Tag Archives: Media

M4 P5: Molly of Denali

From Pocahontas to Peter Pan, cartoons have misrepresented Indigenous Peoples by making them look “different” and part of the “Other” by following the stereotypes given to Indigenous Peoples. In 2019, PBS introduced their new show called Molly of Denali which follows Molly, an Alaskan Native living in the fictional village of Qyah. The show gives a more modern and accurate representation of Indigenous Peoples in Alaska and has helped Indigenous children feel “seen” as there is someone on television and YouTube that looks like them and that they can relate to. The show addresses stereotypes and culture educates children on those issues through engaging content.

The episode below called “Culture Clash” is a prime example of how the show accomplishes this. This show would be a great resource to show clips of to younger students as the content and language is appropriate and the right fit for their age.

M4 P2: Sovereign – Representation on Network Television

While looking up Indigenous representation in pop culture, I came across a TV drama called Sovereign. It is a family drama that is being developed at NBC, a major network television company in the USA.

“Sovereign chronicles the lives, loves, and loyalties of an Indigenous family struggling to control the future of their tribe against outside forces and themselves.” (Scott, 2021)

The show will be produced by Ava DuVernay (directed Disney’s: A Wrinkle in Time) and Bird Runningwater who is of the Cheyenne and Mescalero Apache Nations. The story will be written by Sydney Freeland, a transgender Navajo filmmaker, and Shaz Bennett.

This show will provide a more accurate and positive representation of Indigenous Peoples as it is produced and written by people coming from an Indigenous background. The fact that it is a family drama will also mean that the issues the show deals with will be more serious and impactful to the audience. Also, being on NBC means that presumably there will be a wider audience as NBC is part of broadcast television where most consumers with cable packages will have access to the channel. There is no release date for the show yet but they are working on a pilot episode and if it is deemed successful, it will become greenlit with more episodes.

Native American TV drama – ‘Sovereign’ – to air on NBC

Native American Family Drama ‘Sovereign’ From Ava DuVernay & Bird Runningwater Set At NBC As Put Pilot

Reference

Scott, D. (2020, December 4). Native American TV Drama – ‘Sovereign’ – To Air On NBC. The Seminole Tribune. https://seminoletribune.org/

M4 P1: Reservation Dogs

Reservation Dogs is a comedy series coming to FX in August that is created by Taika Waititi and Sterling Harjo. The name Taika Waititi may ring a bell as he was the director of Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok. Both of the creators are Indigenous with Taika Waititi being Maori and Sterling Harjo being Seminole Muscogee. The show follows four Indigenous teenagers living in rural Oklahoma who are trying to find any way possible (including stealing and robbing) to make their way to California.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoHewFAkrWU

Clips from this show may be good for analysis by older grades (language is too mature for a younger audience) but I think it provides an interesting lens of how life is for Indigenous youth today. Obviously, there will be some dramatization for entertainment value but within it, I’m sure there will still be some valuable lessons. What I found interesting is that it combines both the stereotypes and the realities that these Indigenous youth are going through. This format of combining stereotypes with real experiences seems to work well as seen by ABC’s Fresh Off The Boat which follows the childhood of Eddie Huang and his family who immigrated to the USA from Taiwan in the 1990s or CBC’s Kim’s Convenience which follows the Kim Family and their life working as convenience store owners in Toronto.

Representing Indigenous Characters in Kids Shows on PBS

Module 2 – Entry 3 – Tyler Ohashi

Lia Fabre-Dimsdale, a Liidlii Kue Frist Nation member, earned an opportunity that she was very proud to be part of when she landed an internship from Mitacs that had her working on the design team for “Molly and Denali”. “The series features Indigenous lead characters, with Indigenous actors voicing the six main characters, and Indigenous elders consulting behind the scenes (Ryan, 2021).” Having Indigenous media created by Indigenous people gives the series more relatability for Indigenous viewers. I think this is important because it will engage young Indigenous viewers in an authentic way. The way the characters look, their voices, how they interact with each other are all accurately portrayed. Furthermore, seeing a representation of Indigenous people on TV will promote a sense of pride because they see themselves in a positive light.

Here is a link to the Global News story.

https://globalnews.ca/video/rd/eb2f7714-ca51-11eb-901d-0242ac110006/?jwsource=cl

I thought to myself how this is story reflects what we have been learning in this course because it is an example of Indigenous people using technology to promote their ways of life. The fact that “Molly and Denali” is targeted at a younger audience is very powerful because young people are the foundations for change. We must break down the stereotype that Indigenous people have faced for generations. We can start this process by instilling a sense of pride and a sense of belonging by providing young people a quality media production such as “Molly and Denali” where they see Indigenous values being shown in a public space and being received with praise.

References

Indigenous student animator obtains valuable internship with animated TV production: Watch News Videos Online. Global News. (2021, June 10). https://globalnews.ca/video/7940520/indigenous-student-animator-obtains-valuable-internship-with-animated-tv-production.

Ryan, D. (2021, May 21). Animation internship offers opportunity to broaden Indigenous representation on screen. vancouversun. https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/animation-internship-offers-opportunity-to-broaden-indigenous-representation-on-screen.

Promoting Language by Offering Indigenous Language Degree

Module 1 – Entry 1

UBCO Indigenous Language Degree – Global News Video Coverage

I found this Global news story while looking for ways that indigenous languages are being preserved. Jeanette Armstrong is a professor at UBCO offering a new degree program that focuses on indigenous language preservation. Since UBCO is located in the Okanagan, there is a focus on the traditions, cultures, and languages of the Okanagan people. I think this is a great example of how to utilize place (Okanagan) to promote the preservation of a culture that was at risk of being lost. This short video clip is a great starting point to launch an investigation into the Okanagan people.

Squamish Language – How-to Videos

Located on the same Global news page is an interesting story about Aaron Williams, a Squamish language project specialist that was hired to create bilingual signs that displayed both English and Squamish language on road sign leading up to the 2010 Olympics. What I find interesting about the story is how technology (YouTube) is being used to create public interest in a language that not many people know how to use. The Squamish language is seen on public highways and now Arron is using YouTube to create how-to videos to help people pronounce what they are seeing on the signs. I think this a great example of how indigenous languages can be saved using technology.

Recognizing Indigenous influences on a Sea to Sky Corridor Adventure - SLCC Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre

I found both of these articles interesting because I am interested in looking at how technology can be used in a culturally respectful manner that will benefit the maximum number of stakeholders. Using examples such as these two stories could help me discover new ways of incorporating technology in my own classroom and be culturally sensitive.

Reference

Little, S, & Aylesworth, L. (2021, April 30). Squamish First Nation member creates ‘how-to’ videos on pronouncing Indigenous names. Global News. https://globalnews.ca/news/7825465/squamish-language-signs/