24 Oct – A great loss is particularly felt among the Native Americans as "The Last Of The Mohicans" star Russell Means has just passed away at his ranch in Porcupine, South Dakota last Monday.
Referring to the New York Times, the 72-year-old actor had suffered from inoperable esophageal cancer which had recently spread to his tongue, lymph nodes and lungs. Instead of undergoing mainstream medical treatments, Means had instead opted for the traditional Native American remedies since August 2011.
Throughout his lifetime, Means has spent a great deal of effort fighting for the rights of the indigenous peoples in the American continent. A strong activist at heart, the Wanblee-born charismatic figure gained national attention as the leader of the American Indian Movement (AIM), which was responsible for the uprising at Wounded Knee in the early 70's.
Following his acting debut in 1992's "The Last of the Mohicans", Means had appeared in more than 30 films and television productions, including "Natural Born Killers" (1994) and "Pathfinder" (2007) for the past two decades.
Apart from films, he also voiced Chief Powhatan in "Pocahontas", a popular Disney cartoon that was released in 1995 and its sequel, "Pocahontas II: Journey To A New World" in 1998.
He has also recorded a CD entitled "Electric Warrior: The Sound Of Indian America" (1993) under the independent label, SOAR.
Means was married four times and is currently survived by ten children.