Terry Jones is an enrolled member of the Seneca Nation who grew up and is currently living on the Cattaraugus Indian Territory located in Western New York.  He is a commercial photographer and filmmaker whose primary goal is to portray contemporary Native American society through film, video and still photography.

ArtRage will screen three of his short films: Thomas Indian School Reunion, Frybread: A Traumed, and What The Hell Is Corn Soup? At the conclusion of the screenings, there will be soup and fry bread tasting.  Terry will also screen a three minute presentation about the cultural significance of this soup and how it is prepared.

Thomas Indian School Reunion (16 min. – doc). From 1855 to 1956, the Thomas Indian School (formerly known as Thomas Asylum for Orphan and Destitute Indian Children) operated on the Seneca territory in New York State.  Each year, former students gathered and shared their experience about the boarding school.  These former students shared their unique perspective of life as they fought to retain their native identity.

Frybread a Traumedy (9 min. – narrative). After a five year absence, a Native American man returns home an unemployed vegetarian.  Familial chaos ensues.

What the Hell is Corn Soup? (15 min – doc) This short film documents the preparation of a traditional Iroquois corn soup.  Ingredients include dried white corn, wood ashes, kidney beans and salt pork.  It’s an arduous task to prepare this Seneca delicacy because it can take over 10 hours to prepare.  There’s a reason why this soup’s ingredients and preparation have remained unchanged for the last 200 years.
Previously, he produced and edited the short documentary films Thomas Indian School Reunion (2004), What the Hell Is Corn Soup? and Through The Eyes of Clint. Terry also produced, edited and starred in the short film Frybread: A Traumedy. Terry also produced and edited a five-program series involving Native artists‚ their exhibitions and accompanying artist talks at the American Indian Community House in New York City.
In 2005, Terry attended the Institute of American Indian Arts Film and Television Workshop where he was awarded an ABC/Disney Talent Development Fellowship.  His feature length screenplay, Salem, is about a 14-year-old Native girl’s experience in a residential boarding school during the 1940′s.  The screenplay was under option at Disney.

Since 2009, Terry has been a panelist for the Electronic and Film Media Program for the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). From 2005 to 2009, Terry was on the Board of Directors at American Indian Community House in New York City where he served as Vice-Chairman and Secretary.

$5 Suggested donation.