Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Avatar & Cultural Appropriation


“Indians, the original possessors of the land, seem to haunt the collective unconscious of the white man and to the degree that one can identify the conflicting images of the Indian which stalk the white man’s waking perceptions of the world one can outline the deeper problems of identity and alienation that trouble him….Underneath all the conflicting images of the Indian one fundamental truth emerges – the white man knows that he is an alien and he knows that North America is Indian – and he will never let go of the Indian image because he thinks that by some clever manipulation he can achieve an authenticity that cannot ever be his.” –Vine Deloria, Jr., “American Fantasy”

I believe the Socratic style of questioning is the best way to discuss Avatar with students. Open with a question or line of questioning, focused in the information below. A good opening question leads participants back to the movie as they speculate, evaluate, define, and clarify the issues involved.

A line of questioning could be, “Do you believe that Avatar is trying to make a statement about the colonization of North America or anywhere else? If it is making statement, what is that statement and what scenes in the movie support this? Is the movie saying that peace negotiations are impossible? Is the movie saying that living with nature is better than capitalism?” Or another question could be, “How different would the story have been if the warrior who saves the planet was Na’vi, not a human/Na’vi genetic combination? Would this have changed how the audience related to the film? And would this have changed how much money Avatar made in the movie industry?” Or another line of questioning, “Do you think Avatar would have been as popular if the main character would have been played by a black man, or a Native American man? Do you find any issue with the fact that the main character was played by a white man and the supporting Na’vi characters were all played by minorities? Do you think the racial dynamics of the actors used to play leading roles has any reflection on colonialism?”

Response to the opening question generates new questions from the leader and the participants, leading to new responses. In this way, the line of inquiry in Socratic questioning evolves on the organically rather than being predetermined by the leader. However, it is sometimes necessary as the leader to redirect the conversation. The goal is to discuss the stereotypes rather than solve them. Be prepared to spend at least 30 minutes, and possibly as much time as 1 hour, in this style of discussion. It will take on a life of its own and can be quite powerful.

It is natural to arrange chairs for this kind of discussion in a circle. It is also essential to establish guidelines or ground rules for the discussion. Emotions can and will flare up when discussing these sorts of issues. It is best to establish these guide lines with the group at the beginning.

Here are some examples

  1. No yelling
  2. No physical engagement
  3. Keep confidential discussion items confidential
  4. Be respectful of other peoples opinions even if you disagree with them
  5. No arguing against the person, only against the argument
  6. Be a good listener
  7. Use “I” statements – speak for yourself don’t assume others would agree
  8. No cross-talking or talking over people

Avatar is a movie that is redefining what and how movies of the future are to be made. It is a very important movie to critique because of this very point. Avatar is important to talk about because it has been so widely accepted and loved by so many people (around the world) and yet it still uses a very old formula of Hollywood script. The classic formula is as follows;

An exceptionally natured white man “earns” his way into a closed society of people of color and eventually becomes the society’s most amazing and awesome member.

This classic formula marginalizes Indigenous peoples and at the same time upholds white supremacy. This formula has been used over and over again with movies such as Pocahontas, Last of the Mohicans, Dances with Wolves, A Man Called Horse, Billy Jack, Grey Owl, Thunderheart, etc.

How it marginalizes

  • The Na’vi need a human to truly help them, none of their warriors are good enough
  • During battle both the “Chief” and the soon-to-be “Chief” conveniently die
  • Sully becomes the most powerful warrior the Na’vi have every know (they actually have incorporated the story into their oral history that spans across all “tribes” of Na’vi) and he is able to assume the newly open role of “Chief”

How it upholds white supremacy

  • The Na’vi are naïve and need the help (education, resource use, technology, etc.) of humans (white humans)
  • A white man can be a better Na’vi warrior than almost all other Na’vi
  • The white/Na’vi guy is always center stage

Other stereotypes in Avatar to discuss

· Noble savage

· Indigenous connection to the planet and the animals of that planet

· Indigenous being technologically backwards

· Indigenous being unaware of wealth of natural resources

· The look of the Na’vi (clothes, jewelry, etc.)

· The hunting style of the Na’vi (praying after killing, whooping when going into battle, use of “primitive” weapons like bow & arrows)

· Military characters and their strategies (Colonel Miles Quaritch, the bombing of Hometree, negotiations for removal, etc.)

· Corporate and capitalistic drive (Parker Selfridge golfing, mining, etc.)

· The white man redeems himself by finding his true Indigenous identity

Psychological Considerations of Negative Stereotypes & Images

  • By coupling American Indians to traits such as aggression, brute, strength, deception and relentlessness via the use of symbolically related logos or images, negative stereotypes and historical inaccuracies are subtly encouraged
  • The misconception of Native Americans being inclined toward war-like and violent behavior has historically allowed for the justification of brutal acts committed against Native peoples

  • Attitudes toward the use of “Indian” mascots are introduced at such an early and influential age that individuals are highly susceptible to influence and social pressure. This phenomenon was exploited by WWII Nazi propaganda which focused on conditioning youth into anti-Jewish beliefs
  • Stereotypic and cartoon like imagery tends to dehumanize the subject
  • Through stereotyping and dehumanizing objectification is achieved
  • Because many beliefs about American Indians are deeply rooted in the emotional identification of our society, and in individuals, most people are highly resistant to a change in these beliefs through rational arguments or pure reason
  • The generic quality of the term “Indian” or “Native American” denies Indigenous peoples a sense of pride and place grown from an understanding and recognition of one’s unique cultural heritage
  • Negative stereotypes commonly “freeze” Indigenous peoples in a romanticized historical period that ended a century or more ago
  • Due to the pervasiveness and longevity of negative Indian stereotypes, use of such stereotypes have become institutionalized and therefore it has become very difficult to recognize the discrimination