"For a subject worked and reworked so often in novels, motion pictures, and television, American Indians remain probably the least understood and most misunderstood Americans of us all."

-John F. Kennedy in
the introduction to The American Heritage Book of Indians

Thursday, May 13, 2010

"The Dudesons" Mark a New Low...

I thought the Hipster headdresses were weird enough and our new "Indian" friends at the Stanford Powwow equally awkward.  But ladies and gentlemen, there is a new winner.  And I'm still trying to pick my jaw up off the floor.

Meet The Dudesons- four Finnish friends whose new MTV television show combines wild stunts and outrageous comedy...

...and the most unbelievable ignorant and disturbing take on Native culture seen in years!



Here's the full episode summary from the official website:

The Dudesons want to know if they can hack it like the original Americans once did, so they have found a Native Indian mentor named Saginaw who has agreed to lead them through seven painful rites of passage. Ranging from a canoe ride from hell to a game of ball busting dominoes with totem poles - even a 911 trip to the hospital won't stop the Dudesons from pursuing their goals of becoming honorary members of the tribe.


Not only do they dress in outrageous Indian headdresses and outfits but they make a complete mockery of Native spirituality and culture.  They rescue their "Indian" brothers in jail from the evil cowboys by being yanked off a horse.  They attempt to fly like the eagles by driving an SUV off a ramp and into a moving target.   And as "Saginaw" instructs them, they must only catch fish with their mouths like "real Indians" using a rotating fish slapping machine of course.

This episode entitled Cowboys and Findians includes a Native elder named "Saginaw- King of all Indians" who looks completely uncomfortable throughout the entire process.  He even welcomes them into the tribe at the end of the episode saying "you have earned the right to be one of our tribal members."  He then gives them four "golden eagle" feathers.


Here is your photo slideshow

...and finally the show:


And in case you are wondering.  Former Jackass star Johnny Knoxville is the one to thank for not only bringing these four idiots to American shores but producing the television show as well.

Ladies and gentlemen- we have reached a new low.  God help us all!

21 comments:

  1. Should all be arrested for having the eagle feathers. Banish saginaw from any recognized tribe!

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  2. My bet is that they used fake eagle feathers (painted turkey feathers?) but if they were real that would somehow not surprise me either. I'm no expert on this but does anyone know if Golden Eagle feathers carry the same restrictions as Bald Eagle feathers?

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  3. Golden Eagles carry the same law as Bald Eagles. And more so as they are becoming endangered. I know Saginaw and I am really saddened about this. I feel so sold out.

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  4. MTV has a history of doing a lot of racist stupid ass shit, and they only change their tactic, when they see dollar signs invovled.
    MTV has to be made accountable for their actions for perpetuating racial stereotypes and so much more

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  5. You don't see any other race displayed like this on T.V. I just write the station and turn off the channel. Shows like this really shows how stupid people can really be....it's so sad. Sky Stormcloud (Cherokee Nation)

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  6. I'll be writing to the show first thing tomorrow to express my disgust. Not that I wasn't already disgusted with MTV -- they haven't given anyone a reason to watch in 20 years. But this is unacceptable on many levels...the episode needs to be pulled and never aired again.

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  7. MTV has finally reached the Absolute BOTTOM of the Barrel! They have Degenerated into cesspool mentality!!..woefully lacking in intelligence and ANY sense of Culture; it reflects the "White" Populations Teen generation; Ranging from Neo-Nazism to Just Flat out STUPID!
    Says it all about so-called "Parents" having children Raised & Fed on TV and TV Media BS!

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  8. This is sad, but I do want to point out that these were not real eagle feathers. So eagle fathers were not "physically" dishonored, but the stereotype has only been perpetuated.
    The real tragedy is the children who will have to bear the consequence of the stereotype. How many non-Native kids will see this and tease their Native classmates?
    The education of non-Natives hasn't been to the extent that they understand who we are as a people with distinct cultures and a belief system. If they were, then we wouldn't have had the tragedy in Arizona. We wouldn't have a proliferation of wanna-be's, just as in the premise of this program.
    A call has been sent out by the Santa Barbara American Indian Movement to contact MTV. If you are on Facebook, you can find it here: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1617891400#!/profile.php?id=1617891400&v=app_2347471856

    Stephen, if you could contact me at bencarnes@rocketmail, I'd appreciate it. Thanks,
    Ben

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  9. Typical white man no respect for nothin not even his self an we need to stop them ASAP.

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  10. This show is deplorable and show be removed from the bradcast waves. Writing to MTV demanding the removal the show is a start, can also put pressure on them by filing a formal complaint with the FCC.

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  11. Saginaw traded in his spirit for almighty dollar again, and yes you will see him at powwows dancing again and forgive him because he's a actor and the almighty Saginaw, what a shame , now the film industry will say ok, we can purchase their spirits with the almighty dollar again.

