Songs My Brothers Taught Me 2016

Sister and brother Jashaun and John Winters reside with their mother, Lisa, on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. As John prepares to graduate from high school, he aids his family by engaging in the illegal distribution of alcohol to other residents. With plans to move to Los Angeles with his girlfriend, Aurelia, John is filled with anxiety about leaving the only home he’s ever known. For reassurance, he visits his incarcerated brother, Cody, who encourages him to pursue his dreams and leave the reservation behind.

Tragedy strikes when their father, Carl Winters, passes away in a tragic house fire, prompting the family to attend his crowded funeral, where the magnitude of Carl’s life is revealed—he fathered 25 children with 9 different women. During the service, the siblings’ half-siblings gather to share their complex feelings, as many chose not to honor Carl’s name, reflecting on the absence he maintained throughout their lives.

One day, eager to connect with Aurelia, John takes Jashaun to the café where she works. However, while waiting, Jashaun grows bored and wanders to the back, eavesdropping on a heartfelt conversation about their shared future, sending her into deep contemplation.

Driven by newfound purpose, Jashaun secures a job with Travis, an artist recently released from prison. During their time together, Travis illuminates the significance of the number 7 in both religious and cultural contexts, tying it to Crazy Horse’s prophecy that everything would end with the Wounded Knee Massacre but would begin anew in the 7th generation—the generation to which Jashaun belongs.

When John informs Aurelia’s family about his intended move, they express skepticism, pointing out that he lacks a stable place to live or employment. This skepticism is compounded when John faces danger during an alcohol run; he is ambushed by rival bootleggers, resulting in the destruction of his truck by fire, leaving him vulnerable.

In pursuit of her own journey, Jashaun visits Travis’s home, only to learn that he was arrested after a drunken altercation with a friend’s father. At her first rodeo, she unexpectedly encounters one of her half-brothers, Kevin Winters, who invites her to ride their father’s cherished horse, Sundance. Kevin shares his own struggles, revealing that, despite being raised in the same household, their parents were often absent, prioritizing rodeos over family.

Finally, John musters the courage to tell his family about his decision to leave. Yet, when he arrives at Aurelia’s place, uncertainty drags him back, leading him to recommit to his life on the reservation instead. He finds solace in working at a body shop with one of his half-brothers, allowing him to embrace the ties he has to his family and their shared heritage.