Gary "Litefoot" Davis

Nah, I’m Good Homey. Styling: @quannahdavis

Rewinding to Litefoot’s iconic role as Little Bear in the Indian In The Cupboard! 🎥 For over 30 years, Litefoot has broken barriers, challenged stereotypes and committed himself to authentic Indigenous representation. From music to film and advocacy, he’s consistently paved the way for others- shaping a new narrative for Indigenous people everywhere. 🎬 “Indigenous Actor Uses Role to Educate Others” 📰 ✍️ Summary of Article in The Oklahoman, circa 1994 Litefoot first made his mark as the first Indigenous rapper before taking his talents to Hollywood in 1995 starring in Paramount’s The Indian In The Cupboard. Few Indigenous actors up to this time had been cast in lead film roles. After performing concerts in Rome for the American Indian College Fund, Litefoot landed the role of Little Bear. Producers sought authenticity and presence, finding Litefoot to be the perfect fit. Litefoot embraced a historically accurate Onondaga hairstyle, spending hours daily in makeup, advised by cultural experts. “I wanted to project an image culturally accurate and different from stereotypes associated with Indigenous people,” he said. Litefoot saw the film as educational. “Many think Indigenous people all look & act alike,” he said. “I want to destroy that perception.” He insisted producers consult cultural advisors & visited the Onondaga reservation himself. Regarding Indigenous representation in Hollywood at the time, Litefoot noted progress: “We’re finally getting Indigenous actors cast to authentically represent ourselves in stories about us.” Litefoot acknowledged Hollywood’s romanticized depictions but emphasized complexity: “We are spiritual, resilient, & have adapted to survive while keeping our culture alive.” He praised Graham Greene’s role in Die Hard: With a Vengeance as a step forward, stating, “If that’s Graham getting his foot in the door, brothers like me are coming to kick that door open.” After acting in his first film, Litefoot returned to music releasing his acclaimed album “Good Day To Die,” inspired by Lakota Chief Crazy Horse. Drop a comment if you remember Litefoot’s acting debut/impact- or if you just learned about it: comment! #BeenAboutIt

So much to share, SOON. #BeenAboutIt

What an honor to be able to spend the day with my Lakota relatives in Dupree, SD on the Cheyenne River Sioux reservation. Grateful for all the high school students, and the school faculty, who welcomed me with open arms and hearts. Toward the end of the day, Wanbli, a powerful young warrior brother shared with the student body about the presence of Tunkasila (the Creator) in his life and the power of prayer. His words were so strong! After he finished expressing himself he asked if he could sing a prayer song and his beautiful voice lifted everyone’s spirit and blessed us in such a powerful way. It’s been decades know I have been visiting my Lakota relatives on this reservation. I am very aware that my relatives here are the descendants of Crazy Horse’s mother, and of course him, and am always grateful to be welcomed into this community. Thank you Toni Handboy for your support of me and your love for the people. Thank you to everyone for the love and hospitality and I will always carry that good medicine with me. #GratefulHeart #BlessedBeyondMeasure

It was an honor and a blessing to speak at the Takini School today and deliver words of encouragement and upliftment. ⚡️ I first spoke at the school about 30 years ago. I was inspired today by the strength, power and goodness in all of the students and it was awesome to hear of their hopes and dreams. 🪶✨ It was a blessing to see some of the staff who still work at the school all these years later. And it was an honor to be back in the Cheyenne River Sioux community with my wife @icarmendavis who accompanied me many years ago on an earlier visit. 💜 Nothing more important than encouraging and empowering the next generation of indigenous people. BTW: this song, “Litefoot- Chief Eagle Advisor He Is Coming” was made for me by the @blacklodgesingers . I was given the name “Chief Eagle Advisor He Is Coming” by an elder from the Blood Tribe in Canada many years ago and honored with this song from Black Lodge not long after. #BlessedBeyondMeasure 🙏🏽⚡️ #HokaHey 🪶✊🏽

Special shoutout to @propguru702 for these amazing gifts that he replicated for me from my first film “The Indian In The Cupboard”. He reached out to me not too long ago and messaged me about doing this. I told him that I had tried to buy one of the original cupboards from the movie and wasn’t successful. He said that he was going to make me a replica along with the toy of my character “Little Bear” and that he would also make me the key. And it actually works locking and unlocking the cupboard. Amazing! It was especially awesome to be able to fly to Vegas to meet him and see all these meticulously crafted pieces of memorabilia. What a tremendously talent artisan you are my friend. This film will always represent an iconic chapter in my career and I’m still reminded on the regular of the powerful impact this movie has had on people across generations. Thank you Donald for sharing with me the impact the movie made on your life and for building and gifting me these amazing movie items. I am honored and beyond grateful. Blessings to you my friend and thank you so very much.

