The treasure of ‘Massive Buffalo Golden Gals’: a Q&A with documentary director Misty Breedlove Langdon

On Might 10, 2022, Misty Breedlove Langdon — a seventh-generation resident of Metal Creek — floated the Buffalo. This isn’t a unprecedented assertion, however what set that specific float aside have been the ladies who joined her: Langdon’s 75-year-old mom and three of her cousins, aged 73 to 83. 

All of them — Charlene, Linda, Jane and Lora — have been raised on the river and its environs. They knew it earlier than it turned the primary Nationwide River, when the hilltops have been manicured pastures, when their moms plowed the fields whereas their dads and brother “loafed” alongside its banks, when their households’ homesteads weren’t simply damaged shadows of their former selves. To be rather less poetic about it, they’ve deep roots right here, roots that go all the way in which again to Abraham Villines, who moved to and settled what’s now the Ponca Wilderness 186 years in the past. This side — the direct line to the previous — is basically what made the journey so particular. What made it much more particular, nonetheless, is the video. 

Though Langdon hadn’t particularly got down to make a documentary for most of the people, the moments she captured on that seven-hour float journey translated exceedingly effectively to the display. (Nicely sufficient, in truth, that the ensuing 19-minute movie, “Massive Buffalo Golden Gals,” was named “Finest Documentary” on the 2023 Rogers Brief Movie Competition.) Partially, it’s because it appears like some other float. Shot on a GoPro and Langdon’s iPhone, the documentary takes within the blue skies and hovering bluffs, the stomach laughs and I-remember-it-as-if-it-were-yesterday moments. Nevertheless it’s not only a soft-edged postcard, not only a lazy glide by the picturesque and idyllic. As a result of, for a few of them, the river is just not really easy to return to.

That is significantly the case after they strategy the previous homesite of Jane’s grandmother. Though Jane is “the hardest one among us,” as Langdon describes her, she’s nonetheless on the point of tears when she sees what occurred to the cabin that had stood sturdy for effectively over a century. Although her grandmother, Eva “Granny” Henderson, is among the many finest recognized figures to have lived alongside the river — her picture and phrases immortalized in nationwide media protection through the ’70s — the spot the place she used to reside has fallen into disrepair. 

In Langston’s work, there’s a reminder that the Buffalo is greater than the sum of its pure historical past — that there’s human historical past there, too. We referred to as Langdon for some additional perception on how she captured this historical past, the notions of preservation and stewardship and the way tales are unlocked on the river.

How did this journey come about? What was the inspiration for it?

We have been simply going to do a float journey. Jane Kilgore, who is among the girls that went on the journey, her grandmother is Granny Henderson. And her mom’s identify was Arbie. They used to load Arbie in a raft yearly and take her down the river to see her personal place as a result of that was the one solution to entry it as soon as the Park Service, you already know, put their restrictions in place. And as she aged and received worse, they’d even put a beanbag within the center within the stomach of the raft [to keep her dry and warm while also providing comfort for her arthritis and pain]. I’m being gracious if I say she was 4’10.” She was a really quick, very petite little girl. And they might load her within the raft and Jane and her sisters and generally their women would all go down the river collectively and go to the house place. And that was form of my concept: to let mother and her cousins see locations that that they had not seen in a long time.

What was the important thing to unlocking these tales? Did being on the river have one thing to do with it? 

So that you’ve received 4 girls who couldn’t sit nonetheless in the event that they have been tied up, and so they’re trapped collectively for seven hours, they received a variety of time to reminisce. After which one would feed off the opposite. , anyone would point out one thing, “Oh, yeah, effectively, I bear in mind,” after which that may simply begin one other catalyst for one more story. We discovered issues about them that they’d haven’t shared, most likely, if we had been sitting of their lounge; they’d have been busy doing one thing else, or one thing else would have had their consideration. And on this means, they’re floating by landmarks that they grew up with. We’d simply see a fairly rock with a sure tree on this spot, however for them that was the place the place grandpa at all times caught catfish, and they’d let you know how he caught that catfish. Seeing that spurred their reminiscence and tales that I don’t suppose I’d have gotten some other means. If you need tales concerning the river, go to the river.

How do you suppose their relationships with the river modified — significantly after the Buffalo River was designated as the primary Nationwide River?

