Native names aren't stereotypical

I recently wrote about the "indigenous" name Evolet in 10,000 B.C. This phony-sounding name got me thinking, so I looked up some Native baby names. Here are some of the ones I found:

Abey
Aleshanee
Anoke
Aponi
Bly
Chilali
Chimalis
Deslin
Elan
Elu
Helaku
Istas
Jacy
Kachine
Koko
Makya
Mitexi
Motega
Namid
Nodin
Olathe
Pilan
Sahale
Sakari
Sakima
Shako
Taborri
Tainn
Takoda
Tayen
Tyee
Wyanet
Wyome
Yuma

Can you tell which names are male which are female? Probably not. That's because indigenous languages don't necessarily follow the same patterns as English. Girls don't get feminine names like Lisa, Maria, or Evolet and boys don't get masculine names like Tom, Dick, or Harry.

For more on 10,000 B.C., see The Best Indian Movies.

Below:  "My parents liked the names Amelie, Bernadette, and Celine because they sound so pretty and French and feminine. But I'm glad they chose to name me after my aunts Evelyn and Violet. Besides, I like Evolet because it reminds me of Eve."

Agencies tampered with (Native) movies

Lights, Camera...Covert Action--In HollywoodA variety of state agencies have liaison offices in Hollywood today, from the FBI, to NASA and the Secret Service. Few of these agencies, though, have much to offer in exchange for favourable storylines, and so their influence in Hollywood is minimal. The major exception here is the Department of Defense, which has an ‘open’ but barely publicized relationship with Tinsel Town, whereby, in exchange for advice, men and invaluable equipment, such as aircraft carriers and helicopters, the Pentagon routinely demands flattering script alterations. Examples of this policy include changing the true identity of a heroic military character in Black Hawk Down (2001) due to his real-life status as a child rapist; the removal of a joke about "losing Vietnam" from the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), and cutting images of Marines taking gold teeth from dead Japanese soldiers in Windtalkers (2002). Instances such as these are innumerable.And:Clandestine agencies have a long history of interference in the cinema industry. Letters discovered in the Eisenhower Presidential Library from the secret agent Luigi G. Luraschi (identified by British academic John Eldridge), the Paramount executive who worked for the CIA’s Psychological Strategy Board (PSB), reveal just how far the CIA was able to reach into the film industry in the early days of the Cold War, despite its claims that it sought no such influence. For instance, Luraschi reported that he had secured the agreement of several casting directors to subtly plant "well dressed negroes" into films, including "a dignified negro butler" who has lines "indicating he is a free man" in Sangaree (1953) and in a golf club scene in the Dean Martin/Jerry Lewis vehicle The Caddy (1953). Elsewhere, CIA arranged the removal of key scenes from the film Arrowhead (1953), which questioned America’s treatment of Apache Indians, including a sequence where a tribe is forcibly shipped and tagged by the US Army. Such changes were not part of a ham-fisted campaign to instill what we now call "political correctness" in the populace. Rather, they were specifically enacted to hamper the Soviets’ ability to exploit its enemy’s poor record in race relations and served to create a peculiarly anodyne impression of America, which was, at that time, still mired in an era of racial segregation.Comment:  So the CIA, the Pentagon, and other government agencies are deeply involved in shaping the content of movies. Apparently they haven't gotten the memo saying "Movies are just movies" and don't influence anyone.

Whom are you going to believe: Government agencies who spend enormous amounts of time and money to change public perceptions based on the latest psychological research? Or a bunch of incredibly naive viewers who think movies don't matter because they're in denial about our racist history and culture?

I don't know about you, but I'm going with the government agencies. They try to censor unfavorable messages because movies (and other forms of media) matter.

For more on the subject, see The Influence of Movies.

Below:  Indians are literally the white man's burden in Windtalkers.

Native actors in Ramona

Couple to star in ‘Ramona'

Real love: Cesaria Hernandez and Duane Minard are married off-stage, cast as leads.It is a dream come true for a real-life Hemet couple to play the star-crossed lovers Ramona and Alessandro in the 86th season of “Ramona.”

