To start things off this week, here's the trailer from the movie I discussed last time, The Indian in the Cupboard: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp5P53ZGTmk I am still waiting to receive the film from Netflix, in order to do a comprehensive review of what stereotypes this kid's movie is guilty of, so I can't pass judgment yet. From the trailer though, it certainly looks like some of the issues shown in 'Reel Injun' will be present. The guy in the trailer certainly seemed to be acting like the 'noble savage'. One thing I wonder about though is whether the movie would actually be guilty of stereotyping. In the film, an action figure Indian is brought to life. Does this mean the figure would act like an actual American Indian? Or does it mean that it would act like the stereotypes that led to the action figure's creation? After all, when a kid plays with this toy, he's probably only got the old Hollywood stereotypes in mind. Again I'm reading into the film without having seen it, but I think that says something about how 'alive' or ideas of the Indians are even if they're incorrect. The miniature Indian in the film could literally be the embodiment of the 'reel injun' that so influences actual Indian communities as well as everyone else's idea of American Indians.
One thing that I would like to talk about over multiple blog posts (as I develop the idea further) is something that I plan to write. As a creative writing major with a focus in speculative fiction, I do want to include certain aesthetics in my work. One idea I've had has been heavily influenced by American Indian culture from the start.
The idea is simple. There will be a tribe of American Indian-like people who have not yet had contact with other cultures. One young individual would have the 'gift' of being able to commune with the minds of animals and they use this ability to hunt by hypnotizing animals into submission. When armored 'European' individuals show up and start killing everyone, this young Indian will have to use their ability to gain insight from the the animals that can help them defeat the 'Europeans'. Each animal's mind would be represented by a new landscape the young Indian could enter. This gives me a chance to sue things like the trickster tales to influence the worlds of the animals. It would sort of be the opposite of a trickster tale. The intelligent spirit of an animal would put the young Indian through a test in order to impart wisdom to them.
I was even thinking to include some lines from a classic piece of writing. (Points if you know where these phrases come from) I wold have each animal bestow an ability to the young Indian. As examples: the mole's dim curtain, the lynx's beam, and the spider's touch.
I think the story would be a great allegory for someone becoming a vegetarian. (Though I'm not one, it's still something fun to explore) So the question is... which tribe or which traditions would I want to use as the basis for the people in my story? My goal over the next few weeks is to report (in portions of blog posts) on a particular tribe's life style and try to find the one that would best fit this idea. Then I can use it to help build the fictitious world.
As far as the film about the Indian holocaust... I have to admit I was shocked. While I was well aware of our long history of oppressing the natives, I had no idea that there were so many recent incidents or that so many civilians were put in harm's way. I honestly had not heard much at all about the incident at Wounded Knee. The fact that a small faction of Indians were still fighting for their rights with guns just sixteen years before I was born is sort of surreal. My parents were watching this on the news when it happened. it makes me wonder what kind of conversations the Indians had during the occupation. They had to know how badly they were outnumbered and outgunned, so what was the atmosphere in those buildings like? Were they happy to finally be doing something about it? Were they fearing for their lives? Were they filled with hatred for the FBI agents outside? Whether this happened or not, I picture them sitting inside, a few guns trained out the window, and everyone else circled together and singing a native song in low voices.
Honestly, I don't think I could have stood against them. I would just let them absorb the town into their land. In all honesty, the Indians seemed far more human in this situation than the government's response. It didn't even seem like they tried to be understanding. They just sent the FBI and the police in, guns blazing. After just reading about the Oglala nation on the Wikipedia page for the incident, I've decided they will be the first culture I will research for my story project.
So until next week....
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