{{Short description|Actor and political activist (1936–2007)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Floyd "Red Crow" Westerman | native_name = {{small|Kanghi Duta}} | image = Floyd_Westerman2.jpg | image_size = 200px | caption = Westerman aka ''Kanghi Duta'' | birth_name = Floyd Westerman | birth_date = {{Birth date|1936|8|17}} | birth_place = [[Lake Traverse Indian Reservation]], [[South Dakota]], U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2007|12|13|1936|8|17}} | death_place = [[Cedars-Sinai Medical Center]], [[Los Angeles, California]], U.S. | resting_place = Saint Matthew's Catholic Cemetery, [[Veblen, South Dakota]], U.S. | occupation = {{flatlist| * Actor * artist * musician}} | spouse = Rosie Westerman | children = 5 | years_active = 1988–2007 | political_party = [[Independent politician|Independent]] }}
'''Floyd Westerman''' (August 17, 1936 – December 13, 2007) was a [[Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate|Sisseton Dakota]] musician, political activist, and actor. After establishing a career as a country music singer, later in his life he became an actor, usually depicting Native American elders in American films and television. He is also credited as '''Floyd Red Crow Westerman'''.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20011105073526/http://www.pbs.org/americanrootsmusic/pbs_arm_saa_floydwesterman.html Song artist page] from [[PBS]]</ref> As a political activist, he spoke and marched for Native American causes.
==Early life== He was born Floyd Westerman on the [[Lake Traverse Indian Reservation]], home of the [[Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate]], a federally recognized tribe that is one of the sub-tribes of the Eastern Dakota section of the [[Great Sioux Nation]], located in the U.S. state of [[South Dakota]].<ref name = Martin/><ref name=jablon>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/15/AR2007121501806.html|title=Floyd Red Crow Westerman, 71; Performer, activist|access-date=December 24, 2007|author=Robert Jablon|date=December 16, 2007|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> His [[Indigenous language|Indigenous]] name ''Kanghi Duta'' means "Red Crow" in the [[Dakota language]] (which is one of the three related [[Siouan languages]] of the [[Great Plains]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.turtletrack.org/Issues00/Co06032000/CO_06032000_Westerman.htm |title=Indian Celebrity of the Year |first1=Vicki |last1=Lockard |first2=Paul |last2=Barry |date=June 3, 2000 |issue=11 |work=Canku Ota - A Newsletter Celebrating Native America |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060423033135/http://www.turtletrack.org/Issues00/Co06032000/CO_06032000_Westerman.htm |archive-date=April 23, 2006 |access-date=August 1, 2018 |publisher=Paul C. Barry |url-status=usurped }}</ref>
At the age of 10, Westerman was sent to the Wahpeton Boarding School, where he first met [[Dennis Banks]] (who as an adult became a leader of the [[American Indian Movement]]). There Westerman and the other children were forced to cut their traditionally long hair and forbidden to speak their native languages. This experience would profoundly impact Westerman's development and entire life. As an adult, he reclaimed his heritage and became an outspoken advocate for Indigenous cultural preservation.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1697428,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071227070443/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1697428,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 27, 2007 |first=Andréa |last=Ford |title=Milestones – Died: Floyd (Red Crow) Westerman |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=December 27, 2007 |access-date=October 17, 2010}}</ref>
Westerman graduated from [[Northern State University]] with a B.A. degree in secondary education. He served two years in the [[United States Marine Corps|U.S. Marine Corps]], before beginning his career as a country singer.<ref name=jablon/>