Shout out to my guy @v.vegas & @primerrebeldedeamerica for hooking me up with all the amazing gear and appreciate it very much relative. Follow this amazing brother and his clothing line and support his fashion and art! Blessings and strength! 🔥✊🏽🙏🏽🪶

TRIBAL BOOGIE Remastered | Re-released and Now Streaming on all platforms. This album originally dropped in 2001. It was my 5th album and 7th release (The Money E.P. [1992] and Native Tongue single [1993] were the other two). I was 9 years into the game, living in Cali and had just finished putting together my first recording studio in an industrial park. My boy @slimtheproducer was literally making music round the clock and this was one of the albums that came from that era. All my albums are mile markers on my journey and this one reminds me of the amazing feeling I had of working my ass off to build my record label, touring constantly and signing other aspiring indigenous rap artists to my record label, Red Vinyl. I didn’t realize it then, but I was building the blueprint that so many others have since used. It was a ton of work - but every concert, all the fans on so many rez’s made all of it worth it. Looking back now, I was carving out a presence in rap music that so many didn’t think was possible for an indigenous person. And in many cases industry folks weren’t trying to hear about a Native American in hip hop. So a lot of the doors that I went through were not opened - they were kicked in. One way or another and by any means necessary. I’m still on that same energy, I just have my eyes set on different goals with a much higher vision. Things that I see now, I could have never seen as possible back then. I been building and the time is coming, very soon. 🤫✊🏽 For now I hope you enjoy bumpin Tribal Boogie, it’s an “oldy but a goody”. The songs I’m still feeling to this day are my verse on Warrior Trilogy and the track, Do ya Dirty with Slim, Game Tight with Stormbird and My Mystery is still a vibe and the chorus vocals always give me Brian McKnight energy. ✨⚡️✌🏽

Happy birthday to my Indigenous queen and the soul of our family. Thankful to the Creator for blessing us with you! We love, honor and cherish you. 💜💖🤍🩷

Amazing time with the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. I’m very grateful for the hospitality and love that was shown to me. It’s a true blessing and it was my honor to be able to spend time with you. Thank you to Chairman LeBeau, Councilman Brings Plenty and Toni for your good energy and love! I am grateful and Wopila! Also had the time to spend some time in the Black Hills and pray. Super humbling and it energized my spirit. ⚡️✨🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽✨⚡️

My friend, thank you. Thank you for your true warrior energy, your kindness, your humor, your trust, your being the embodiment of “Family First”, your friendship and unwavering support of me, your love and kindness to my family, your leadership, your inclusiveness and for showing up… always, your constantly thinking of others, your example of what service to community means and is, your sincere love of the people, your willingness to put yourself “out there” knowing the potential risk and cost, your constant dedication to fighting for those who walked before us, for tirelessly working to advance, defend and educate others everywhere about Tribal sovereignty and Indigeneity and never forgetting those who struggled for us and always making sure we remembered and honored them. Now, it is your time to be honored and remembered so that those who come after us never forget you and do their best to fight the good fight like you did everyday. I love you and I thank the Creator for you. I am grateful for all our times together, all the laughs and being the recipient of your love and brotherhood. Thank you for always getting my back, knowing I always had yours. You were a very special spirit and I am grateful mine knew yours. I don’t have enough words and glad I got to tell you I loved you one more time. Thank you brother… Thank you! Journey well, and see you again on the other side. Sending all our love and prayers to you Cher, to the kids and to the entire Stevens family. Thank you for sharing him Cher for so many years; so willingly and so unselfishly. 🙏🏽💜🤍🪶

Happy birthday to my husband, my rock and my best friend!!! 😍😘 Thank you for being the best husband, protector, provider and the best father to our sons. Thank you for breaking cycles with me, forging new pathways for our family and for leading by example. 🙏🏽🙏🏽 You are a brilliant & fierce soul and I’m blessed to walk this journey with you. Today and everyday, we are so grateful for you. 🥰🥰 Happy birthday, my love!!! 😍 #happybirthday #mylove #indigenous #family #everyyeargetsbetter #yourloveisking