In the United States, more than five hundred Indigenous communities are federally recognized today. Centuries ago, United States settlers and colonizers seized land from Indigenous people, which is often omitted from history and our education. As a result, Indigenous people continuously face discrimination and generations of trauma. Furthermore, storytelling is a large and essential part of Indigenous culture and a method for preserving culture. However, film and television in Hollywood contain harmful and inaccurate stories of Indigenous peoples created by white people within dominant culture's interests. As a result, these portrayals of Indigenous people are controlled by settlers' views who appropriate inaccurate elements of their culture, creating more harm to an already marginalized community.
Since the silent era, Hollywood has provided indigenous images and stories to be displayed to non-indigenous audiences, and these films have played a highly influential role in shaping deeply flawed perceptions of indigenous people. In one hundred years of production, positive and well-rounded indigenous characters have become almost nonexistent in film and television. They begin with the absence of indigenous actors in Hollywood, resulting in decades of misrepresentation.
However, the industry is evolving as Lily Gladstone just made Oscar History as the first Native American woman nominated for best actress. Known for her role in Martin Scorsese's long anticipated film Killers of the Flower Moon, Gladstone plays Mollie Burkhart, a Osage woman trying to save her community in the midst of brutal murders over oil and resources. Alongside renowned actor Leonardo DiCaprio, Gladstone gives a chilling performance embodying the pain that her character endures throughout the film. As a Native American woman of Siksikatsitapi heritage, Gladstone brings a true comprehension of culture and an authentic portrayal to the character. Her performance reflects a deep connection to the historical context of the film, contributing to its richness and significance.
Not only was Gladstone just nominated for best actress, she also recently won best actress in a motion picture at the Golden Globes Award. Once again, she marks history as the first Indigenous woman to win this award.
“This is a historic win. It doesn’t belong to just me. I’m holding it right now. I’m holding it with all of my beautiful sisters in the film at the table over here, and my mother, standing on all of your shoulders.” - A quote form Gladstone's speech at the Golden Globes
This event is historically significant for all Indigenous communities as this is a huge step for Indigenous people to feel seen and represented in he media. Problem representations of Indigenous people in Hollywood have negatively impacted Native Americans for generations prompting audience members to appropriate their culture. When representations are not accurate, viewers are invited to recognize Indigenous people as their harmful portrayal, contributing to biases that are contained through generations of discrimination. Not only are these portrayals not recognized as accurate, but they are used as a comfortable frame of reference to address Indigenous people and their culture.
A huge success for Gladstone and Native Americans across the globe, this nomination marks a memorable moment for diversity, representation, and recognition in the film industry.
We acknowledge that the University of Southern California is included in the region of the ancestral and traditional lands of the Gabrieleño Tongva people, who historically inhibited modern day Southern California. We honor their connection to this region and pay tribute to the opportunity to live, work and learn on their unceded traditional territories.
Work Consulted
24th, Marco Borraz on September, et al. “An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States.” Zinn Education Project, 1 Oct. 2020, https://www.zinnedproject.org/materials/indigenous-peoples-history-of-the-us/.
The Burden of Historical Representation: The Case of/for ... https://scholarworks.wm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1006&context=articles.
Dangelantonio, Matt. “What to Know about Land Acknowledgment, and Why It's Deeper than Just a Statement.” LAist, 28 Feb. 2022, https://laist.com/news/what-to-know-about-land-acknowledgment.
Hawk, Crystal Echo. “Indigenous Representation Is Still Scarce in Hollywood: 'We Need More Native Stories' (Guest Column).” Variety, Variety, 11 Oct. 2021, https://variety.com/2021/film/opinion/indigenous-representation-hollywood-native-stories-1235086445/.
“The History of Indigenous Representation in Film and Television.” The Journal, https://www.queensjournal.ca/story/2020-11-13/lifestyle/the-history-of-indigenous-representation-in-film-and-television/.
Kilkenny, Katie. “Native and Indigenous Writers Ask Hollywood to Advance Film and TV Representation.” The Hollywood Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Oct. 2020, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/native-and-indigenous-writers-ask-hollywood-to-advance-film-and-tv-representation-4075617/.
Nittle, Nadra Kareem. “5 Common Indigenous Stereotypes in Film and Television.” ThoughtCo, ThoughtCo, 6 Jan. 2021, https://www.thoughtco.com/native-american-stereotypes-in-film-television-2834655.
Comments