Part I: Decolonization ProjectWhat does it mean to decolonize information?

M. Wilcox: “Marketing Conquest and the Vanishing Indian” M. Yellowbird: “Cowboys and Indians: Toys of Genocide, Icons of

American Colonialism”

Part II: Finding ContextHow do we ethically contextualize?

J. Stewart: “Cultural Appropriations and Identificatory Practices in Emily Carr’s Indian Stories

J. Scott: “Who Gets to Tell a Black Story?

Part III: Avatar as an example of a colonizer’s storyHow do these narratives play out in a contemporary media text?

When will white people stop making movies like Avatar? Avatar: A contradictory movie for contradictory times

Decontextualization of historical data

Creates disjunction between native peoples of the present and the past. Ex. Hohokam & (O’Odham) Pima

Indigenous people are written out of context to suit marketing success Ex. Histories are ignored, abandonment seen as

failure or collapse.Do you agree that the decontextualization is for

profit?

DEFINITION of Colonialism: the control or governing influence of a nation over a dependent country, territory, or

people. the system or policy by which a nation maintains or advocates such control or

influence “to dominate external territories without the consent of the indigenous inhabitants”

(Yellowbird, 2004, p. 33)

COWBOYS vs INDIANS HEROS vs DEVILS WHITE SUPREMACY vs INDIGENOUS INFERIORITY (storytelling about toys of genocide using cowboys

and Indians)

How Colonialism is embodied… a form of exploitation, greed, and power to control the inferiors

REPRESENTATION: Whites/America symbolizes “freedom, fairness, individualism, toughness,

enterprise, forward looking attitude, and whiteness.” (Yellow Bird, 2004, p. 43)  Indians/Indigenous symbolizes scapegoat, “savage, primitive, losing, dark-skinned, evil, antagonistic enemy. (Yellow Bird, 2004, p. 43)  

Quite a few of you commented on Yellowbird in the

miniblogs, what are your thoughts on the comparison

between Cowboys/Indians and the Nazi Guard/ Jewish

Prisoners toys?

Crafted representations of “real” Indians by Emily Carr in her Indian Stories art

Appropriation of “real” native identity Idealizing the naturalness of First Nations Carr creating her own identity in relation to First

Nations groups

Vs.

White writer David Simon, writing about drug war in Baltimore

Tensions around how the “whiteness” of the film making process affects the stories being told

The concerns of Charles Dutton, black director that grew up on the streets of Baltimore over the ability of Simon to tell a black story

RACE & HOLLYWOOD IN “AVATAR”

“white guilt” and white arrogance.Ideas:

“going Native,” -racial and social issues

colonization is evil but proposes a “friendlier” type of colonization

white guilt; the whites ,make up for all the suffering colonization has caused

“debatable” a fantasy about race point of view of white people issues of “white guilt” “peaceful colonization” – “Jake” =white arrogance &“supreme”

Na’vi are “stereotyped” Native people

ARE THE NA’VI “TYPICAL” NATIVES?

– “stereotyped” the movie is respectful: in touch with nature, Crafty; highly intelligent; free-thinking Women hold status

ignorant, arrogant, insensitive, disconnected, money-driven;

take orders from corporations

Scientists like Dr. Grace Augustine are insulted and cornered by the people who invest in projects

issue of “white guilt,”

Jake is white – does this make the movie racist? Jake is supposed to make some of the

“white guilt” go awayArticle asks: Wouldn’t a Na’vi hero be more

effective?

Not [necessarily] interracial love –(woman empowerment) Shows whites as dangerous (aggressive) &

Natives as harmless Shows whites as less intelligent than the

Na’vi

No, Na’vi leader would have been just as effective

white arrogance – the white are so intelligent and skilled that they would become leaders no matter where they go

Why are Hollywood heroes mostly white? Hollywood producers know what sells

everyone wants to be a hero Hollywood also assumes that all non-whites [secretly]

want to be whites. Is this true? IS THE MOVIE REALLY “MODERN”?

Article: NO :“Dances with Wolves,” “The Last Samurai” etc. CritiqueThe movies has some very modern ideas:

Jack chooses to disregard orders – Issues of loyalty – Women have rights and are seen as warriors Science used to try and bridge cultures

Colonization guilt but also arrogance through movies become disinterested by the superficial, money-

driven society Staying loyal to a “race” is an outdated idea Native more accepting and open-minded than the

Whites – race are still very popular in movies “race” as a theme Hollywood exploits racial issues to make the

movies appeal to all sorts of audiences

In groups, try to recreate the Na’vi without stereotypes discussed in relation to the noble savage

“Those who argue that Avatar perpetuates the “noble savage” myth have a point. The Navi’i fight with bows and arrows, speak with “Hollywood African” accents, and at times speak in over-the top mystical dialogue that is both stereotypical and cheesy.”

–Avatar: a contradictory movie for contradictory times

1. Your character must be humanoid2. Create weaponry for your character3. What does your character wear (if anything)

1. WHAT INSPIRED YOUR CHARACTER?

2. TO WHAT DEGREE DO YOU THINK INDIGENOUS STEREOTYPES ARE UNAVOIDABLE (IF AT ALL)?

3. WOULD YOUR CHARACTER STAND UP TO ARGUMENTS AROUND POLITICAL ECONOMY AND “SELLING TO A PARTICULAR AUDIENCE” ARGUMENT

“You’ve Crossed the line”

1. How an White Male enters a closed society

2. Becomes accepted by the society

3. Betrays his own kind

4. Take on the role as the savior/leader

“Sky people can not learn, they do not see”

“Seeing the forest through their eyes”

“This is why we're here: because this little gray rock sells for twenty million a kilo. “

“Killing the indigenous looks bad, but there’s one thing shareholders hate more than bad press -- and that’s a bad quarterly statement”

In groups, please address one of the questions below 1. Do you think that this clip (or the text of Avatar in general)

is an example of white guilt? Or, do you think that there is more at stake in the film?

1. Do you think that Avatar perpetuates power relations of indigenous people or offers a counter narrative or does not have anything to do with indigenous people at all?

1. Do you think that Avatar is a “realistic” utopia, a natural progression that could have occurred on Earth if there was no capitalist interference?

2. How do you think the movie would have played out if the leader of the Na’vi had been an indigenous Na’vi instead of a white outsider? Would Avatar be as successful?