The “Ramona” pageant has long been a labor of love for first-time Alessandro actor Duane Minard and his wife, Cesaria Hernandez, now a four-time Ramona.And:In past years, Minard said he felt the competition for the lead role was always close, but said it has been a dream to play the lead role, especially opposite his wife.

With Yurok and Paiute heritage, Minard's casting continues the recent tradition of casting American Indian men in the role of Alessandro, the Indian who falls in law with Ramona.

The role had previously been played by Whipple, who is of Navajo and Sioux heritage and who played Alessandro for 10 seasons.Comment:  I guess Taylor Lautner was unavailable to play Alessandro as a hot young pseudo-Indian for the teen set.

Anyway, good to see that someone understands the importance of casting Natives to play Natives.

For more on the subject, see Native Plays and Other Stage Shows.

Below:  "Cesaria Hernandez, left, and Duane Minard, right, were cast to play Ramona and Alessandro in this year’s production of ‘Ramona.’ Minard said he plans to play a less-theatrical Alessandro and that he and his wife have always wanted to play opposite each other in the play."

Yosemite's Paiutes mislabeled as Miwoks

Yosemite changes Paiutes on park signsWe wrote a letter to Jon Jarvis, the regional director of the National Park Service, asking them if they could please correct the mistake on the sign. We sent family documentation and Indian census rolls to verify what we were saying was true. Mr. Jarvis wrote us back saying that he trusted the Park’s white ethnologist over the family members and descendants of Tom Hutchings. He told us to write a book and that in his opinion the matter was closed.

We told other Paiutes who are descendants of the Yosemite–Mono Lake region and then we started to investigate the Park’s white ethnologist other writings and Indian genealogy. In his 30 plus years as Yosemite National Parks official Indian ethnologist he had written over 100 publications using his title while working at the Park. We ordered the majority of the 1929 California Indian rolls and Indian census of the area and discovered something shocking. We discovered that major parts of the Yosemite National Park’s Native American history was incorrect and that a lot of Indian genealogy had been “modified.” Many of our Paiute people around Yosemite, especially the men, had been changed to Miwoks. That included our very own ancestor.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Paiutes Call Miwoks Liars.

Playing Cards of the Apaches

Heard North to present history of Apache playing cardsWhile other American Indian groups enjoyed playing cards, only the Apaches appeared to have crafted their own deck.

Hand-painted on horsehide rectangles, the 40-card deck at first resembled the Spanish deck from which it was adopted.

The Chiricahuas and Western Apaches later came to design their own cards and invented new games and new tales of how they learned of the cards, said Alan Ferg, archivist at the Arizona State Museum. Ferg will share more about the culture of Apache playing cards Wednesday at the Nights at North presentation at Heard Museum North Scottsdale.

Ferg co-wrote the book Playing Cards of the Apaches: A Study in Cultural Adaptation (Screenfold Press,2006, $95). Once the Apache wars were over and Native Americans had access to paper cards, they continued to craft ones from rawhide anyway, Ferg said.Comment:  For more on the subject, see From Apache Playing Cards to Zozobra.

"All-star" movie about Wyandot sisters

Filmmaker Telling a Native Tale of Resilience[T]he Los Angeles-based filmmaker won the support of Oscar-winning actor Sir Ben Kingsley to help him produce a film about three Wyandot Nation sisters who fought the government with guns and axes to protect their ancestral burial grounds.

"Whispers Like Thunder" tells the story of Lyda, Ida and Helena Conley, sisters who fought for more than 60 years to protect a Wyandot Nation cemetery in present-day Kansas City, Kansas, where their mother, sister and ancestors were buried.

"These sisters gave their lives to make sure their Indian burial grounds were not sold to a developer," said Moro by phone recently from his Los Angeles home.

