Teacher in Unbreakable

Unbreakable (TV series)Unbreakable is a reality television series presented by Explorer Benedict Allen on UK's Channel 5, where eight volunteers undergo an onslaught of physical and mental pressure in a bid to be declared unbreakable.

Filmed across four continents, Unbreakable takes eight super-fit members of the public on a punishing global trail to undergo a series of brutal challenges.

From the Norwegian arctic to the Sahara Desert, the volunteers will learn to survive in the world's harshest environments and endure some of the toughest military training around. They will be bossed and cajoled by physical trainers and survival experts as they bid to outdo–and outlast–each other.The Native aspects:

Episode 1The jungle of Guyana. They're spurred on by Mark Billingham, a jungle warfare instructor who served with special forces. They also face challenges inspired by a tribe of former cannibals.Teacher Official WebsiteIn episode six, the Unbreakables go to the Everglades in Florida. They're led into a swamp by a Native American guide, who says: "My name is not important to you," he sneers. "But you will call me Teacher." Among the challenges this week is cutting open a dead alligator and getting at the ribs, which they must use as tools. Teacher tells them to use their sharpened alligator ribs to cut sawgrass which they will use for sleeping mats to avoid snake visits during the night. They make their way to the camp with dug out canoes.

Next morning they get a lesson in alligator wrangling, and have to wrestle and secure an alligator each. Not an easy task. The final challenge is a game of stickball, which was originally called lacrosse, and was a much bloodier sport than the current version played at schools. A game could last all day, and contestants died. And this game was played by the old rules--no rules.Who the Teacher really is:

Duane Loken as TeacherDuane Loken is a Native American, living in California. He was invited to participate in Ricochet’s TV show, Unbreakable due to his experience of nature and many forms of wildlife within it. After many lengthy discussions with the producers of the show, they decided to use Duane Loken as the Indian guide. They felt that with all the information that Duane was able to share with them, they referred to him occasionally within the production office as Teacher. Although at the time this seemed like a good natured inside joke, it happens that came the day of production, they actually referred to Duane as Teacher. Even though Duane feels this is not any title or acknowledgment he has legitimately earned, it’s something the production people wanted to present in this manner. There are many things that Duane did share with them, and being television, whatever information Duane gave them, was utilized in the way that production felt would best suit the application whether it was actually relevant or not. Duane hopes that viewers take this in the way of lighthearted and good natured entertainment, rather than something to be picked apart for absolute extreme accuracy.Comment:  A tribe of Indians in Guyana who were cannibals recently? I doubt it. I wonder if they were cannibals at all.

With his Teacher official website, Duane Loken has done a good job capitalizing on his role in Unbreakable. But he promoting himself as Duane Loken, actor, or as Teacher, Native guide and, er, teacher?

The latter, it seems. I'm not sure how seriously we should take an actor who gets cast in the role of a teacher and starts calling himself Teacher.

For more on the subject, see TV Shows Featuring Indians.