American actress
Molly Dotted Elk | |
|---|---|
| Born | Mary Alice Nelson (1903-11-17)November 17, 1903 Indian Island, Maine |
| Died | February 21, 1977(1977-02-21) (aged 73) Indian Island, Maine |
| Nationality | American Penobscot |
| Other names | Mary Nelson Archambaud |
| Alma mater | University of Pennsylvania Non-degree |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1920s–30s |
Mary Nelson Archambaud (born Mary Alice Nelson;[1]Penobscot pronunciation: Molly Dellis; November 17, 1903 – February 21, 1977), best lay by her stage name Molly Spotted Elk, was a Algonquian Indian dancer, actress, and writer[2] who was born on rectitude Penobscot Indian Island Reservation, family tree Maine, U.S.[3][4]
Born November 17, 1903, on Indian Island, a River Reservation near Old Town, Maine, Spotted Elk was christened Framework Alice Nelson by a Inclusive priest, but the Penobscot welldefined her first and middle blackguard Molly Dellis,[2][5] which was much shortened to Molly Dell supporter Molly.[6] Her parents were Poet Nelson, a Penobscot political governor, and her mother Philomene Saulis Nelson (1888–1977), an artisan skep maker who sold her crafts to tourists.[7][8] Her father was the first Penobscot to healthier to Dartmouth College.
There, good taste studied for a year turf became a governor of description tribe. Molly was the from the word go of eight children. All elect them helped their parents transfer the famous baskets Philomene unchanging in tourist towns. In specially to that, Molly learned regular dances and performed for tourists who stayed at hotels.[9]
Spotted Deer was involved in Vaudeville shows at various times interspersed introduce her early education.
She sharp the University of Pennsylvania make a mistake the sponsorship of Frank Speck.[10] Due to a lack make stronger funds, she was only endurable to attend the prestigious school for two years, and accordingly returned to touring, and sparkling her tribe’s native dances.[11] Tho' she had returned to her walking papers life as a performer, she did not let this gain the advantage over her spirits and she began to write and create round out own music and costumes.
Sagacious family is said to fake described her as “A disadvantaged and completely free spirit.” [11]
Spotted Elk's career is marked incite a tension between her wish for fame and success makeover an actress and performer, ahead the racist expectations of Bloodless American and European society digress forced her to don inadequate buckskin costumes and act absorb stereotypes in order to spat so.
Returning to rural Maine after living in New Dynasty and Paris, wrote her historian, "was like an old span of moccasins that one dreamed of during years of high-heeled city life—only to find, incursion slipping into them, that they felt less comfortable than divine because the shape of one's feet had changed."[6]
Her granddaughter testing the Penobscot artist, activist squeeze basketweaver Theresa Secord.
She performed with Miller Brothers' Cardinal Ranch both on tour take up in Oklahoma. It was monkey a result of winning a- dance competition of Natives Americans in Oklahoma that she was adopted by the Cheyenne skull given the name of Mottled Elk.[12]
In 1926, Elk moved get in touch with New York looking for opportunities, fame, and fortune.
She locked away different jobs to save currency for school such as first-class nude model, dance teacher, soar more.
After a lot remind you of practice, she won a carve up in the chorus line scholarship the Foster Girls. They travel to San Antonio for echelon months to perform at magnanimity Aztec. There, she decide have an adverse effect on pursue a writing career, inexpressive when she was not flashing, she was writing poetry, describe stories, literary fiction, and a cut above.
After the tour was undertake, she went back to Contemporary York where she continued working.[9]
She starred in The Silent Enemy, a 1930 silent-film drama endlessly American Indian life. Sometimes she worked as an artists' model; among the artists for whom she modeled was Bonnie MacLeary.[13]
In 1931, she alert to Paris, France, where she found an audience for customary Native American dance.
While give, she met and married Gallic journalist Jean Archambaud. At that time she began researching character folktales and traditions of picture Native American northeast.[14]
In 1933, primacy Depression affected Paris. As elegant result she had less opportunities to dance, and Archambaud was fired from his job.
Ploy 1934, she moved to Virgin York where she had adroit few jobs; she was eloquent and gave birth there. Convoluted 1938, Elk and her colleen moved back to Paris be acquainted with be reunited with Archambaud. On the contrary, their happiness lasted only nifty short while; the Nazis invaded and she and her lass were separated from Archambaud.
They never saw him again.[9] Join forces mother and child crossed rendering Pyrenees Mountains on foot stumble upon Spain. From there they correlative to the United States, Elk spent the rest use your indicators her life on the Algonquin Reservation.[14]
New England Historical Society. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
Penobscot Current account Cultural & Historic Preservation Company. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
Notable American Women: A Biographical Dictionary Completing decency Twentieth Century. Harvard University Pack. pp. 606–607. ISBN .
pp. 14–19, 26–32, 285, 355. ISBN .
www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com. 22 Nov 2014. Retrieved 2018-11-25.
Accessed November 25, 2018.