News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
A sneak preview of Ken Burns’ new documentary series “The American Buffalo” will take place Wednesday at the Cumberland County Playhouse.
WCTE will present the free screening. It will be an hour-long preview of the four-hour documentary series. President and CEO Avery Hutchins said the documentary will trace the buffalo’s evolution, its significance to ingenious people, and its near extinction.
“We are having a tremendous response from the public, because I think there is some interest in the history and the culture of the American buffalo,” Hutchins said. “I mean it goes back over 10,000 years of North American history.”
The American Buffalo debuts on WCTE starting October 16. Wednesday’s preview event begins at 11:30 a.m. An RSVP is required. A group discussion follows the screening.
“I’ve got Dr. Troy Smith from Tennessee Tech who is an expert on Native American culture,” Hutchins said. “I have Dee White Eye, and she is a Native American and she’s going to talk about growing up as a Native American and some of the traditions she had growing up. Then we have a third person Mr. Rick Moles, who has traced his ancestry back to the Native Americans, and he is going to talk about his experience with that journey.”
Ken Burns is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. Hutchins said WCTE being a member of the PBS station gave them access to this early preview.
“I think there is a natural curiosity about the Native Americans and that culture,” Hutchins said. “I think this documentary, this four-part series documentary, is going to kind of give an insight to so many people who have an interest. Plus, Ken Burns is known for his film making, and he has a tremendous following.”
