One of the most-streamed films online is the original Star Wars: A New Hope. It’s popular all over the world, and you can watch it in a bunch of different languages. This year, the movie got dubbed in Anishinaabemowin, which means Ojibwe people in Michigan and all over North America can see an absolute classic in their language.
Niigaanii-Animikii Inini Kalvin Hartwig is a filmmaker and the voice actor who plays the character Red Leader. He said it's been a few generations since Anishinaabemowin was spoken in his family. It wasn't until he was in his late teens that he began learning the language.
While scrolling through his Facebook recently, he came across a post from a friend encouraging people to audition for the Anishinaabemowin dub of the original Star Wars. His years of study helped land him the role, and he said that the elders he learned over the years were integral in preparing him for the role.
"It was very helpful for me to be able to hear the elders in my head as I try to say these lines in it and as good in this moment as I can," Hartwig said.
Growing up, Hartwig said he was surrounded by Anishinaabe mentors and friends and family. But in terms of popular media, there were few representations of Indigenous people, and the ones that existed were not always positive. Hartwig said that working with other Anishinaabemowin speakers on this project was very meaningful to him.
"It's been a huge, huge honor to be a part of this project. A moment in history for Hollywood, for Disney, as well as Anishinaabemowin revitalization."
As for what's next for him, after being a producer and director for film and video projects, Hartwig hopes that this experience in voice acting will open up more acting and producing opportunities. And he hopes that having one of Hollywood's biggest blockbusters dubbed in Anishinaabemowin will be a catalyst for more Indigenous language films.
"This is the first major Hollywood film in our language," Hartwig said. "Again, I hope the first of many, many, many. And, I hope inspires so many to either continue or to begin learning our beautiful language."
Hear Niigaanii-Animikii Inini Kalvin Hartwig's full conversation with April Baer on the Stateside podcast.