Moro, 45, said the project took root after a colleague met the chief of the Wyandot Nation of Kansas, Janet English, who expressed an interest in finding a filmmaker to tell the Conley sisters' story. The colleague referred English to Moro, who was quick to sign on.

After he finished writing the script, Moro set out looking for production support. After his wife became friends with a colleague of Kingsley's, he was introduced to Kingsley and gave the British actor the script for "Whispers Like Thunder."

With Kingsley's support as a producer of the film, Moro is hopeful the movie will find a major distributor and an all-star cast. But he's also hopeful the project's cultural value will not be lost in translation.And:Moro sees the Conley sisters' story as empowering to women and Native people. He said Wyandot Nation leaders, like Chief English, support the project, especially now that Kingsley has joined. As well as co-producing the film, Kingsley will play the role of Charles Curtis, the only Native to serve as U.S. vice president.

Moro hopes to finish the movie in time for the 2010 movie award season.Comment:  An "all-star cast" headed by three Native actresses playing the Wyandot women? I wonder whom Moro could mean. I didn't know any Native actresses qualified as mainstream "stars."

Please don't tell me Moro is planning to cast non-Natives to play the Conley sisters. Who? Summer Glau, Lynn Collins, and Vanessa Hudgens? Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lopez, and Lucy Liu? Spare me from more ridiculous and racist casting decisions.

Ben Kingsley, Native?

And of course casting Ben Kingsley as Charles Curtis, vice president and Kaw Indian, is bad. Here's Curtis's ancestry according to Wikipedia:Curtis was nearly half American Indian in ancestry. His mother, Ellen Pappan, was one-fourth Kaw, one-fourth Osage, one-fourth Pottawatomie and one-fourth French. His father Orren Curtis was of English and northern European ancestry.I understand the "need" to cast Kingsley in order to get his support. But I cringe when Moro says Kingsley "gets" it. Neither of them gets it if they agree to racist casting choices.

Anyway, I wouldn't bet much money on seeing an "all-star" version of a movie about three women defending a cemetery. This has "independent art-house movie" written all over it. I suggest they forget about finding an all-star cast or a major distributor and just make the movie.

For more on the subject, see The Best Indian Movies.

Below:  Charles Curtis and Ben Kingsley. (Not a bad match, physically speaking.)

Celebrating Obama's inauguration

Mixing business with pleasure

Indians attended inauguration festivities with distinct goalsAt the American Indian Ball, women wore expensive gowns, mixed with touches of turquoise or intricate beadwork.

Many Native gentlemen showed up in tuxedos, while some wore traditional headgear, and others wore bolo ties with pricey suits.

On Jan. 19, much celebrating was done, too, at the Inaugural Pow Wow. Like the ball, it was hosted by the American Indian Society of Washington, D.C. It turned out to be a packed, standing room only event, held the day before the ball and in the same hotel.

Echohawk “Pete” Neconie, a Kiowa/Pawnee planner with AIS, led preparation of the pow wow, where hundreds of tribal members performed and watched traditional dances and spiritual remembrances.LaDonna Harris honored for lifetime political achievement

Native activist shares view of Obama’s Native focusThe inauguration of President Barack Obama was not simply a time to recognize a history-making milestone of an African-American politician, but also to honor the many achievements of American Indians on the political stage. One Native politico in particular, LaDonna Harris, received special recognition during Indian inaugural festivities.

At a Jan. 19 gourd dance ceremony, hosted by the American Indian Society of Washington D.C., several friends and relatives of Harris gathered to pay homage to a person that many attendees called “a living legend.”Witnessing history

President Obama’s swearing-in captures hearts and minds of Indian countryA private gathering of Native leaders and their guests experienced an unobstructed view of the ceremony from the museum’s terrace, prompting many to note with pride and amusement that “the Indians had the best seats in the house.”

Mark Van Norman, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and NIGA executive director, said Native America has been “looking for change for a long time.”

Van Norman also praised NMAI director Kevin Gover for providing food and warmth to the public on the frigid January day. He said Gover showed “a level of hospitality that’s in keeping with the historic hospitality of Indian country.”

