Reel Injun and other Native Responses to "Indians" in Mass Media

Reel Injun is a new documentary film that explores the phenomenon of the Hollywood Indian. For over 100 years, Indigenous North Americans have appeared in more than 4000 films.  Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond explores the many depictions of Indians on celluloid and its impact on every filmgoer's understanding or misunderstanding of Native people.

I caught an abbreviated hour long version of Reel Injun on Independent Lens- the award-winning public television series that highlights new drama and documentary films.  I was very impressed with the film and its humorous and poignant insights into the Hollywood Indian.

The most impressive part of the film is its portrayal of Native actors and filmmakers in the earliest days of cinema.  From the silent era through the first talking films, Native people had a surprisingly active role in film production.  It seems only when the studio system became dominant that real Native people took a backseat role (if not wholly disappeared).






Reel Injun proves that one of the most effective ways to examine and question Indigenous depictions in mass media is with mass media itself!  And so long as there have been these Indigenous depictions, so have there been Indigenous people ready to counter them.  Here are a few of those:



Eska Water's new ad campaign: "Eskan Warriors"

Mohawk activist Clifton Nicholas expresses his dismay over a new ad campaign for Eska Water.  It depicts a fictional band of "Eskan Warriors."  According to Nicholas, these ads depict a negative portrayal of Native people even if it is a fictional generic "Native" group.




Time for "THE INDIANS SHOWBAND" to retire!

The Irish showband "The Indians" who perform in stereotypical Indian garb and perform songs like Wigwam Wiggle and Squaws along the Yukon have met their match online.  A protest group on facebook is calling for the group to retire saying they make a mockery of native culture through their stereotypical representation of Native Americans.
 
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=110714922354367

Here's Wigwam Wiggle:





AIM Santa Barbara takes on The Dudesons

Way back in May 2010, I broke the story about the new MTV show The Dudesons and their tasteless depiction of American Indian culture in the episode Cowboys and Findians.  Here is part one of a three part series of young AIM activists discussing their concerns about The Dudesons.





Ask an Indian: Cultural Appropriation

Simon Moya-Smith is an Oglala Lakota Sioux journalist and activist who describes himself as a "rug lifter" trying to reveal the many American Indian issues swept under the rug.  He blogs over at http://iamnotamascot.blogspot.com/ where his passionate commentary is always good for a hearty laugh and thoughtful reflection.  Here he is decrying Native appropriation while window shopping.




The Stream - Don't Trend on My Culture - Adrienne Keene

Adrienne Keene is a Cherokee blogger and activist who analyzes a constant stream of Native cultural appropriation over at her blog http://nativeappropriations.blogspot.com/.  Thanks to her prodigious efforts at tracking this phenomenon, she is making appearances in more mainstream media such as this interview on The Stream on Al Jazeera English.





Dr. Greene's AB-original Pain Reliever

And finally here is Oneida actor Graham Greene with a humorous take on Native appropriation in marketing.  Enjoy!






Additional reading:

Reel Injun Discussion Guide

Hollywood's Indian: The Portrayal of the Native American in Film. Edited by Peter C. Rollins and John E. O'Connor.  University of Kentucky Press (2003).

From Drawing on Indians:

Drawing on Indians: The Wacky World of TV Tropes

Forget Avatar: 10 Compelling Films of Real-Life Indigenous Struggle


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The Wacky World of TV Tropes

What makes all the mythical, romantic, and stereotypical notions about American Indians so potent and wide spread in modern America?

While there are many answers to this question, one of the most important is simply this: sheer and utter ubiquity.  In almost every form of popular media from television to film to literature to advertising, we are constantly being bombarded with the same creative devices over and over again.  Over time they work their way into our brains and take on a whole new life as tropes.

One of the best websites out there for understanding the power of popular media in shaping the American consciousness is TVtropes.org.  This website is a constantly expanding wikipedia style encyclopedia of tropes from creative works as diverse as video games, theater, music, and new media.  It's tongue and cheek brand of humor and casual tone certainly makes for some entertaining reading.

tvtropes.org

But what exactly is a trope you ask? Here is the working definition from the website:

"Tropes are devices and conventions that a writer can reasonably rely on as being present in the audience members' minds and expectations. On the whole, tropes are not clichés. The word clichéd means "stereotyped and trite." In other words, dull and uninteresting. We are not looking for dull and uninteresting entries. We are here to recognize tropes and play with them, not to make fun of them."

