May 17, 2008

Tribal Quest the reality show

Participants to live traditional Blackfoot way on reality series

By Kristen HardingCable gone out? That's OK, there's still the computer. No Internet? No problem, send a few text messages. But no stores, restaurants, cars, radios, running water or matches?

Welcome to life on the Prairies in 1750.

Julian Black Antelope and his business partner Ruby Eaglechild--both from the Blood Reserve--are hoping the idea of giving up modern conveniences for one month to live the traditional Blackfoot way will appeal to 12 native men and women.

Black Antelope, an actor and stunt performer, is hoping to create a six-part reality television series called Tribal Quest, where participants will learn every aspect of traditional daily life and survival from Blackfoot elders.

"With a lot of reality series you're voting each other off, pitting people against each other, but this is the exact opposite," he said. "It's about working together as a tribe, the essence of how people are supposed to be doing things."
Comment:  For more on the subject, see TV Shows Featuring Indians.

3 comments:

writerfella said...

Writerfella here --
Maybe Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and Britney Spears can get themselves declared as Nativesby act of Congress, and then Tribal Quest would have some 'celebrity' status to garner itself an audience. But you won't see Adam Beach or Wes Studi or even Tantoo Cardinale on such a series for 'celebrity' status, as their own tribal identities are set and they certainly do not require Blackfoot culture as augmentation. At best, a silly idea that, somehow, cultural cross-pollination among Native people even would work...
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'

Anonymous said...

Being of Native Heritage, I think this idea is a novel one, as it will help to bring Native Americans off the sidelines of mainstream society. What do the "starlet" trash you speak of have to do with Native Americans? I don't think that the producers of the show are seeking non-Blackfoot members to participate, the show is about survival using traditional and customary Blackfoot cultural ways, so why would people from other tribes be in the cast? You make no sense, you mock the show and then you put it down saying that prominant Native Actors will have nothing to do with the show. Do you think Native Americans are silly? Where did you read about a "Cultural cross-pollination"? Maybe you aught not to call yourself a writer; how about something like, judgemental white elitist!:)

Rob said...

Russell Bates is a Kiowa science-fiction writer. In other words, he's a judgmental Native elitist, not a judgmental white elitist. As for the quality of his arguments and writing, you can judge them for yourself. ;-)