American Indian activist, actor, and singer Floyd Red Crow Westerman died of leukemia on 13 December 2007. Born on the Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota Sioux reservation in South Dakota on 17 August 1936, he “always said he was a musician first and he just acted for the money,” according to his son Richard Tall Bear Westerman, who announced his death. He may, however, be best known for his role as “Ten Bears” in Kevin Costner’s 1990 film Dances with Wolves.
His genre appearances include the video Atlantis: Milo’s Return (2003), and television appearances such as: five episodes as “Albert Hosteen” on The X-Files (1995-1999), Millennium (1997), Poltergeist: The Legacy (1997), and The Pretender (1997).
As a musician, he worked with Jackson Browne, Willie Nelson, and Bonnie Raitt. His debut album, Custer Died for Your Sins, was released in 1970, and last year, he released A Tribute to Johnny Cash.
He was an activist for environmental causes and the rights of American Indians and other indigenous people. He also toured with Sting in the 1990s to raise money to preserve rain forests.
In addition to his son, Westerman is survived by his wife, Rosie; and four daughters, Chante Westerman of Washington, Chenoa Westerman of South Dakota, Jennifer Westerman of Arizona, and Nicky Jackson of Minneapolis.