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  12. ok, what the hell, I have no problem with a joke here and there (as anyone familiar with the coyote should be able to tell from my name, Howling Coyote)but this goes to damned far, there is nothing to be learned from this (unless they all fall ill to some horrible disease from all of this, keep your finger's crossed :) exept that to show disrespect to other's is to show yourself to truly be a fool (and not in the good way like me :) and an ass (ok, now that is one thing I am not, now, I would like to appologise to any who may feel dishonored by my language here, that is not the intent, but I do have a tendency to utilise harsh language when I am feeling strongly about something, as I am here, again, sorry for the language)

    Howling Coyote

    P.S. as far as Saginaw goes, there are many who have sold out OUR, not their, but OUR way's, they do not belong to them nor to us, but to our creator, we just use them, but he is not the only one, just the latest largely publicised one, the has obviously lost track of the TRUE (meaning of cristmas? lol) ways, and is just out to make a buck.


    Much love

    Howling Coyote.

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  13. I have another photo for your montage Stephen, email me at editor@hopemakingchange.org. Thx for posting the info, I emailed mtv with aimsb cc'd.
    Jennafer

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  14. The Dudesons in America is the best show to ever be aired on MTV history. If u want to get the dudesons pulled for portraying some indian so called stero type the please get the movie White men cant jump out of the public, and along with south park, family guy, THE NEWS, and about every show that has mad fun of a certain type of race. Pluse if that doesnt do anything for any one, The Dudesons in America is the only reason i am happy, it is the only thing i look foward to through out the week, and my life long dream is to be just like jukka hilden, so if this show gets pulled i dont know what to do.

    And if you want to get a real offensive show pulled plz get jersery shore off the air because it is way more offensive then any other thing on tv i have ever saw. and plz get 16 and pregnent, the hills and the city pulled as well. And learn how to take a joke Everyone. And dont say u can if people Imitate a certain race without naming a ceertain type or tribe of indians. be more mad at jersery shore which makes fun of any one with any italyn heritage, also promoting drinking, fighting and being straight up retarted.

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  15. Greetings from Finland. Havent seen episode (and most likely wont watch it), but I have seen some other productions from these Duudsons so I can imagine what was there. Anyhow it is not crime to be idiot (or even show it to millions) so just laught to them or change channel (just ignoring might be best).

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  16. If it needs to be Explained.. you Probably wouldn't Understand. This is the 2010 Equivalent of the Old "Black Face" type Al Jolson Singing "Mammy" & "Lil Black Sambo" which went from a childs' Tale to a Restaurant, then was Forced by the Civil Rights Movement and JFK to change the name or Quit!
    Hit MTV in the Wallet! Contact the Sponsors!
    PepsiCo, Dreamworks, Cadbury-Adams, Mars Inc.
    ( a Div. of Cadbury Adams),
    Burger King, At&T, Colgate-Palmolive, Kraft Foods, Schick (razors) Domino's Pizza, Frito-Lay, Dr. Pepper. Search Facebook: PepsiCo has a page there. etc.

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  17. I am part Indian and all I can say is whine and cry. The only people who are racist anymore are the people who cry about being racist. Black people say it is white peoples fault for everything and use the N word more than anyone. Jewish people for the most part is what they are said to be, Yah there are stereotypes but its because they are true. I mean its called a joke and I dont find anything along these lines offensive. Its funny and I laugh, I laugh when anyone is made fun of an if you watch a comedy then you are a hipocrit, because most the times its enforcing stereotypes about nerds or race so just learn to laugh and quit living life hating people like you are trying to say others are doing

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  18. Idiots jumping the ship to name this show racist are idiots... so the indian culture is untouchable right? These finnish guys are making fools of themselves and not the indian people.... oh my god you just think your culture is so untouchable... go smoke some pipe and shaddup already you crybabies.. there's been much more harm done to you much much earlier than the history than this puny little jackass show...

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  19. Perhaps some facts would help people to understand exactly why racism is so dangerous.
    And before you star saying it isn't racism, maybe you should do a little research on what exactly racism is.

    The Southern Poverty Law Center

    Indian Blood
    From the beginning, white Americans have brutalized American Indians. Half a millennium later, the hate goes on.

    The study also found that "American Indians are more likely than people of other races to experience violence at the hands of someone of a different race," with 70% of reported violent attacks perpetrated by non-Indians.

    Even to seasoned crime statisticians, the results were startling. "We now know that American Indians experience a much greater exposure to violence than other race groups," said co-author Lawrence A. Greenfeld. "The common wisdom was that blacks experience the highest exposure to violence."

    But the results didn't come as a surprise to Navajo leaders, who have long referred to Farmington as the "Selma, Ala., of the Southwest."

    "Just as some areas of the South remain hotbeds of racism because of the history of slavery and discrimination, the same can be said of areas where there are large Indian populations," said Raymond Foxworth, a scholarship coordinator for the American Indian College Fund who grew up on the Navajo reservation. "The historical treatment of Indians does indeed have contemporary significance. If we are willing to admit this about other groups, why can't the same be said with Indians?"

    http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2006/winter/indian-blood

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