Throughout many generations the media has always been popular. Film and television is a great form of entertainment for people. The audience witnessing these shows may view them in a comical way,but some may dig deeper and be more critical. An issue we have come across in the the media is the depiction of Native Americans. The Native people viewed in Hollywood films aren't always as accurate as they should be, pertaining to the actual traits and culture of a real Native American. The natives have come into conflict with the producers and authors of the films and shows portraying their race in an unofficial way. In the most resent movie, Twilight, native americans have came across major controversy between the characters and actions depicted in this movie.
In the early 1900's stereotypes were a big problem occurring in the media for Native americans. Hollywood began with one western show and it became a hit. This led to multiple shows and movies revolving around the western time period. This period involved Indians. The producers came to think that the more violence and exaggeration they added, the more popular the film would become. The Indians begged to differ. Native Americans were being viewed as crazy savages hunting and fighting not only animals but humans. The stereotypical Indian would be shown with a headdress filled with feathers, leather clothing, and long hair. This created an uproar for the native community because they felt as if they were getting no appreciation and all the tales being told in the films were false. the Indians felt betrayed because all the natives depicted in the cinema were all the same; They had all the same dress-wear and even the same traits. None of the natives had a special quality they were all viewed the same. Not only were the natives culture being shown inaccurately, but the "native actors" weren't even native american. This created another controversy with the indians because they weren't even using real native americans to play the role of an Indian character. Many Natives complained because they felt it was disrespectful and a disgrace to their culture especially because the information was incorrect.
The past depiction of Native americans in Hollywood films has mildly improved. Although it has become less of a conflict with the indians there are still arguments. In Twilight, the most resent film released in 2010, led to uprising conflict to begin once more. In the movie there is a clan of native americans that belong to their own property. This property filmed in the movie belonged to the real native american tribe, the Quilete's. This is a very small unknown tribe within the natives. The producers filmed their scenes of Twilight in the town of Forks. Hollywood asked the chamber of commerce for the consent of using their land. The producers got the approval and began to film as they please. When they came across the Quileute's land they asked no permission. The cast disrupted some of their ancient graves and ancestral importances. Also after the movie was filmed many fans in admiration of the twilight cast came to tour the land themselves, again without consent of the native tribe. The Quiletes are a low class tribe suffering of poverty. They were appalled by the destruction of their land. The Quiletes were never contacted about the use of their homeland or their sacred artifacts. The tribe felt taken advantage of in response to the unfair usage of their culture. Another conflict all indians came into conflict with, was the actors portraying the role of the natives. The famous characters, Jacob Black, Sam Uley, and Leah Clearwater were all frowned upon by the natives because of the uneducated view of their racial roots. The Natives were unhappy that the actors hadn't learned about the actual culture they were acting out until after the movie was finished. This made the natives feel once again dishonored. The natives felt the producers had no desire in teaching the actors their true ethnicity but to just make themselves successful. Twilight had reopened a sensitive subject for the native americans.
Twilight did create conflict with the natives but it also portrayed positive turnouts. Compared to the past depiction of natives represented in earlier films, Twilight was able to break free from the native stereotypes. The clan in the movie avoided feathered headdresses, leather, and horses. Each character in the movie had their own traits and personality. This differs from the past media because earlier indians were all viewed the same in films. Twilight showed Indians as different people with special qualities. This helps develop a new reputation for natives for the audience to absorb. The native american tribe is slowly decreasing today. This movie, that involves native culture, helps revive the manifestation and remind the natives what they come from. Although the actors in Twilight weren't able to learn the roots of the native culture till after the movie was produced they still learned them and now know the ancestral roots instead of nothing at all. If the actors never played these characters they would have never discovered the real native roots. This movie has helped the native americans by being viewed differently. Twilight has helped the natives because it is directed towards a younger audience making their reputation more honorable for a new generation. This movie has helped changed the media and the status of native americans.
Twilight created conflict for the natives in a positive and negative way through the way the characters portrayed their culture. The natives had good and bad depictions of the movie. Although this movie did rise arguments from the natives it was also a very supportive films for the natives. I feel that although some things in the movie were inaccurate it was still completely different from the past films and shows involving natives. The natives should be appreciative that their stereotypes are slowly dying down and that twilight was a good outbreak for the tribes. This movie helped audiences of today see in natives in a new perspective. I feel like it can only get better from here and that soon natives will be portrayed as they please with no conflict.
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