The website includes innumerable examples relevant to Drawing on Indians and I have excerpted some of them here.  Be sure to click on the link and  scroll down to see just how ubiquitous these tropes are across the media world (and feel free to add any new ones):



Indian Burial Ground

"A common cause for supernatural goings-on in America, commonly seen in movies: A house is haunted or Cursed due to being built on an Ancient Indian Burial Ground. The disturbed spirits of the ancients of the land then enact their bloody vengeance against those who wake them by turning off the lights, making hooting noises, creating flies and maybe, if they feel up to it, killing people."

Noble Savage

"A character who is portrayed as nobler or of higher moral fibre than the norm, due to their race or ethnicity, which is that of a barbaric or savage tribe. (Often regarded as living the Good Old Ways). The savages in question are quite often American Indians, so you could probably call them Mary Sioux. Rare nowadays, except as a Sci Fi alien- though it has made something of a comeback with the idea of Magical Native American people being more in tune with nature than the greedy white people."

Going Native

"There are plenty of people who believe that modern life is rubbish and would like to escape it and go live off the fat of the land. The Going Native trope plays to this fantasy by having a character lifted out of his typical environment and thrust into a new one, only to become a part of that new world. "

Injun Country

"American Indians (also Red Indians, Native Americans, Amerinds, or First Nations) discovered America by walking across a gigantic land bridge from Russia into Alaska. For a few thousand years they just took up space until Europeans rode massive wooden buckets across the ocean and crashed into the eastern shore. After a friendly 'getting to know you' dinner party, the killing started, and lines were drawn between the Civilized World and Injun Country."

Magical Native American

"After centuries of various atrocities (smallpox, Columbus, Custer, the Trail of Tears) perpetuated against "the savages", white people finally came to realize that Native Americans have rich identities and cultures. Furthermore, Native American tribes have their own rich and varied beliefs, many of which hold close to the idea of the value of everything on the earth...Of course, many non-Natives, especially those Hollywood types, saw a complex faith with a focus on ritual and spirits and broke it down to "magic." So, whenever someone needs to bring in a spirit guide, or magical superpowers, they bring in the Magical Native American."

Badass Native

"Indigenous people tend to be, well, poor. Indigenous people also have a tradition of war, unlike the rest of the world. So of course they're badasses. No matter what era, you're in, if you live in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, or Australia, indigenous people will be badasses. Rarely seen in the rest of the world, though. The American version of the Badass Native has costuming and prop elements as well. Note that this is Always Male, will often be magical. Overlap with Noble Savage."

 Mighty Whitey 

"A common trope in 18th and 19th century adventure fiction, when vast swathes of the world were being explored and properly documented by Europeans for the first time, Mighty Whitey is usually a displaced white European, of noble descent, who ends up living with native tribespeople and not only learns their ways but also becomes their greatest warrior/leader/representative. Extra points if he woos The Chiefs Daughter along the way."

The Chief's Daughter

"Even in Darkest Africa, Injun Country, or the land of Wild Samoans, Everythings Better With Princesses. The Chief's daughter, in her Fur Bikini or Braids Beads And Buckskins, is often the first to greet or trust Mighty Whitey during his visit to the strange new land. She'll be inexplicably beautiful by Western standards with just enough racial traits to be exotic, and will be a Noble, Nubile Savage compared to the rest of her Barbarian Tribe, and a Friend To All Living Things."

Mayincatec

"Under Hollywood History, all historical Central/South American nations are lumped into one exotic and barbaric people: the Mayincatec, featuring aspects of the Maya, Inca and the Aztecs, plus many others. It's a salad of exciting bits from all their histories, with a topping of myth and fiction. And the dressing is blood."