“I felt so fortunate to be working at the museum during this particular time and to be able to be in the position to offer tribal leaders and members the chance to watch this historic event in comfort and with dignity,” Gover, Pawnee/Comanche, reflected after the celebrations wound down.Comment:  For pictures of and quotes about the inauguration, see Natives Participate in Inauguration Festivities. Included is a quote from my pal Victor, who was on the NMAI terrace watching the event.

While he was partying and having fun, I was stuck in LA maintaining PECHANGA.net five days in a row. But at least he got me a t-shirt.

For more on the subject, see 11th Indian Inaugural Ball and Indians in Obama's Inaugural.

Naya Nuki the movie

Author ensures Naya Nuki's tale lives on

A forgotten story told[Jackson Hole author Kenneth Thomasma] never started writing until he heard the story about Sacajawea. He knew the story must be put down on paper and “The Truth About Sacajawea” was written.

This book wasn’t the topic Thomasma focused on. He wanted to tell the children about a lesser known Native American woman he called Naya Nuki, which is Shoshoni for girl who ran.

“Naya Nuki” is a book about an American Indian girl’s struggles to get back to her mother after she was kidnapped and sold into slavery.And:Thomasma said in celebration of this book being made into a movie he wanted to leave Green River a few items. He gave them the “Naya Nuki” book on CD, a poster and four pieces of artwork from the book. He encouraged the children to read the book to find out what happened to Naya Nuki and watch the movie when it comes out.Comment:  There's no indication that Thomasma is Native. Or that he consulted Native people or sources before writing Naya Nuki.

Trying to convey the mind of a 19th-century Native girl is exactly where a white man should fear to tread. We're talking about someone from a different gender, a different culture, and a different century. What are the odds that Thomasma got Naya Nuki right?

On the other hand, the book Naya Nuki has received nothing but four- and five-star reviews on Amazon.com, so it can't be too bad. It would be interesting to see what Native educators think of it.

Meanwhile, Thomasma is making Naya Nuki's story into a movie? Is this another potential role for Vanessa Hudgens? I shudder to think about it.

For more on the subject, see The Best Indian Books.

Below:  "Jackson Hole author Ken Thomasma visits Monroe Intermediate School students Tuesday morning to tell them about his book 'Naya Nuki,' which is about a Native American girl who escapes slavery. He showed the children a beaver skin and buffalo robe." (Star photo by Stephanie Thompson)

Piraro reports on Eiteljorg trip

Dan Piraro, creator of the Bizarro newspaper strip, reports on his visit to the Eiteljorg Museum this weekend. A couple of highlights and lowlights:

Indy BlogosphereGood: The Eiteljorg Museum is much larger and of higher quality than I expected. Before I came, I figured it to be some small, 7/11-sized outfit in a strip mall with a few tomahawks, moccasins and cowboy paintings. In truth, the architecture of the impressively enormous building is top notch, and the immense collection of art and artifacts inside is astounding.Also Good: I found out from this old Indian print that I might have some Native American blood in me. I may even be the descendant of a chief. Very cool.Comment:  Oddly, I don't find Piraro's pretending to be an Indian at all "cool" or funny. I guess that's why he's the big-name cartoonist and I'm not.

For more on the subject, see Native Comic Strips vs. Comic Books.

Below:  More of Piraro's Native-themed "humor." Stereotypical Plains Indians...too stupid to notice the oncoming traffic...ho-hum.

The Only Good Indian = history lesson

Film Review:  The Only Good IndianFilmmaker Kevin Willmott, a Kansas film professor, gives us a history lesson here. A fictional distillation of the U.S. government's attempt to assimilate American Indians into white culture, "The Only Good Indian" is well-suited for cultural anthropology classes, university video series and festival settings.

Unfortunately, its wobbly and preachy dramatic narrative diminishes its power. We're getting a lecture here in skimpy dramatic clothing. The most powerful social statements in dramatic film, of course, are those that seek to entertain first without showing their editorial seams; "In the Heat of the Night," is a glowing example.