==Career== Before entering films and television, Westerman had established a solid reputation as a [[country music|country-western music singer]]. In his songwriting he explored and critiqued the European influences on Native American communities. In addition to several solo recordings, Westerman collaborated with [[Jackson Browne]], [[Willie Nelson]], [[Bonnie Raitt]], [[Harry Belafonte]],<ref name=jablon/> [[Joni Mitchell]], [[Kris Kristofferson]], and [[Buffy Sainte-Marie]]. In the 1990s, he toured with [[Sting (musician)|Sting]] to raise funds to preserve the endangered [[rainforest|rain forests]].<ref name=jablon/>
After years performing as a singer, Westerman became interested in acting. His film debut was in ''[[Renegades (1989 film)|Renegades]]'' (1989), in which he played "Red Crow", the [[Lakota people|Lakota]] Sioux father of Hank Storm, played by [[Lou Diamond Phillips]]. Additional film roles include "Chief Ten Bears" in ''[[Dances with Wolves]]'' (1990), and the "shaman" for the singer [[Jim Morrison]] in [[Oliver Stone]]'s ''[[The Doors (film)|The Doors]]'' (1991).<ref name=jablon/> Westerman appeared as Standing Elk, alongside his long-time friend [[Max Gail]], in the family film, ''[[Tillamook Treasure]]'' (2006). He appeared in ''[[Hidalgo (film)|Hidalgo]]'' (2004), as Chief Eagle Horn in [[Buffalo Bill]]'s circus. In September 2007, Westerman finished work for the film ''[[Swing Vote (2008 film)|Swing Vote]]'' (2008).<ref name=jablon/>
Television roles included playing "George" on [[Dharma & Greg]], "Uncle Ray" on ''[[Walker, Texas Ranger]]'' (in the pilot and first regular seasons),<ref name=jablon/> "One Who Waits" on ''[[Northern Exposure]]'', and multiple appearances as "[[List of minor The X-Files characters#Albert Hosteen|Albert Hosteen]]" on ''[[The X-Files]]''.<ref name=jablon/> Westerman also did numerous Public Service Announcements for television including for the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio in 1992.
==Death== Westerman died from complications of [[leukemia]] at [[Cedars-Sinai Medical Center]] in Los Angeles on December 13, 2007.<ref name = Martin>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/18/arts/18westerman.html |title=Floyd Red Crow Westerman, 71, an Actor, Is Dead |last=Martin |first=Douglas |date=December 18, 2017 |access-date=August 1, 2018 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |page=C11}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/dec/24/usa.film |title=Floyd Red Crow Westerman |last=Carlson |first=Michael |date=December 24, 2007 |access-date=August 1, 2018 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> He was survived by his wife Rosie, four daughters, and a son.
==Selected filmography== *''[[Powwow Highway]]'' (1989) - CB Radio Voice (voice) *''[[Renegades (1989 film)|Renegades]]'' (1989) - Red Crow *''[[Dances with Wolves]]'' (1990) - Ten Bears *''The Making of 'Dances with Wolves{{'}}'' (1990) - TV Short documentary - Himself *''[[Son of the Morning Star (film)|Son of the Morning Star]]'' (1991, TV Mini-Series) - Sitting Bull *''[[The Doors (film)|The Doors]]'' (1991) - Shaman *''[[Clearcut (film)|Clearcut]]'' (1991) - Wilf *''The Broken Chain'' (1993, TV Movie) - Tribe Elder *''[[Jonathan of the Bears]]'' (1994) - Chief Tawanka *''[[Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee]]'' (1994, TV Movie) - Mary's grandfather *''[[500 Nations]]'' (1995, TV Mini-Series) - (voice) *''[[Buffalo Girls]]'' (1995, TV Mini-Series) - No Ears *''[[Last Assassins|Dusting Cliff 7]]'' (1997) - Indian Bob *''[[The Brave (film)|The Brave]]'' (1997) - Papa *''[[Naturally Native]]'' (1998) - Chairman Pico *''[[Grey Owl (film)|Grey Owl]]'' (1999) - Pow Wow Chief *''Graduation Night'' (2003) - Old Man *''[[Atlantis: Milo's Return]]'' (2003) - Chakashi (voice) *''[[Dreamkeeper]]'' (2003, TV Movie) - Iron Spoon *''[[Hidalgo (film)|Hidalgo]]'' (2004) - Chief Eagle Horn *''[[Tillamook Treasure]]'' (2006) - Standing Elk *''[[Comanche Moon (TV miniseries)|Comanche Moon]]'' (2008, TV Mini-Series) - First Old Comanche *''[[Swing Vote (2008 film)|Swing Vote]]'' (2008) - Chief Running Bear (final film role)