Pocahontas

Want to see these TV tropes in action?  Well, there isn't a better example out there than the famously flawed 1995 Disney animated film Pocahontas.

One of the best critiques is from regular TVtropes.org contributor The Nostalgia Chick.  Her silly comments and sharp wit add a touch of humor to what could otherwise be a very dry subject.  She also created a video critique of Pocahontas which you will find below:



Part 1 of 2:




Part 2 of 2:  (scroll ahead to 3:38 for the most disturbing Disney movie line ever)




To conclude as only The Nostalgia Chick can:

"And hopefully now we're all a little less educated on our own history. And the movie leaves us with questions like, 'Why are there moose in Virginia? Where did all those majestic cliffs go in the interim 500 years? Why doesn't listening with one's heart bridge language gaps anymore? Why does Pocahontas lack a real nose — was she really fathered by Lord Voldemort?' Really, it's best not to think about it — the great mouse in the sky certainly doesn't want you to."

For more on Pocahontas, check out this previous post:

Portraying Pocahontas: or the Not-So-Modern Origins of the "Sexy Indian Princess"


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Western Sky Financial: Take Two

Over 8 months ago I saw a TV commercial that got my attention.  It was for Western Sky Financial, one of those payday loan services that promises to lend you money almost instantly.  The catch of course is you pay upwards of 194% interest.

Here is the original post...

"Get Cash Fast" Indians

...and a brief look at the commercial:






Here's a longer version with a little bonus racist commentary:





I decided to re-visit this topic because of the attention it has received not only on this blog but across the internet.  The Native American content of the advertisement has provoked strong reactions ranging from racist to thoughtful and reasonable.

Most people concentrate on the financial aspect of the advertisement (source):

"Nothing like preying on people at there most desperate."

"Hey at least he's honest on the TV commercial (it's not cheap)"

But many others focus right in on the Indian angle (source):

"It was still nice to see a Native American business advertisement."

"I think America needs to realize that Indians, as they call us, will be an economic force that every nation and creed will be coming to us for mortgages, loans, cars, and whatever other business "Indians" stereotypically did not conquer in the past"

"it's not rocket science. You get approved, and once again your in debt. The reservation has it's own laws. They can do any thing they want."

"lol, well if there not in the US can you take the money and not pay it back?"

I was particularly disheartened at the large number of completely ignorant comments:

"Do they come by with peace pipes when a person doesn't pay them?" (source)

"Great Spirit say time to take advantage of the white man." (source)

"interest rate soar like eagle." (source)

"Gives new meaning to 'getting scalped'" (source)

"F*ckin' Indians..." (source)

Once again, America has proven it's wonderful track record of peace, tolerance, and understanding with Native Americans. Even when confronted with a tasteful advertisement of a man wearing a business suit, the mere mention of Native America provokes the worst sort of reactions among my fellow citizens.

Even when someone starts to write a reasonable comment they completely lose it in the end (source):

"Hey, it's not like we forced them to leave their lands, committed what is essentially mass genocide, broke treaties (which are contracts), killed their sources of food, spread highly infectious & deadly diseases amongst their animals and people, or did highly devious trades with them.. Anyway, I noticed that the APR is clearly printed at the bottom.. 139%.. lmao.. but for payday companies, that's fairly low. It's still rape."

There is one additional angle to this story that is definitely worth mentioning.  At least two sets of comments claim that this enterprise may not be what it seems.

Here is jneen commenting on the original blog posting (source):

"I am Native American,Seneca, these guys requested a copy of my Father's bank statement,driver's license. If he had gotten the loan at 199% interest,I would have paid it off. Thank-God he was turned down because of his age and credit. Yes,they do make a credit check. Also it is a loan company in California,that you deal with. The Sioux "outsourced". This is a scam,using Native people as a cover. I doubt very seriously if the Sioux will see one cent of any profit made from this company."

and user briankjohn over on youtube (source):

"This is BS!!! These guys are not Indian, they do this crap all over the country, and are currently being sued in West Virginia where the Attorney General has demanded that they stop doing business in WV."

briankjohn was probably referring to this news release from the West Virginia Attorney General's office (source):

"Today Attorney General Darrell McGraw continued his effort to curb illegal activities of payday lenders by filing two lawsuits against 12 Internet payday lenders and their collection agencies."