This well-meaning and intelligent Sundance entrant lacks the storytelling finesse to do this woeful historical injustice the wider appeal it deserves.And:There are patches where the storytelling is actually entertaining thanks largely to the talents of the cast members. Studi's subtle and conflicted performance is the film's highlight, ably amplified by Frank's appealing turn as the young boy stricken by a chauvinistic Christian culture.

Director Willmott deserves commendation for assembling such a wide-span story on an obviously limited budget; however, the monotony of his shot compositions, stiff cadence and tedious pacing detract from the film's message. Occasionally, there are John Ford homages with skyscapes and silhouettes, but ultimately this one is just too much by-the-book, aesthetically and thematically.Comment:  I was afraid of this.

I've posted a few glowing reports about this movie. Some people may have confused "important subject matter" with "compelling storytelling."

It's too bad filmmakers don't pass their scripts by me before they film them. We'd have better Native-themed movies if they did. <g>

For more on the subject, see The Best Indian Movies.

InnerTribal Beat on the radio

Radio show filling reservation gap

KYRS seeks full power so shows like ‘InnerTribal Beat’ can reach underserved tribal membersOn the Spokane Indian Reservation, young people have to sit in their cars to hear the fading signal from a low-power community radio station 50 miles away.

They are listening to a show from 3 to 4 p.m. every Tuesday on Thin Air Community Radio, KYRS-FM, 92.3 and 89.9. The program offers 60 minutes of news, interviews and music that matter to Native Americans.

“It is filling a gap that hasn’t been filled before,” said Twa-le Abrahamson, a Spokane tribal member who produces the show, “InnerTribal Beat.”

Abrahamson said word is getting out about the program, and once people learn about it, they are “very excited to be included.”Comment:  For more on the subject, see Native Radio = "Untapped Resource."

Obama hears Cherokee story

Cherokee Wisdom Invoked as Obama BeginsPresident Barack Obama on Wednesday participated in a traditional, post-inaugural national prayer service and listened intently to a message attributed to Cherokee wisdom.

The Rev. Sharon E. Watkins, general minister and president of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada, cautioned Obama that he was beginning his presidency at a trying time that "will tend to draw you away from your ethical center."

"But we, the nation that you serve, need you to hold the ground of your deepest values, of our deepest values," she said.

Watkins then told a story she attributed to Cherokee wisdom about a man trying to teach his grandson about the internal battle people face, one between a vengeful, angry wolf and a compassionate, faithful one. When the grandson asks which wolf wins, his grandfather replies: "The one you feed."

Indians need "big daddy" to survive?

Here's the racist letter of the week. Ralph Williams of Verona gets a moron alert for this one:

Era of Indian nations has passedNo matter what our heritage, we are citizens of this great country, all equal with great opportunities, in charge of our own destiny. It is a disgrace; our Congress, after giving this right of citizenship to the Native Americans previously wards of the federal government, have allowed the tribes to circumvent our tax laws, receive a monopoly gambling status and receive federal yearly funds, yet still advocating that they are separate nations when it’s to their advantage.

Give us a break. Treaty rights, land claims, etc. These have tied up our court system for years.

You just can’t have it both ways, you’re either a contributing U.S. citizen or an Indian nation that needs ‘big daddy’ (government) to survive, we call this welfare.

Relationship between the government and Indian tribes was necessary at a time in history, but everything has its day. Status quo to preserve segregation of an ethnic group is illegal, discriminatory and should be cleared away from Native American Indians. The benefit of living in this state and country far outweighs anything offered by tribal government.Some comments on this piece of drivel:Mark Charles wrote on Jan 22, 2009 11:50 AM:

Dear Mr. Williams,

I am assuming you are not of Native American heritage and I have two questions for you.

1. Do you know whose land you are living on?
2. Are you willing to give it back?

If your answer to both of these questions is yes, then we can have a conversation.

m2bulls wrote on Jan 22, 2009 12:20 PM:

Mr. Ralph Williams

This land is what made this country great. This land was stolen and not conquered.

