Onyx Collective's 'Vow of Silence' honors the legacy of Indigenous rights activist Annie Mae
Hulu's four-part docuseries shines a light on a murder that went unsolved for almost 30 years
LOS ANGELES -- Hulu's latest true crime docuseries "Vow of Silence: The Assassination of Annie Mae" takes viewers into the Indigenous rights movement of 1970s America.
The four-part series from Onyx Collective tells the story of Indigenous rights activist Annie Mae Aquash, a Mi'kmaq woman from Nova Scotia, Canada, whose murder went unsolved for almost 30 years.
Now, Annie Mae's daughter Denise leads an investigation to uncover secrets from the past and bring to light her mother's story within the broader, modern context.
On The Red Carpet spoke to director and producer Yvonne Russo and executive producer Caroline Waterlow about the project.
"Annie Mae was fearless. She was an incredible woman," Russo first explained.
Waterlow went on to say, "You know, advocate, sister, mother, teacher, warrior."
"She fought for Indigenous rights in the 1970s. She joined the American Indian movement, She was fearless in her actions and really worked hard for emancipation for all people," said Russo.
We spoke to Waterlow about what it means to revisit her story in the modern day.
"Her story has been told by a lot of people, and so, to be able to center her in her own story and to talk about all the work she did and the agency she had in the short time that she was alive is, you know, I think is incredibly important."
When it came to making "Vow of Silence," Russo says "this story would not have been done or accomplished without the support of Denise, Annie Mae's daughter. It was quite a blessing to really be able to work with Denise and the family who really trusted us. They opened up their hearts, their homes, just every aspect of their journey in this."
"Annie Mae in general, she was again, fearless. She was 5'2, teeny tiny, but also felt like she was 6' tall. She was powerful and she showed others how to stand strong and to be strong and not take no for an answer if there's something you really believe in! Fight for what you believe in, and that's what she did," Russo explained.
All four episodes of "Vow of Silence: The Assassination of Annie Mae" premiere November 26 on Hulu.
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