It does not list Western Sky Financial among the 12 Internet payday lenders.

I did find the Western Sky Financial listing on the Better Business Bureau website which lists their address as Timber Lake, South Dakota.  This backs up the claim that they are indeed a "Native American-owned business operating within the boundaries of the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation."

So is Western Sky Financial just a front for a California based loan company which uses Native people as cover as jneen claims above or is Western Sky Financial a legitimate Native business that simply outsources to the California company?

I'm inclined to believe the latter but there is a bigger story in this whole mess.  Regardless of the origins of this company, the comments popping up across the internet prove one thing- just how far we still have to go.

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Former WWE Superstar 'Tatanka' Talks about Being Professional Wrestling's "Real-Life Native American"

Chris Chavis is a professional wrestling superstar who is also descended from the Lumbee Native American tribe in North Carolina.  He began wrestling in 1990 and immediately made use of his Native heritage to create the wrestling persona "Tatanka."  More info can be found at his Wikipedia page and personal website.

Tatanka!!!

Here's a great interview with Chris on the Miami Herald website.  He was in town to wrestle at the Coastal Championship Wrestling indie show at the Miccosukee Resort & Gaming (a tribal casino outside Miami).  I've posted some of the highlights below but I recommend reading the full article to get his whole background.

Former WWE superstar Tatanka talks Native American

Q: What is the history of the Miccosukee, Seminole and Lumbee tribes getting along? Any battles?

A: No. No battles.  I have a contact list of all tribes throughout the U.S. (including Alaska) and Canada. People don't realize there are actually 1,838 tribes. Huge. There's approximately 600 in Canada, 425 in Alaska and and around 1,000 in the U.S. People don't realize that because TV has programmed people to see only the Apache, the Navajo, the Cherokee, and TV always depicted the Native Americans not in a proper way.

That's why it's good we finally have movies that came along -- like "Dances with Wolves" -- that really portrayed the Native Americans as they truly are. Not like the John Wayne movies.


Q: Did you have to overcome any stereotypes growing up?

We really didn't have to deal with that.  Thank God I came from an area where it was accepted. I went to high school and college in Virginia.

North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, those areas have a lot of native tribes. You got the Cherokees. You have the Lumbees, the Iroquois, a lot of different tribes. So it wasn't a thing people wanted to stereotype. It was more accepted.

The stereotyping, yea, you still have that, but I think it's more from some of the areas in the country where you have certain races of people who are very hypocritical or anti.



Q: Did promoters ever want to give you a different character than your real-life persona as a Native American?

A: ...They said, "There's not a lot of natives in the business, but the natives who have been in the business have done great. You can be who you are. You're the real deal. Let's just shoot with you." George Scott was a promoter who believed what you do has to be believable. He would call it a shoot.

So they loved that I was Native American.


...When I went to the WWF, [owner] Vince [McMahon] loved it. He's said, "I loved that you're truly native. We can go right to your tribe. We can do vignettes right at your tribe. They can check your name. We're going to start you as Chris Chavis because Chris Chavis is really Native American. They can find out Chris Chavis is a proud member of the Lumbee Tribe."

Chris Chavis posing with our troops

(image source: www.nativetatanka.com)

Comments:

Admittedly I don't know a whole lot about this "sporting theater" known as professional wrestling or even "Tatanka" the wrestling legend but I watched enough as a kid to know I don't much care for it.

Professional wrestling has never been known for its subtlety or nuance.  It's essentially a testosterone fueled sideshow with crazy characters and even crazier bodies.  (hairless, tanned, and oiled up like they should be...dammit!)  Then again as Chris Chavis demonstrates, it is also a forum for expressing your identity and heritage (albeit through an over-the-top wrestling persona).

Chris is also uniquely qualified to speak on this issue of Native representation in the media and popular culture since he literally was the face of Native America for countless young wrestling fans across America.  I don't know his character Tatanka or his routine to comment on specifics but I suspect it may be a mixture of his personal heritage and culture with some Hollywood thrown in.

