are Tuesday–Saturday, 9 a.m.– 5 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m.– 5 p.m. Admission to the museums is free every Sunday. The Two Mississippi Museums are located at 222 North St. in Jackson. For more information, visit the MDAH Facebook page or email info@mdah.ms.gov.