Das Bild der Indianer ist bei den meisten von uns durch das Kino geprägt, wo Leinwandhelden ganze Armeen von feindlichen Rothäuten bekämpfen. Der wilde Indianer auf dem Kriegspfad, der über die weite Prärie reitet, ist nach wie vor das Symbol für alle amerikanischen Indianervölker. Kevin Costner („Open Range“, „Der mit dem Wolf tanzt“) präsentiert Ihnen in dieser achtteiligen Dokumentation die Geschichte aus der Sicht der Indianer und gewährt uns faszinierende Einblicke in Kultur, Leben und Geschichte der 500 Völker, die einst den amerikanischen Kontinent besiedelten. Die Idee entstand während der Dreharbeiten zu dem Welterfolg “Der mit dem Wolf tanzt”: Nicht nur eine Episode, sondern die ganze Geschichte der Indianer müsste man erzählen. Kevin Costner und einem Team um den Regisseur Jack Leustig ist in jahrelanger engagierter Arbeit eine ebenso spannende wie informative achtteilige Reihe gelungen. “500 Nations – die Geschichte der Indianer” entwirft, auch mittels modernster Computertechnik, ein faszinierendes Bild der Jahrtausende alten Kultur der Indianervölker Amerikas.

500 Nations is an eight-part documentary on the Native Americans of North and Central America. It documents from pre-Columbian to the end of the 19th century. Much of the information comes from text, eyewitnesses, pictorials, and computer graphics. The series was hosted by Kevin Costner, narrated by Gregory Harrison, and directed by Jack Leustig. It included the voice talents of Eric Schweig, Gordon Tootoosis, Wes Studi, Cástulo Guerra, Tony Plana, Edward James Olmos, Patrick Stewart, Gary Farmer, Tom Jackson, Tantoo Cardinal, Dante Basco, Sheldon Peters Wolfchild, Tim Bottoms, Michael Horse, Graham Greene, Floyd Red Crow Westerman, Amy Madigan, Frank Salsedo, and Kurtwood Smith. The series was written by Jack Leustig, Roberta Grossman, Lee Miller, and W. T. Morgan, with Dr. John M. D. Pohl.

"The truth is, we have a story worth talking about. We have a history worth celebrating. Long before the first Europeans arrived here, there were some 500 nations already in North America. They blanketed the continent from coast to coast, from Central America to the Arctic. There were tens of millions of people here, speaking over 300 languages. Many of them lived in beautiful cities, among the largest and most advanced in the world. In the coming hours, 500 Nations looks back on those ancient cultures, how they lived, and how many survived.... What you're about to see is what happened. It's not all that happened, and it's not always pleasant. We can't change that. We can't turn back the clock. But we can open our eyes and give the first nations of this land the recognition and respect they deserve: their rightful place in the history of the world." Kevin Costner

“500 Naroda” je dokumentarac o Indijancima iz Sjeverne i Centralne Amerike. Prikazan je period prije dolaska Kolumba sve do 19. vijeka. Većina informacija potiče iz tekstova, od očevidaca, sa slika i iz kompjuterskih animacija. Voditelj serijala je Kevin Kostner, narator Gregori Harison a režiser je Džek Lustig.

Istina je da imamo priču vrijednu pričanja. Imamo istoriju vrijednu slave. Mnogo prije dolaska Evropljana ovde, u Sjevernoj Americi, su živjeli oko 500 naroda. Prostirali su se po kontinentu od obale do obale, od Centralne Amerike do Arktika. Bilo je oko deset miliona ljudi ovde koji su govorili oko 300 jezika. Mnogi od njih su živjeli u prejlepim gradovima od kojih su neki bili među najvećim u svjetu. U predstojećim satima “500 Naroda” se osvrće na ove drevne kulture, na to kako si živjeli i preživjeli… Ono što ćete vidjeti je ono što se stvarno desilo. Ali to nije sve što se desilo, a i nije baš sve prijatno. To ne možemo da promjenimo. Ne možemo da vratimo vrjeme. Ali možemo da otvorimo oči i da odamo priznanje i poštovanje koje zaslužuju prvi narodi ovog kontinenta kao i pravedno mjesto u istoriji svjeta.

« Bienvenue à 500 Nations. Bien avant l’arrivée des premiers Européens, quelques 500 Nations peuplaient déjà l’Amérique du Nord. Des millions d’hommes parlant plus de 300 langues. 500 Nations vous raconte ces anciennes civilisations…. Nos équipes ont sillonné l’Amérique pour filmer les lieux où se sont écrits les grands moments de l’histoire des Indiens. »

Kevin Costner

Dokumenttisarja Pohjois- ja Keski-Amerikan intiaanikansoista ja niiden menneisyydestä.