Over spring break, I did some shopping with my mother. In one area were classic puzzles: puzzles that were printed with famous paintings. They were very pretty. And then over in the children’s section of puzzles, I came across things like boats and cats. But on the second to highest shelf I found the following three puzzles.
Once again, this class is compelling me to pay more attention to my surroundings. So I stopped to take photos of them. My mother asked if I wanted them. I said, “No, I’m just making an example of this. It’s going in my next blog for class.” And so here they are.
Later during spring break, my boyfriend and I were watching one of my new favorite movies, Bridesmaids. It’s like the female version of The Hangover, just as filthy and just as hilarious. In my opinion. Anyway. The dumb British woman accosted her roommate/the main character of the film to show her a free tattoo she got off some guy in a van. It was infected but the woman only cared about explaining what it was: “It’s a Mexican drinking worm. It’s the Native American symbol for ‘wasted.’” And this time (my 3rd time watching it) that line caught my attention. And I got to thinking of other films that have quick, derogatory ideas about Natives. The next movie to jump into my head was Good Will Hunting. The two old college roommates/professors are having dinner and discussing Matt Damon’s prodigy character. As an example to support his claim, the one professor tells a story about an uneducated genius living in a cave. Indian. “Dots not feathers.”
And these films are so unlike Smoke Signals (a movie I found myself quoting to my brother over break. He thought I was insane). They’re not directed or written or acted by Natives. They’re merely used as a medium to get a joke across or a point to stick. And it’s not like they’re blatantly crude or offensive quotes. They’re just quickly stuck into the film, toss away lines you’d hardly notice unless you were looking for them.
What a shame.
I'm pleased that your eyes have been opened a bit wider and you are noticing things like this more often. And sharing that information with others. It's all about planting seeds. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is something I love about learning new things, especially about racial, gender, or other social issues. You really do start to notice stuff everywhere! For me, the first thing was sports mascots and stupid little rituals involved with sports. It's great to know that other people are having the same experiences in class and that I can begin to share this info outside of class. And these puzzles are pretty ridiculous!
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