In the spirit of the holiday, I have decided to dedicate the next few blog posts to Native Americans in various forms of media. In my research I hope to find some amazing stuff and I hope you all will enjoy. My family has deep roots within native culture (my great-grandparents were full-blooded Choctaw) and so, this subject is very close to home for me. The injustices suffered by over 500 Native American tribes has left a permanent scar on the face of this country and with the continued struggle in places such as North Dakota and the major outcry against the Dakota Access Pipeline, these wounds can still be felt today.
Education is key in understanding and empathizing with other cultures. While we have differences in our beliefs, I think the one thing we can agree upon is that this nation is more divided than ever when it comes to race relations. So, I am taking the initiative to present unique and interesting facts about various tribes, their cultures, and their portrayal in various media. If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them.
The review for today: Blackstone, an award-winning Canadian television series that aired from 2011 to 2015. The series revolved around Leona Stoney, the newly-appointed Chief of the fictional First Nation Reserve, Blackstone. After spending time away from the reservation and returning to discover corruption, mismanagement of funds, among other major issues plaguing the Alberta reserve, Leona decides to right the wrongs committed by the previous chief. The series serves as a reflection of real issues that indigenous people face in the 21st century such as poverty, depression, addiction, and the effects of broken political systems.
The Positive Side: The show is centered around a strong female lead who, despite the numerous tragedies taking place in her life, she manages to hold firm to her culture and values. As well, her sister, Gail Stoney is a darker, more complex character that serves to illustrate the pain of addiction and loss.The show also does a great job at displaying how reserves are governed and the political aspects of living on a reservation. Lastly, the show seamlessly blends traditional Native American culture into the modern day without appearing forced or unrealistic.
The Negative side: The show is dark. The first episode introduces a lot of heavy subjects right at the very start and if you are more on the sensitive side, this will be challenging to get through (I know it was for myself). Another issue is that while the show stands to represent indigenous people and their culture, I noticed a number of characteristics may be seen as stereotypical such as overt racism, corruption, greed, among others. An example of this is in the episode, "White Bread Red Class" where Leona hires a white teacher to instruct three grades and the students (seemingly underachieving) disrespected the teacher because of this fact. I will say however, that this issue is examined further later in the episodes and series.
If you are looking for something to watch around this Thanksgiving season, please consider Blackstone. I will say what I have said before, representation is very important. If people don't see it, then it doesn't exist. We need more inclusiveness in our program and I believe this show provides that - for now. Here's to more positive portrayals of minorities in media!
