Is ‘Dark Winds’ Based on a True Story?
Before he died in 2008, author Tony Hillerman wrote 37 books, including 18 featuring the fictional Navajo Tribal Police officers Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. In 2022, AMC adapted these novels into the series ‘Dark Winds’, which stars Zahn McClarnon as Lieutenant Leaphorn and Kiowa Gordon as Deputy Chee. Set in the 1970s, the show explores a series of crimes and murders on the Navajo reservation.
While ‘Dark Winds’ is a work of fiction, its creators, including George R. R. Martin and Robert Redford, aimed to portray Navajo culture authentically. Despite employing a fully Native writers’ room, the series faced criticism after its first season for inaccurately representing Navajo customs and blending Indigenous cultures. In response, the production team made adjustments, such as hiring a language consultant and cultural advisor, as reported by director Chris Eyre.
Image Courtesy: People
The series draws from Hillerman’s novels but incorporates themes rooted in real Indigenous history. Season 1 highlights historical issues such as the forced sterilization of Native American women and the assimilation of boarding schools. The narrative in Season 1 is based on Hillerman’s ‘Listening Woman’, involving a double murder witnessed by a blind shaman. Season 2 adapts ‘People of Darkness’, focusing on a murder mystery and the theft of a valuable box of rocks.
Creator Graham Roland made some creative changes to deepen character development, including adding personal struggles for Leaphorn and adjusting Chee’s background. The show is filmed at Camel Rock Studios in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the first Native American-owned film studio, which enhances the show’s authenticity and connection to tribal culture.
Image Courtesy: People
‘Dark Winds’ has been renewed for a third season, set to premiere in 2025, with the storyline expected to adapt Hillerman’s ‘Dance Hall of the Dead’. AMC praised the series for its faithful adaptation of Hillerman’s work and the creative team’s collaborative efforts.
–Farheen Ali
