The three characters introduced to us from Pow Wow Highway and “Saint Marie” dealt with modern day psychological, economic and social genocide differently from each other, but they all took what they were going through and manipulated them, whether intentionally or not, to fit their lives.
Buddy Red Bow fought against the economic aspect of the genocide by trying to stop his white oppressors from taking over his land. He was hell bent on keeping his land while his friend Philberto Bono left the modern day norm and decided to find his warrior identity. Bono handled his situation by purposefully almost out casting himself from the injustices seen around him by looking for his warrior identity. He was all right with that in my opinion. When the two men leave for a road trip to save Red Bow’s sister, the learn more about themselves and each other as they encounter various situations that allude to the modern day issues seen against their people in America such as the mistreatment of their people by their white oppressors.
Marie had to handle the emotional and social aspects of genocide with Sister Leopolda around. Marie at first seemed to just accept her fate with Sr. Leopolda. Marie allowed Sr. Leopolda to abuse her and accepted the truth that she was doing it out of love, but when enough was enough, Marie took control and wound up being considered a saint by the other sisters. Marie was socially out casted by Sr. Leopolda when she separated her from the other girls and kept her close by to ward off the Dark One. She suffered emotional distress because she was getting burned and stabbed with a fork all because she was Indian and was thought to have Satan in her.
The Native American genocide is closely related to the Holocaust for Jews because the Jews were social outcasts considered responsible for the economic decline of Germany. However, while the Native Americans were being out casted, they were taken advantage of by being used to gain land and profit from their work.
The white people kept trying to take more and more from Red Bow until Red Bow decides no more. Marie showed Sister Leopolda who was boss when she commanded her to kneel before her while she sat in bed. All the characters unintentionally took control of their injustices and worked it to their advantage.
Native American genocide is not as well known as the Holocaust, but it is just as unjust and also has people who took what they were given and made a change, at least in their life.
I like how you highlighted a key difference between the Holocaust of World War II and Native American genocide: “The Native American genocide is closely related to the Holocaust for Jews because the Jews were social outcasts considered responsible for the economic decline of Germany. However, while the Native Americans were being out casted, they were taken advantage of by being used to gain land and profit from their work.” Another point is worth noting as well. Both tragedies are similar to each other in that both groups of people were forced to leave places that they rightfully called home. Both groups suffered persecution simply for living their day to day lives. Through both the Holocaust of World War II and the Native American genocides, we see that groups of people were persecuted and mercilessly experienced suffering for the simple reason that they were an inconvenience. We should never view any group of people, or any individual person, as an inconvenience because at ours and the others’ core being, we are one in the same. We are human.
ReplyDeleteI agree that in a way Bono separated himself from the injustices that were going on around him by entering this fantasy world of becoming a warrior. While he doesn’t escape the injustices that happen to his people, he appears not to be as aware of them as Red Bow. This might be his personal way of fighting the genocide. Concerning himself with inner self preservation and focusing on keeping doing things his ancestors did. Bono deals with the psychological aspect by viewing things in a different light. He frequently sees his ancestors and scenery of the old times such as fields full of wild horses. He also seems oblivious to the economic situation his tribe is in. In the movie he doesn’t seem to use any money, even when he buys his car. At the jail he steals money from the safe but doesn’t think its a big deal. He deals with the social genocide by trying to encourage people like Red Bow to become involved in the culture. However, he doesn’t truly see that his tribe and the Indian society has started to disappear. Because Bono lives in a fantasy world it is easier for him to deal with the injustice around him because he is unaware of it. He doesn’t feel the responsibility for the tribe that Red Bow does.
ReplyDeleteMILLER-COMMENT ON CAMPBELL'S BLOG
ReplyDeleteI think the overall theme of “Scapegoating” is very prevalent among both what we see in Saint Marie and the Nazi Holocaust. Hitler was successfully able to vilify a small segment of the population; as a result, genocide occurred. However, I do have one slight issue with this part of your post: “However, while the Native Americans were being out casted, they were taken advantage of by being used to gain land and profit from their work.” While this is a true statement, it seems to me like you are implying that the Jews were not being taken advantage of for cheap labor. It is important to remember that Jews were forced to work in factories and labor camps for little to no pay under terrible conditions for long hours, often manufacturing necessities for the Nazi party. Therefore, I see the two situations as very similar in nature.