Proof of this lies in the very treaties that the government signed with the Indian. These treaties were ratified by Congress and became the law of the land.

Indians did not write these treaties, nor did they petition Congress, the government came to them with these treaties. The United States became legally bound to these documents on their own accord.

Johnny wrote on Jan 22, 2009 12:54 PM:

[I]f we throw out the treaties cause they are causing problems? How about throwing out the First Amendment since it too old and causes too many problems for politicians hiding corruption, and companies hiding pollution.Comment:  Unfortunately for the ignorant Williams, the Supreme Court has ruled that Indian nations are political groups, not ethnic groups. Which is obvious if you know anything about tribes today. Many of them have enrolled members who are less than half Indian by "blood."

For more on the subject, see The Facts About Tribal Sovereignty.

Dueling views on Geronimo

Stories from the elders should be heard about GeronimoIt was Geronimo and his group that massacred a peaceful defenseless Apache family. There are so many such stories about Geronimo senseless killing. It was because of his killing spree and became too dangerous he was hunted down. As told by my great grandfather who served as Apache Scout.

One incident, Geronimo saw a beautiful married woman one day and he wanted that woman and the following morning the womans husband was found dead, his throat was slash. And Geronimo got the beautiful woman he wanted.

Can you call this senseless killing was done under a different time and circumstances and call Geronimo a hero?

If Geronimo was such a great leader and has wisdom why does he have to kill innocent and defenseless peaceful Apaches that are not a threat to him?Geronimo through my eyesWhat did this man Geronimo face? They killed his family and others from his clan. They took his mother; wife and son for no reason other than they were Apache. It didn't matter what type of Apache. He was Apache, they were Apache’ and for that they were murdered without cause, because being Native was cause enough.

Geronimo angered and went on a rampage. I can't say I can blame him. I would do the same thing if someone killed off my entire family, and was stripping me of everything I knew to be right of the world. From my clothing, my religion, my beliefs, and began to destroy mother earth.

Perhaps he killed other Apaches; he killed white men and Mexican men as well. What he was thinking and why perhaps will never truly be understood.

I believe he stood for the Apache way of life. Geronimo, a proud, heart-broken man was not willing to give up his heritage and beliefs for someone else's, especially that of those who only knew how to take.Comment:  Terrorist or freedom fighter? You be the judge.

For more on the subject, see Geronimo the Wife-Beater? and Geronimo Still "Wanted"?

Get a tan, become Asian (or Inuit)

Hollywood can't seem to stop making racist casting decisions. Here's more on the latest example:

'Twilight' Star Jackson Rathbone Hopes To 'Show His Range' In 'Last Airbender'Due in theaters in summer 2010, "Airbender" has already begun to face a bit of controversy over the casting of white actors like Rathbone, Ringer and McCartney to play Asian characters—a concern the actor was quick to dismiss. "I think it's one of those things where I pull my hair up, shave the sides, and I definitely need a tan," he said of the transformation he'll go through to look more like Sokka. "It's one of those things where, hopefully, the audience will suspend disbelief a little bit."Some comments on this quote:Lxy wrote:

Forget about a tan, Jackson Rathbone should just tape his eyelids like those White actors who played Charlie Chan did.

Yellowface minstrelsy is alive and well in “post-racial”/”non-racist” America.

Sara wrote:

Because you know, Asians are just like white folks except they have a slightly darker skin color.Comment:  Needless to say, these comments apply to the Inuit characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender too. Similar comments apply to the casting of Johnny Depp, Taylor Lautner, Lynn Collins, et al. as Indians.

A hat tip to Avatar:  Get a Tan, Become Asian at Racialicious for bringing Rathbone's racist comments to our attention. Visit that site to see the outraged responses.

For more on the subject, see Comparing Cultures in Airbender and Racist Casting in Airbender.