Why you ask?

When the event promoters and managers say, "You can be who you are. You're the real deal." I can't help but wonder if they're thinking in the back of their heads "Wow, a real Indian!  We don't have to parade around those fake Indians anymore!"  From the promoters point of view, Chris brings the tantalizing qualities of his authentic native heritage to a public that time and time again has proven its insatiable thirst for the exotic Indian on display.

In my opinion, Tatanka looks like a Native American mascot brought to life.  He has donned the customary plains headdress, warpaint, and even dances.  Then again, all professional wrestlers are forced into a character niche, often stereotypical, to fulfill the demands of the business.

Well enough from me.  I'll let this video do the talking:




The article/interview also has some interesting language.  Whenever someone refers to a Native person as a "real-life Native American" I can't help but shake my head.  It's pretty sad that people have become so used to fake Indians that the "real deal" is so amazing!

Wild Boyz Indians

Life on the Pine Ridge Agency is hard. Located in southwest South Dakota in the badlands, this 3,500 sq. mi. tract of rugged prairie is larger than the state of Rhode Island. Home to over 50,000 members of the Oglala Lakota nation, it also contains some of the worst poverty in the entire nation.

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Here are the facts:

• Pine Ridge is located in the poorest county in America
• Nearly half the population lives below the poverty line
• Unemployment is close to 80%
• Up to 10% of the Pine Ridge population are gang members

I learned these harrowing statistics watching one of the most compelling documentary television shows on the air today Gangland.  Each episode of the History Channel series profiles one of the most notorious gangs in America running from the Aryan Brotherhood, to the Latin Kings, to the Hells Angels, to this week's installment, the Wild Boyz of Pine Ridge.

Much of the gang activity on the Pine Ridge Reservation is imported from cities where tribal members get hooked up with urban gangs.  They often move back to the Reservation and bring their gangbanging ways with them.

The exception to the rule is the homegrown gang known as the Wild Boyz.  Its members were born and raised on the Pine Ridge Agency.  They are a native twist on the traditional gang model.

Having seen many episodes of this series, I noticed early on the same trends running through all the different gangs.  They all have their own territory, sport their own gang signs, symbols, and colors, and express an unbelievable sense of anger and frustration.  And they are all after one fundamental thing- RESPECT.  The Wild Boyz are no different.  They subvert native symbols to create gang tattoos- foremost among them being the bear claw.  For them, being a gang member is the modern equivalent of being a Lakota warrior.

Their violence and unique take on tribal history infuriates many in the community.  The Wild Boyz are appropriating their own culture and twisting it into a violent shadow of itself.  For so many disaffected youth on the rez, the Wild Boyz become their new family, their new Lakota brothers- a place for them that is still uniquely native but also provides an escape from all the pain of growing up on Pine Ridge.

(Source: flickr)

This episode profiling the Wild Boyz presents one of the most harrowing tales of modern native life- the crushing poverty that forces so many young men into a life of crime.

In a way, this episode of Gangland proves one thing- the Lakota youth of Pine Ridge are like so many other young men and women in the country.  They are scared, disaffected, and desperately searching for something to give their life meaning.  Sadly, instead of finding meaning in their families or traditions, they create an artificial family, one that breeds hate and violence through a culture of fear.

The Wild Boyz episode of Gangland is about as far as one can get from the classic Indian stereotypes of film and television.  The gang members are decked out in sports jerseys, hoodies, and baggy jeans.  Their speech is filled with the colorful words and phrases usually associated with black urban culture.

The Gangland series is also an extremely voyeuristic show.  It allows anyone to sit comfortably in their homes and watch a real life drama unfold before their very eyes.  It opens up windows into other cultures that are about as far as one can get from the white, middle-class, suburban lives many of us live.

While this episode may not fit the usual trend of Indian obsession or appropriation, it still proves that our majority American culture can't get enough of delving deep into the lives of the Other.

The Dudesons: A Retrospective

It was exactly two weeks ago today that I was innocently flipping through TV channels as I lay comfortable in bed.  I skipped the news, didn't find anything interesting on History or Discovery, and finally reached the 50s.  That is your music/entertainment section of the TV dial.

