Smoke Signals
Smoke signals is a unique movie that is directed by, written by and star Native Americans. Smoke Signals captures the power of media to advertise their own culture of present day Native Americans. Smoke Signals is a story built on morals about making peace with personal history, and keeping alive the oral tradition. This film brings the awareness, to the dominant society, of how Native Americans have been seen onscreen and treated throughout history. The two staring roles of this movie are the portrayal of Thomas and Victor. Their journey together begins when they are babies, however it is when Victor's alcoholic father dies that the two leave their reservation for the first time crossing over into the contested cultural zone of the dominant society in order to collect Arnold's (Victor's father) ashes and bring them back home to the reservation. The role of Victor highlights an emotional journey of personal history. Victor is able to come to that place of peace and shed his self- image when he embraces his own cultural heritage and traditions. The role of Thomas clearly represents the strength of oral tradition, which is woven throughout this movie and Native American history. Oral tradition is used immediately in the movie an
On the back of the picture it reads "home" it is at this moment he is able to forgive his father. The Catholics pushed their religion upon the Natives and made them abandon ceremonies that had been a way of life for generations. There is a gathering with 100 Indians and only 50 pieces of fry bread. In conclusion the importance of oral tradition and the way it is utilized through the voice of Thomas in Smoke Signals brings to light true history both sad and beautiful. Victor contributes to movie by sharing his own story about coming to a place, peace, and acceptance. Eventually through his own self-acceptance he is able to hold his father's ashes. It was at this party Arnold in drunk and mistakenly ignites a house fire that kills Thomas's parents. This movie's ability to advertise the Native American lifestyle without the same ideology is unique. The unfortunate part of Thomas being named "Born from Fire" is that it comes from a tragedy influenced by alcoholism, which is a decaying factor that still influences the Native American community of today. Trading posts set up by the white people supplied alcohol and were responsible in many cases for the spread of smallpox. There are a few other scenes that highlight fry bread, one shows Thomas and his grandmother making it together, and another that I find comical is the revealing of Thomas when he unties his braids and rids his suit for the fry bread power t-shirt. She tries to change Arnold as well, but instead he abandons her and Victor. The first story told is about the 4th of July party that was held in "honor" of independence. He runs to Phoenix, Arizona where eventually he kicks the bottle and becomes sober.
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Acceptance Essays
