Martin Scorsese's latest film,Murderers of the Flower Moon” has brought significant attention to indigenous peoples around the world. “Killers of the Flower Moon” depicts atrocities committed against a nation. Osage Nation, especially the brutality that women faced when their land was seized in an attempt to gain chieftaincy rights for oil money. The forced relocation of Native Americans is nothing new, but Scorsese's film helped bring the issue into the spotlight.
While this film was incredibly dense and moving, it did more than scratch the surface of the justice that Indigenous peoples deserve.
The film not only provides a glimpse into the violence faced by the Osage people, but also depicts the indifference of the U.S. government until white men were included in the death toll. This helps portray the severity of white ignorance regarding the genocide of Native Americans.
Just like Killers of the Flower Moon and other movies and TV shows.blood quantum,””dances with wolves,” and “dark winds” helps portray the suffering of Indigenous peoples and foster conversations about displacement and genocide. People tend to forget the history of indigenous communities and seem uninterested in getting involved. Pop culture and media force people to confront the horrors of America's colonial past, whether they want to or not.
A film as popular and successful as Killers of the Flower Moon brought the discussion about the genocide of Native Americans to the forefront.
The production of the award-winning film does not correct the injustices faced by numerous Native American tribes, but confronts the erasure of these Native American identities from the history of colonial America.
Colonization also led to cultural appropriation of indigenous identities. A sacred tradition that had been followed for centuries became something to be ridiculed. From Halloween costumes to sports mascots, cultural appropriation This problem has been going on for years, and it's doubtful it will ever end.
Even at an institutional level, universities have yet to address their own cultural appropriation deficiencies.For example, the Florida State University (FSU) mascot is SeminoleIt is based on the Native American tribes that previously occupied Florida until they were forced to migrate westward.
The university has yet to publicly acknowledge that its mascot is a form of cultural appropriation, and has not said anything about changing it.
Students also participate in sporting and campus events. “Seminole Hymn” There, they copy traditional Native American chants without acknowledging the roots of the tradition. The school and its students mock Seminole traditions without any education or awareness of the Seminole people.
In contrast, the NFL team formerly named “Washington Redskins” Team name changed in July 2020 later Native American Parents Association (NAGA) advocated the name change and is now known as the “Washington Commanders.”
Some teams, such as the Kansas City Chiefs (NFL), have decided to keep their name and offer compensation in return. local tribe Their team is named after it.
Movies and TV shows are also guilty of cultural appropriation, especially when it comes to traditional costumes, make-up styles, and the way they are portrayed. “Peter Pan” This is a common example of cultural appropriation in movies. moreover”pocahontas,””the last mohawk,” and “lone Ranger” also includes forms of appropriation of Indigenous culture.
To combat cultural appropriation in the film industry of the past, Killers of the Flower Moon,Without even a whisper,””reel injun,” and “continue talking” all include Indigenous cultural expressions that help raise awareness of the genocide and discrimination that Indigenous peoples have faced and continue to face.
The media has long insulted and mocked different cultures, races, ethnicities, and nationalities, and Indigenous peoples are no exception.
The discrimination faced by indigenous peoples is always hidden, especially when it comes to equity. coverage About the harsh reservation situation. In the United States, poor living conditions on reservations are often overlooked and ignored by the media.
According to , 48% of Native American reservations in the United States do not have access to clean drinking water. the study Conducted by the University of Colorado Boulder. Clean water is a fundamental right that hundreds of indigenous peoples are deprived of with little public awareness of the issue.
Indigenous peoples living on reservations also experience voter suppression, which is a birthright of American citizens.There is Insufficient and inaccessible voting resources Education about appointments is also required, and those who choose to vote typically have to travel many miles to a drop box or polling place.
One of the main reasons many Native Americans live on reservations is because former President Andrew JacksonIndian Removal ActThis allowed the government to take land from Native Americans east of the Mississippi River and move them west to what was considered “Indian land” in present-day Oklahoma. More than 100,000 Native Americans were forced from their homes, and about 15,000 of them died in the so-called “war.” “Trail of Tears.”
Despite a clear peace treaty, the federal government continues to violate the agreed agreements. To this day, the effects of the displacement of thousands of Native Americans are still being felt, with many forced to live on reservations to protect their culture and heritage, but their safety remains uncertain. Not guaranteed.
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children from 2009 to 2018 (NCMEC) 1,909 Native American children were reported missing. The investigation began after the bodies of Native American children continued to be discovered beneath reservation schools.
NCMEC reported. 62 percent For years, the proportion of Indigenous children reported missing during this period who were reported missing was the subject of sex trafficking; It has improperly reported decades of abuse.
The last “American Indian Boarding School” closed only recently. 1983 In Michigan.
Reservation schools were established to try to assimilate indigenous children into Western culture. Children are often abducted by government agents and forced to attend schools hundreds of miles away from their families, where they are beaten and starved, especially if they do not speak their native language or communicate with Native American culture. They were further abused if they showed any connection. . As people shared their experiences on social media and other public platforms, awareness about the horrific experiences Native Americans endured at “American Indian Boarding Schools” grew.
Although this is not depicted in Scorsese's film Killers of the Flower Moon, it is one of the methods of genocide depicted in Killers of the Flower Moon.Anne of E. ”
The U.S. government attempted to “whitewash” Native American people by confining them to these schools and forcibly introducing Western values. The effects of this whitewashing are still felt today.
For marginalized communities, some form of representation is important to preserving their history and culture. “Killers of the Flower Moon” is just one example of Indigenous expression, but there are many others that are less popular but still have a powerful impact.
AMC's “Dark Winds” and Netflix's “Spirit Rangers” are two lesser-known examples of media representation of Native American populations, but neither example nor “Killers of the Flower Moon” Focus primarily on tragedies occurring in Indigenous communities, and in rare cases, if possible, include an accurate depiction of Indigenous culture, including the beauty of the culture, such as rituals, costumes, and festivals.
Commercial film and television should also prioritize accurate racial casting.
“Killers of the Flower Moon” was the first to include Native American actors in the film, especially when it came to individual actors like Lily Gladstone, who was nominated for an Oscar and also won a Golden Globe. It was groundbreaking to do so. She plays Molly Burkhardt, one of the main characters in the movie.
In the new American landscape, Indigenous peoples are finally beginning to be included in conversations, especially in government conversations. The success of Killers of the Flower Moon brought a lot of attention to indigenous peoples and the continued genocide they face. Including Indigenous people in the film industry will help spark more conversation and attention for Native Americans, and will hopefully continue to foster conversation and bring awareness and support to Native Americans.
On January 7, 2024, Gladstone won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. This was monumental for indigenous peoples around the world. She is the first Native American to receive the award and began her speech in her native Blackfoot language, an incredible feat for Native Americans around the world.
No amount of media coverage can reverse the ravages of colonization and genocide, but hopefully the new American pop culture landscape can bring these stories the attention they deserve. I am.