I believe the restrictions actually broke lots of people’s hearts. I believe transferring broke lots of people’s hearts. There’s many, many instances of people that both misplaced their minds or misplaced their lives in that very quick timeframe of after they have been moved. So, I believe having one thing that you just relied on for generations — not simply your self, however your dad and mom, your grandparents — and to be instructed, “You’ll be able to’t drive right here anymore, you may’t hunt right here anymore, you may’t do that, you may’t try this,” I believe that that left a bitterness for lots of people. It was like, “If I can’t do that on this method, I’m simply gonna must stroll away.” And I believe it was self-preservation techniques, myself. I believe that it was simpler for lots of them to stroll away and by no means look again than it was to attempt to hold a foot in each worlds.

What was it like, seeing them return to the river when there was nonetheless a sense of heartbreak? 

For Jane, I do know that after we received to Eva’s home, she broke down and cried, and oh, God, Jane’s robust. She’s most likely the hardest one among us. And he or she broke down and received tears in her eyes. And he or she mentioned, “, they” — and she or he’s speaking concerning the Park Service — ”they wished this so unhealthy. And now have a look at it.” , it’s overgrown, the doorways are busted in, the home windows are busted out. Rats have simply taken over. And it’s a large number. And for her, that was the heartbreak. In the event that they wished it, why didn’t they deal with it? In the event that they’re going to take our houses, why are they letting them fall in? And in order that was an enormous supply of ache and irritation for her. The park ranger that was with us, Lauren, was capable of inform Jane that trimming and all the things was within the works to attempt to do a restoration or stabilization on the dwelling. That made it just a little higher. As a result of she’s glad to know that that’s taking place. However I believe that, to understand how specific all of them have been about their locations and issues like that, I believe it was just a little little bit of a slap within the face. 

Misty Breedlove Langdon

How would you describe the distinction between the tales that they’re telling and the tales that, say, anyone of their 20s may inform concerning the river?

I’m 46. And I discovered the way to swim within the river and I’ve spent most of my life both within the river or within the creek — what we name the little creek. However I at all times grew up right here. And I don’t really feel like I take it with no consideration. I don’t suppose they take it with no consideration. I believe the distinction is now we use it and see it as enjoyment. And for them, it’s what stored them alive. I imply, each side of it: the fish that have been in it, the deer that have been within the woods, all of that, it’s what sustains them. These households wouldn’t have made it. There are different areas which are round right here and people communities didn’t thrive as effectively, as a result of they didn’t have the sources that the river offered. And after we discuss Eva Henderson, you already know, she was somebody who carried water, she had no electrical energy, she had no plumbing, she had no fashionable conveniences of any sort. And so as to survive that, day after day — this isn’t a weekend tenting journey, you already know, that is daily of her life.

How would you describe the message of the documentary?

That’s simple for me. And, and I believe not too way back, it will have been just a little bit more durable for me. However I believe with the work that I’m doing now, it’s to let individuals know the human side of this river. I’m seeing these dwelling locations and stuff vanish proper earlier than our eyes. And there’s no documentation that’s made public of who lived right here, and who labored this land. And so I believe that human connection of the individuals of the Buffalo River — that’s what made this place a group. And the pure historical past of the Buffalo, simply itself, is unparalleled, and it’s magnificent. However once you add the human side of it, that’s once you get the gold. That’s the treasure. 

, I hike lots within the park, and the place we reside, you already know, I can depart from our place and stroll down the creek and hit the Park Service and hit the path. I don’t put on an enormous hat that claims, “Hey, I’m an area, ask me a query,” however I really like to assist individuals. I imply, that’s completely, due to our cabins and stuff. That’s, that’s what I do, I identical to to be of assist. And, you already know, I ran throughout a bunch right here some time again, and so they requested how a lot additional they have been from the Bud Home. And I mentioned, “Nicely, you already know, that home was the very first dwelling place of my first ancestor that moved right here in 1837. We’ve been on the river for 185 years.” And you already know, individuals go bananas over that human connection. It’s a proven fact that in the event that they get there, and there’s this actually cool previous home, and this homestead, and you may form of think about what individuals’s lives have been like residing there. However then some loopy lady walks up and goes, “Hey, my fourth great-grandpa constructed this home and lived on this home.” Despite the fact that it’s not Abraham Villines — it’s me — and so they can put a face with it. 

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