Let's see VH1 (some trashy "celebreality" show), Spike TV (extreme fighters punching each other senseless), and MTV (heavily-accented foreigners dressed like Indians escaping from jail).

My heart skips a beat as I scream out loud- "Whoa, Hipster headdresses!"
Then I learn they are fulfilling several native "rites of passage."
Then I see Saginaw Grant- "King of All Indians."
Then I wonder if anyone else in the world is seeing this.
Then I start typing.

I started this blog three months ago as a written record of the ever-increasing instances of Native culture, imagery, names, and themes in everyday life.  I never expected it would be so easy.

An Example of "Native Imagery in Everyday Life"

Before I knew it, my post had been picked up at the Newspaper Rock Blog.  Then the comments started pouring in everywhere ranging from "this is absolutely racist and horrible" to "it's only a joke/satire, get over it."  Then the AIM Santa Barbara chapter started asking people to call MTV and complain.

I have absolutely no regrets for writing about The Dudesons and bringing it to people's attention for one simple reason.  IT GOT PEOPLE THINKING!  So in my book, mission accomplished.

That being said, I'd like to add one more interesting element to the mix.  Aside from all the heated rhetoric about whether the Dudesons were racist or funny, rude or satire, there is the underlying question of why?

Why would a group of Finnish performance artists choose a Native American theme for their show about coming to America? 

Here's one theory:

Stereotypes beget Stereotypes:

To begin, I'd like to quote Dudeson Jukka himself:
 (Entertainment Weekly interview)

"The whole spirit of the show is that everything we do is something very themed, very American. On one of the episodes we tried to become the first Finnish Native Americans. So we got a 73-year-old Indian mentor, and we go through all these ridiculous rites of passages we could think of. We tried to prove we are worthy of becoming a member of his Indian tribe."

Jukka again:

"Yeah, we brainstorm and come up with all the stuff we do. It’s an ongoing process. You can see something funny on the street, and think, 'Oh, that would be fun to try. How can we make it even more silly?' Some of the things you see in movies or cartoons, you think of a way to recreate it or add a unique twist to it. Usually, it’s taking something to a totally wrong place."

But wait there's more:

"With the spirit of the show and how we are, we never make fun of anyone except ourselves. Doing the show in that spirit has been great. Americans have been laughing and saying, 'Oh my God, what are you guys doing?' They don’t really know what to think. 'These guys are nuts but I love them.' Being here in America and doing the show here, we try to do a lot of things with Americans, and there are a lot of local people involved as well."

An Example of a "Local Person Involved"

In my mind, these quotes reveal three things about the Dudesons:

1. They thought of American Indians as a fundamental theme of America.

2. Their "research" consisted of simply brainstorming, stuff "we could think of," and gleaning ideas from "movies or cartoons."

3. They didn't think there was anything wrong with what they were doing.

Together, these three elements reveal a group of young men who were exposed to simple stereotypes and caricatures while growing up.  They simply collected their thoughts, feelings, and childhood nostalgia for Indians, lumping them together into one hot mess known as "Cowboys and Findians."

Regardless of how you feel about the Dudesons or their honest intent, you have to agree that Indian stereotypes in popular culture played a fundamental role in the creation of this episode!

Cowboys and Findians is a perfect example of the pernicious nature of these stereotypes.  Growing up in Finland, the Dudesons must have learned about America and American culture through cultural imports- particularly film and television.  They probably received a steady stream of cowboy and Indian flicks (hence the stunt with the Findians trying to escape from jail).  They only ever utilize the most salient and camera-friendly elements of native culture (feathers, totem poles, canoes, etc).  And thanks to popular notions of noble savagery, the Dudesons' Indians are simultaneously savage and noble (catching fish with their mouths like wild beasts but also strong and brave with "balls of steel").

Lastly, they honestly didn't think they were ridiculing anyone because in their minds, the silly stunts and Indian motifs fit with what they learned growing up.  How can you find something offensive if it feels so right and you know no alternative?

