Breaking through Stereotypes

As we learned from movies like a Man Called Horse, the more “accurate” and “authentic” a film is said to be, the more extravagant it is likely to be in at least some aspects of its misrepresentation of Indians…the more “evenhanded” or even “sympathetic” a movie is supposed to be in its portrayal of Indians, the more demeaning it’s likely to be in the end…the more “sophisticated” the treatment of Indians, the more dangerous it’s likely to be[1].

Vine Deloria Jr.

Most directors (who are not Native American Indian) and their films that have attempted to represent the people of First Nations, their life, and cultural practices in a sympathetic or compassionate manner; however, they end up perpetuating the same dangerous stereotypes (savage, noble savage, dirty, heathens, sexual marauder, and etc.). These stereotypes have brought horrific consequences to the people the First Nations, and for this reason it is necessary to begin this paper using an idea from Ward Churchill by quoting Vine Deloria, Jr.

Even today, when we as a nation our said to be accepting of difference, we see directors like James Cameron illustrating how the white man is superior to people from a different culture. In the movie Avatar, the director plays on the sympathetic minds of his audience. He does this by facing good against evil, much the same way that every other non-Native American writer, director, or producer has done and continues to do. Just because one chooses to portray Native American in film, doesn’t mean there should be a plot to “save” the Indigenous People form their “savage and primitive” ways. Yes, I know this is a story is one of fantasy, but it illustrates the same old story. First planet Earth and its corporate military has discovered a much sought after resource and will do anything to acquire it and second it takes a white man to save the Indigenous People, making most viewer feel warm and fuzzy inside.

From the first movie portraying the life of Indigenous People, Nanook of the North (1922), directed by Robert J. Flaherty; to Dances with Wolves (1997), directed by Kevein Costner; to The New World (2005), directed by Terrence Malick, films have been a powerful message board for reinforcing the Master Narrative. For this individual the Master Narrative is history being told by the winners and these same messages can be found in American classrooms, teaching how the white man and his western expansion and the means deployed were justified, because it was guided by God.

If you are a person who enjoys film, and would like to start deconstructing the damaging stereotypes, may I suggest going out to your local video store or searching Netflix for the following films: Fast Runner, directed by Zazharia Kunuk; Doe Boy, directed by Randy Redroad; Skins, directed by Chris Eye; and Business of Fancy Dancing, directed by Sherman Alexie.

Reference

[1] Ward Churchill, And They did it Like Dogs in the Dirt…in Fantasies of the Master Race, page 225