1998
Smoke Signals is a film by Chris Eyre (Cheyenne Arapaho) and Sherman Alexie (Coeur d'Alene)
The cast has all Indians playing Indian parts. Unlike Powwow Highway whch had none Indians as direator, cinematographer and actors (including A playing Red Bow), the artistic part of the film is controlled largely by Indians.
There is a question mentioned earlier in the term about just makes a ethnic or cultural film, specifically of that ethnicity or cultural background. Certainly some of teh creative control must lie with people from that background (biologically or not) so that the film manipulates events from the point of view of that group. A Japanese film has Japanese "sensibilities" by virtue of the creative imput from Japanese directors, actors, photographers and so on. Nut many films are created by people from various cultural backgrounds so the problem looms large. In most case the questio becomes from whose point of view are the people and events seen and/or created. When Navahos were dressed as Lakota (Sioux) with the huge northern plains headdresses and told to ride their horses in front of th camera, they did so. The were complimented by some of the crew on how well they had done it, and the Navaho replied "Yeah, we learned how to do that from the movies"! (an example of Indian humor)
The Adair/Worth project with the Navaho suggestes that Navajo, at least have a different view of things which is reflected in their photography. Some of the things that are mentioned can be seen in some of the films we will watch this term. This implies that these characteristics may be more egenralized than "Navaho" and in all liklihood even more general than "Indian". They may apply to a large number of people around the world.
Things to look for:
Like Powwow Highway this is a "road" movie, and parallels that film in that two men with rather different personalities take a journey together in which one appears to be something of a "nerd" and the other does not. In both films the question of Indian identity in 20th Century American is being addressed. Just how does an Indian whose image is so strongly an image of the past, adjust to modern times and not lose the cultural identification with "Indians" or possibily even more specifically with the particular tribe in question. Remember Phil's constant assertion in Powwow Highway "We are Cheyenne".
In This film as well, there is an identification with Coeur d'Alene. When the gymnast on the bus asks "Are you Indians?" Thomas says "Yes, we're Coeur d'Alene" giving the specific affiliation. (Note that NO ONE in the film says "Native American")
While problems of identity are not unique to Indians, the focus in this case is on an Indian population who acknowledge some kinship, perhaps because of the fact that the US Government (and often non-Indian population) reacts to all Indians as though they are the same.
Ultimately the film will ask an even more general question about relationships which in fact are the source of other identities. See if you can spot this.
After the Film
Cultural Material
Hair cutting as a sign of mourning. It finally becomes clear why Victor's father cuts his hair after teh fire and never lets it grow back.
It is finally when Victor sees the picture of himself, his mother, and his father in his father's wallet, and, turning it over sees the word "Home" written on it that he understands and cuts his hair too as a sign that he now understands his father well enough to mourn for him. Discussion of "fry bread" Humor
Often pokes fun at things (and often one's self) rather gently. Consider the humor on the raio broacast:
Traveling There is a great deal of traveling in the film - not just by bus and car although there is a good deal of that as well, Victors father goes in and out of the house, Vistor runs after his father, he runs away after he hits Thomas and he and Thomas walk from the bus station to the trainer home of Song, who found Vistor's father after he died. Victor also runs for help after the accident until his feet are still sore several days later.
Scenes through bus window show the changes in scenery as the bus heads south. The first things seen out the window are a church and what appears to be a public building probably a school.
The Stories
Thomas' stories are complicated. There is a "prelude" almost to a point that he is going to make. The story is like a folktale which is untrue but points to some truth. Hence, when Thomas is asked if he wants a story which is true or a lie he says "both". Notice the way there is a long lead in to the question about Victor's father on the peace march where it is said he was erady to kill a National Guardsman while someone in the background held up a sign that said "Make love, not war". Finally he says that he was charged with crimes but they were always reduced down until they got to "Being an Indian in the 20th Century, for which he got two years in Walla Walla prison! The ultimate crime, and the point of his story and the problem being confronted by the film. It also explains in it's own way, why Vistor's father has gone. The two women in the car dub the story a good example of an "oral tradition", and indeed in is acting in some ways like moralistic stories found in the cultures of the world.
Thomas' final question to Victor about his father leaving the reservation is one which Victor can finally answer after he has come to terms with what has been happening.
Vistor wants Thomas to stop telling stories (he doesn't). Most things that Vistor tells Thomas are ignored.
Religion
Statements that are anti-Christian. To some degree attachment to the old religions is pivotal in identity, but they are not always clear. What is clear is a rejection of Christianity. Consider the basketball game with the Jesuits (Indians win in the story but not in reality - either the reality of the movie or actual real world).
The statements made by Thomas about the sacramental fry bread. (Walks on water, rises from the dead, with the story about Victors mother and the frybread) Consider the possible analagies about the frybread being torn apart with the splitting of people into an "Indian" and a "white" half. How do the two cultures come together?
Remeber Phil throwing the statue of the Madonna out the window of the car when he trades for it
Identity
There are many comments about identity throughout the film. SOme play with the idea of different tribes being different (comments about Geronimo) but also about how to behave like an Indian. Victor accuses Thomas of having seen Dances with Wolves 100 or 200 times and then is appalled to discover this may be true! In the scene on the bus. Victor is going to attempt to teach Thomas how to be an Indian - stoic and mean looking, and yet none of the Indians has really looked like tat thought the film. Victor is playing with a stereotype on how to act with ANglos around. He says to look like a warrior after killing a buffalo. Thomas pipes up that their people never hunted buffalo, the fished for salmon. Once again playing with the enthusiasm many Anglos had for the film, Victor says this isn;t Dances with Salmon. In a sense it is Vistor who is playing with the Anglo image and accepting it, not Thomas who rejects the buffalo humt in favor of the salmon fishing. Like Powwow Highway the character who looks most like he can be pushed around holds on to his assertions and is ultimately seen to the one with "knowledge". "Why do you always sound like a shaman" Vistor asks Thomas. Thomas might better be thought of as the trickster in some ways.
Internally Thomas is the more "Indian" of the two, whatever that may mean. (Even his grandmother is aware of it when she asks him not only "what happened" but also "What will happen? He has some prophetic abilities). When Thomas gives him some of his father's ashes, Thomas claims he is going to go to a special spot and throw the ashes into the river, where Victor's father will rise again as a salmon (still clinging to a tribal rather than a pan Indian identity.). Victor was thinking fo teh same thing, but in the sense of cleaning out an attic. He says he never thought of his father as a salmon. As the two separate, Thomas asks Victor is he knows why his father left the reservation and Victor respnds "He didn't want to". Thomas smiles. Vistor has gotten the right answer.
After going home and showing his mother the box with his father's ashes, his mother holds the box over her head (a religious gesture, culturally). Victor then goes to the river and throws the askes into it, but clearly not cleaning house.
Victor's insistance the Thomas get rid of his "suit" (perhaps a bit too "Anglo". He is happier with the "Frybread Power" T shirt. Compare this to the term "apple" Indian on the ouside (red) anglo inside (white) Similar terms were in use for Asians (bananas) and Black (oreo cookie). Is there a possible term of Thomas who is perhaps White on the outside but red on the inside?
What is the final question? What is the relationship between Vistor and his father? What does his problem with his father do to his ideas about relationships between people (very damaging - don't trust anyone etc.). Thomas spends a great deal of his time telling "crazy" stories which often wind up with him questioning Victor about his runaway father, which invariably turns Victor hostile. Is this a technique that might almost be seen as psychological in therms of getting Vistor to confront his own problems with his father?