Tatanka Means

Tatanka Wanbli Sapa Xila Sabe Means, (born 19 February 1985), is a Native American actor of Oglala Lakota, Omaha, and Dine descent.

Hailing from Chinle, Arizona, he has received many accolades as a professional actor, comedian, boxer, entrepreneur, and activist. He is married to Christine Means, a yoga instructor who credits herself as “the first American Indian, Native American on Twitter”.^[1]

He is best known for his roles in A Million Ways to Die in the West, Saints and Strangers and Tiger Eyes.^[2]

Acting career

Tatanka has appeared in Into the West as “Crazy Horse,” The Burrowers as “Tall Ute,” Banshee as “Hoyt Rivers,” A Million Ways to Die in the West, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, The Host, Saints & Strangers, The Night Shift, Neither Wolf Nor Dog, and Graves.^[3]

His breakout career in acting was in 2004 playing a stunt double in the film Black Cloud. In the very same gym where the film was shot, he had previously trained for his boxing career. Six boxing championship titles later, Means was on his way to playing Crazy Horse in the miniseries Into the West. He considers playing that role to be a huge honor. Means prides himself on his roles portraying Native men as modern, complex people rather than the racist or stereotypical characters sometimes found in Hollywood films.^[4]

Acting awards

Tatanka received the award of “best supporting actor” in the American Indian Film Festival, “best actor in a leading role,” in Red Nations Film Festival, and “Tamalewood Award” in Santa Fe Independent Film Festival for his role as “Wolf” in, Tiger Eyes, which was based on the novel by Judy Blume. He has also won “best male actor” in the Dreamspeakers Film Festival for his role in Derby Kings and “best actor” in the Nevada International Film Festival for the same film.^[5]

Comedy career

As a comedian, Means performs with the comedy group “49 Laughs Comedy” across the country. Other members consist of Pax Harvey, James Junes, Ernie Tsosie ii, and Adrianne Chalepah. Currently there is no group DVD, but when it will be released it will be titled “By Any Means Necessary”.^[6] He also performs standup that has strong ties back to his Native heritage. In his most popular standup, he discusses how Native people tease each other ruthlessly and always solve any awkwardness with the phrase “Aaaayyyyeeee".^[7]

Entrepreneur

Means was awarded the American Indian Business Leaders (AIBL) Entrepreneur of the year award in 2011. He created an original clothing line called “Tatanka Clothing,” which is meant to create cultural awareness for Native people and Native business people.^[8] A self-proclaimed “t-shirt and jeans guy,” he claims to want to create shirts that say more than just “Native Pride.” He wants to add a creative and artistic edge to his designs and not worry if the message comes across as “controversial".^[9]

Personal life

Tatanka Means is the son of Oglala Lakota activist Russell Means, the leader of the American Indian Movement in 1970. An actor in his own right, Russell Means appeared in the film The Last of the Mohicans in which he played “Chingachgook.” He also had roles in over thirty films and television shows, some in which include Pocahontas, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Walker, Texas Ranger. Tatanka was one of his nine children and during his father’s funeral on October 24, 2012 he was the one who carried Russell’s urn.^[10] In 1987, Russell Means ran to be the Libertarian nominee for the president of the United States. He posed for a picture with his then wife, Gloria Means, and a baby Tatanka.^[11] “My father has been one of my biggest influences, supporters and inspirations,” Tatanka Means has said.^[12]

As a huge advocate for being sober of alcohol and drugs, Tatanka Means is setting an example for himself, hundreds of other young, Native people, and his daughter.^[13]

Notes