Right or wrong, the Dudesons would never have created this episode if it were not for the stereotypes that came before...

...and the ones still to come.

"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:

Dudesons in America - MTV Shows

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!

Stephen Colbert: "Go Humans!!!"

Gotta love Stephen Colbert.

In case you missed last night's episode, Stephen Colbert took on Stephen Hawking's new television series Into the Universe, with Stephen Hawking.  Stephen questioned Hawking's belief that aliens encountering humans would not turn out well.  To quote Hawking from his show:

The outcome would be much as when Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which didn't turn out very well for the Native Americans.

Stephen goes on to rip Hawking apart for his support of the "old liberal myth that colonization was bad for the Native Americans."  The next section is priceless including a hilarious run down of the top "Indians" that owe their existence to Columbus and the colonizers.  Let's just say it's comedy genius and the ending is perfect.  He gives the Cleveland Indians a run for their money.   Go Humans!!!

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Stephen Hawking Is Such an A-Hole
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Fox News

The best part about all this comedy, it points out the absolute absurdities of these Indian stereotypes.  This is why I love satire and comedy so much, it is the perfect medium for discussing otherwise touchy issues such as cultural appropriation and the troubled history between indigenous peoples and colonizers in North America.  Satire points out the nuances that too often are lost on most people.  Thank you Stephen Colbert for reminding the millions of people who watch your show about this subject.  Let's just hope they remember the history behind the humor.

"Get Cash Fast" Indians

Today, I caught a television commercial that made me stop in my tracks. Watching the local evening news, I have gotten used to seeing the “get cash fast” commercials that are a sad by-product of our current economic recession. What I haven't gotten used to is this...

The commercial opens with man in a business suite looking straight at the camera. His long hair rests gently on his padded shoulders as a picturesque mountain scene completes the background. He talks in the quick authoritative voice of the TV pitchman:

“How would you like up to $2500.00 almost instantly? Here at Western Sky Financial, we'll lend you this money almost instantly and with no collateral whatsoever. Sure, it's expensive, but you can pay it down quick to not pay as many fees. Call us now.”

And here's the kicker. At the bottom, in larger-than-average legal print, is this line: “100% Native American owned business.” Doing a little more internet research, I stumbled across their website.

So this got me thinking... Okay, yeah so you're 100% Native American owned but why make such a big deal out of it? I present to you three possible reasons.

#1 Marketing
Did you know that there are entire advertising agencies in the United States that specialize in marketing to specific ethnic groups. There are agencies that cater to African-Americans, others target the Latino or Spanish-speaking populations, and still others generally on the West Coast that market to Asian-Americans. Could this TV commercial possibly be an example of an advertisement aimed at Native American customers? Possibly, but probably not. First of all, is there even a big enough customer base of cash-strapped Native Americans looking to get super high-interest loans? Second, why would it be playing here in southeast Michigan where the native population is significant in absolute terms but only a fraction of the total population. Yes, Detroit was harder hit than most areas but it still doesn't explain the Indian line. Could it possibly be aimed at other populations who hold an affinity for Indians, your hobbyists and other Indian enthusiasts? Probably not since the commercial is so straightforward and the guy is wearing a business suit not a headdress! So marketing, I say probably not...

#2 Pride
At the bottom of the website in big bold letters you find the following statement, “Western Sky Financial, LLC, is a Native American-owned business operating within the boundaries of the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation.” Located in central South Dakota, the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation has some of the worst poverty in the entire country. More than half the population struggles under the poverty line with depression and despair are all too common. Just this past summer, I drove through the reservation myself experiencing the rural poverty and isolation firsthand.

With conditions like this, the people need more than a financial stimulus, they need a stimulus of the spirit. Hope is the key to turning around this downward spiral and lifting up the hearts and minds of the people. Programs that provide a safe haven for youth as well as a new health center are examples of this turn around. The TV commercial for Western Sky Financial could be a further example. You can almost feel the pride of the business owner as he tells the ad man, “Yes, I want it to say 'a Native American-owned business operating within the boundaries of the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation.'” Maybe the owner(s) of Western Sky Financial lifted themselves out of poverty and are now proud business owners. In a community where most people don't have jobs, let alone own their own businesses, this is a major accomplishment and one to be rightly proud of.


