Reel Injuns

Photo from the Friedman Archives

Iron Eyes Cody as the "crying Indian" in the 1970s 'Keep America Beautiful' PSA Campaign

Reel Injun was the opening night film of the 10th annual imagineNATIVE Film Festival this year. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend due to deadlines but I heard the film was a hit. The documentary by Cree Director Neil Diamond. Reel Injun is a retelling of the history of the Hollywood Indian. Embarking on a personal quest to deconstruct the image of the stoic Indian that dotted television screens all over the world," as stated in the imagineNATIVE Film Festival guide.

 

In my media swag bag I received a copy of Point of View, an independent documentary magazine that had a piece called "Going Native" all about Diamond and his doc Reel Injun. The most interesting part of this piece was that Diamond discovered during his research that Iron Eyes Cody of the famous '70s PSA and whom was cast in Native roles from the '30s to the '80s was actually of Sicilian descent.

But wait, it gets better. He was so involved in his own lie to get roles to enhance his on-screen presence that he actually believed that he was what he presented to the world. It just reeks Zelig. So he went on to marry a Native woman, adopt two Native sons (which he raised to respect traditional values of course), and led a life devoted to Native American causes. In 1995 he received an award for his work by the Native American Hollywood community one year before a newspaper exposed his truth about his heritage (he's Sicilian).

With films like Reel Injuns exposing historical, stereotypical depictions of Native people and a history of misrepresentation it is assumed that we would have learned our lessons. Casting non-Natives in Native roles is not good for accurate depictions of Native peoples. Nor is it good for Native actors who struggle to land roles.

Non-Natives pretending to be Native shouldn't be role models, regardless of their charity work for Native peoples if they are living a lie pretending to be something they are not. I don't think deception is a very charming quality to look up to. These modern day Iron Eyes Codys couldn't possibly host receive Native American awards either right? No way, Natives and non-Natives alike would never fall for that old trick again, no matter how much beaded jewelry they wore, now would we? Will the Reel Injun's please stand up?

Thomas Builds-the-Fire (Smoke Signals): "You know the only thing more pathetic than Indians on TV? Is Indians watching other Indians on TV."

Reel Injun promo trailer

(see more on Iron Eyes Cody at 2:18)