==Selected television appearances== *''[[MacGyver (1985 TV series)|MacGyver]]'' (1988, TV series) - Two Eagles *''[[Captain Planet and the Planeteers]]'' (1990, TV series) - Indian Chief (voice) *''[[L.A. Law]]'' (1991, TV series) - Judge William Gainser *''[[Northern Exposure]]'' (1991-1993, TV series) - One-Who-Waits *''[[Murder, She Wrote]]'' (1992, TV series) - Uncle Ashie Nakai *''[[Walker, Texas Ranger]]'' (1993-1994, TV series) - Uncle Ray Firewalker; 26 episodes *''[[500 Nations]]'' (1995, TV Mini-Series) (voice) *''[[Roseanne (TV series)|Roseanne]]'' (1995, TV series) - Floyd *''[[The X-Files]]'' (1995-1999, TV series) - Albert Hosteen *''[[The Pretender (TV series)|The Pretender]]'' (1997, TV series) - Ernie Two Feathers *''[[Baywatch Nights]]'' (1997, TV series) - Indian Guide Wahote *''[[Poltergeist: The Legacy]]'' (1997, TV series) - Ezekial *''[[Millennium (TV series)|Millennium]]'' (1997, TV series) - Old Indian *''[[Dharma & Greg]]'' (1997-2001, TV series) - George Littlefox *''[[Judging Amy]]'' (2001, TV series) - Mr. Wheeler
==Discography== * ''Custer Died for Your Sins'' (1969) * ''Indian Country'' (1970) * ''Custer Died for Your Sins'' (re-recording; 1982) * ''The Land is Your Mother'' (1984) * ''A Tribute to Johnny Cash'' (2006)
==See also== {{Portal bar|Biography}}
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==Further reading== * {{Cite news |agency=Associated Press |url=http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-westerman15dec15,1,6636757.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |title=American Indian activist, actor appeared in 'Dances With Wolves' |date=December 15, 2007 |access-date=April 24, 2016}}
==External links== * {{official website|http://www.floydwesterman.com/}} *{{Find a Grave|23482297}} *{{IMDb name|922671|Floyd Red Crow Westerman}} * [http://www.tillamooktreasure.com/Floyd_Red_Crow_Westerman.shtml In Memoriam: Floyd Red Crow Westerman] at TillamookTreasure.com * [http://tjwestern.com/Audio/Floyd%20Westerman%20Report%201st%20person%20radio.mp3 Audio profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207074855/http://tjwestern.com/Audio/Floyd%20Westerman%20Report%201st%20person%20radio.mp3 |date=December 7, 2013 }} at Tjwestern.com
{{American Indian Movement}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Westerman, Floyd Red Crow}} [[Category:1936 births]] [[Category:2007 deaths]] [[Category:20th-century American male actors]] [[Category:20th-century American male singers]] [[Category:20th-century American singer-songwriters]] [[Category:20th-century Native American people]] [[Category:Activists from South Dakota]] [[Category:American country singer-songwriters]] [[Category:American male film actors]] [[Category:American male singer-songwriters]] [[Category:American male television actors]] [[Category:Deaths from leukemia in California]] [[Category:Male actors from South Dakota]] [[Category:Members of the American Indian Movement]] [[Category:American Indigenous rights activists]] [[Category:Military personnel from South Dakota]] [[Category:Native American activists]] [[Category:Native American male actors]] [[Category:20th-century Native American male singers]] [[Category:Native American United States military personnel]] [[Category:Northern State University alumni]] [[Category:People from Sisseton, South Dakota]] [[Category:Singers from South Dakota]] [[Category:Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate people]] [[Category:South Dakota independents]] [[Category:United States Marines]] [[Category:Native American people from South Dakota]] [[Category:20th-century Native American singers]]