#3 Not the USA!!!!
Well, if you've been to the Western Sky Financial website by now, you may have noticed that I didn't include the full statement above. In its entirety it reads, “Western Sky Financial, LLC, is a Native American-owned business operating within the boundaries of the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation, a sovereign nation located within the United States of America.” That's right, the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation is its own sovereign nation located within the United States of America. If you've sat through a basic High School American History class, you should know this. Then again, if you find yourself deep in debt and you are actually considering taking out a loan with 199.98% interest, you probably are one of those people who slept through history class.

This advertisement draws upon all the fears of the right-wing Tea Party movement. If you truly believe that your sovereign nation, the United States of America, is on the brink of financial meltdown, then where better to look to than another sovereign nation for help! Or maybe you actually need $2500.00 almost instantly but you wouldn't dare ask for it from one of those greedy, bailed out, stimulus-money-loving banks. Why, turn to your local neighborhood Indian reservation. They are after all their own sovereign nation, they can't possibly be connected to that fiasco in Washington! Western Sky Financial has subtlety turned anti-government angst into its own marketing strategy. (Just don't tell the customers about the billions of federal dollars and stimulus money that rightly goes to Indian Country every year, it will just ruin the illusion)


Update: New Post 12/5/2010  (click link below)

Western Sky Financial: Take Two

Blue Monkey Indians!

Avatar... where do I even start.  In many ways, seeing this movie was a prime motivation for starting this blog.  I walked into this film with a more or less open mind.  I had read about the general plot and themes.  I read about the glorious special effects and the $300 million budget.  I even read about how they constructed a whole new alien language for this film!  (and don't get me started on how those resources could have been better used to save one of the hundreds of disappearing real languages!)  So after all that, I donned my 3D glasses, sat down, and awed in the glory of James Cameron's 162 minute master opus.    Or not.

It didn't take long before I started noticing things.  The way the plot was developing, the specific dialogue, the overall themes.  Something didn't seem right.  It seemed just all too familiar.  I finally realized what was happening.  I had seen this movie before!!!

I present to you Exhibit A:

CFV 426 - Avatar/Pocahontas Mashup FINAL VERSION from Randy Szuch on Vimeo.

That's right- Avatar is Pocahontas.  It's not even a metaphor- the plots are literally the same thing.  Young soldier lands in strange new world.  Goes off to make peace with the “natives.”  Falls in love with the impeccably beautiful native princess.  The indigenous population lives in absolute 100% perfect harmony with the natural world around them (unlike those greedy, polluting, capitalist invaders!).  All hell breaks loose and the poor native people tragically suffer.

In many ways, Avatar simply re-imagines the classic stereotype of the noble, primitive Indian- the sons and daughters of the forest living in complete harmony with the natural world around them.  This stereotype has been around for centuries but took on a new meaning in mid-twentieth century America.  With the new age counterculture of the 1960s embracing Indian primitivism as a form of rebellion against modern society combining with the burgeoning environmental movement of the 1970s, you get America's new love affair with the tree-hugging Indian.  Essentially, two popular movements combined  and in the process co-opted the American Indian as its symbol.  Hence the classic TV commercial of the crying Indian and the malicious littering.  Exhibit B:



Popular notions about American Indians tell us that of course they “have a deep abiding respect for the natural beauty that was once this country”!  The reason this type of “Indian” is so pernicious is that it once again traps native people in the cage of primitivism.  It doesn't allow for any complexity of thought, feeling, or action towards the environment.  The historic relationship between native people and the land is just as complicated as the one between settlers and the land.  The relationship between modern native communities and the land is also just as complicated at times.  But then again, when Hollywood drops such a wide-spread cultural phenomenon in your lap, why not take advantage.

Presenting Exhibit C:

Just a few months ago, this appeared in the Oscar edition of Variety magazine. Whatever your stand on the issue of tar sands development in Canada, you can't help but notice the trend that continues today.