Below:  "Yeah, I'm playing an Eskimo. If you need someone to play an Asian, hire my buddy Taylor Lautner."

Frozen River gets Oscar nods

Congratulations to Frozen River, the Native-themed movie with Mohawk co-stars and settings, for getting two Oscar nominations:

2009 Oscar scorecardBEST ACTRESS

Anne Hathaway, "Rachel Getting Married"
Angelina Jolie, "Changeling"
Melissa Leo, "Frozen River"
Meryl Streep, "Doubt"
Kate Winslet, "The Reader"

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Dustin Lance Black, "Milk"
Courtney Hunt, "Frozen River"
Mike Leigh, "Happy-Go-Lucky"
Martin McDonagh, "In Bruges"
Andrew Stanton, and Jim Reardon; original story by Stanton and Pete Docter, "WALL-E"Comment:  Is this the most nominations for a Native-themed film since Dances with Wolves? Could be.

Melissa Leo was considered a longshot for a nomination, and Courtney Hunt wasn't considered a shot at all. It's a good haul for indie movies such as The Reader, The Visitor, and Frozen River. Not such a good haul for The Dark Knight, which was expected to get more nominations.

Of course, neither of the nominees is Native. We're still waiting for the mainstream to recognized genuinely Native movies.

Nor is Frozen River superior to other films by and about Natives. I'd say movies such as 2007's Imprint and Four Sheets to the Wind were at least as deserving.

For more on the subject, see The Best Indian Movies.

Below:  Misty Upham, Melissa Leo, and Courtney Hunt.

No Leah in New Moon?

Roscoe Pond reports that Vanessa Hudgens won't be in New Moon, the Twilight sequel:"LEAH" MAKES FIRST APPEARANCE IN "ECLIPSE" (Next Sequel). NEW MOON screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg said that the role of "Leah Clearwater" does NOT appear in "New Moon." "If Vanessa is auditioning for the role of Leah, she’s written her own pages to read, ’cause I didn’t write ‘em." End of quote!Comment:  Alas, this doesn't explain the conflict reports about Hudgens. Again, someone seems to be badly mistaken or lying outright.

Even the report that denied Hudgens's participation didn't deny that Leah was in New Moon. Why not say what screenwriter Rosenberg said if there's no Leah?

Screenwriters usually aren't consulted about casting decisions. They don't get the final say on who or what's in the shooting script. And I don't think the Twilight actors are being chosen for their reading of lines. So Rosenberg's statement is persuasive but not convincing.

Anyway, if Leah isn't in New Moon, it won't be a big loss. I gather she plays a prominent role only in the last two books.

And Hudgens could be auditioning for another Native role in New Moon. Or for the Leah role in Eclipse. So I doubt we've heard the last of this story.

For more on the subject, see Quileute Werewolves in Twilight.

Below:  "I'm too cute not to be an Indian in New Moon. Don't you agree?"

Indigenous shrine = no. 1 religious site

Mexico City is the world's top religious tourist destinationMexico City finished first in a list of the world's most visited religious tourism destinations, ahead of the Vatican and Lourdes in France, reports Milenio.

A study carried out by the Spanish Office of Tourism found that Mexico's capital is the preferred destination of tourists seeking religious sites, largely because of its Basilica de Guadalupe, which receives millions of pilgrims each year.

The site of the basilica marks the spot where, according to Catholic tradition, the Virgin de Guadalupe--Mexico's most revered saint--appeared to indigenous farmer Juan Diego in 1531. Every year, millions of pilgrims make their way to the shrine--arriving in their biggest numbers around Dec. 12, the Dia de la Virgin.Comment:  I wonder if they count the visitors to Mecca as tourists? Probably not.

The study said Mexico City is the no. 1 religious destination and the Basilica de Guadalupe is the no. 1 religious destination within Mexico City. It's possible Lourdes gets more visitors than the Basilica de Guadalupe even if Mexico City gets more visitors than Lourdes.

For more on Juan Diego, see "True Portrait" of Juan Diego Has a Full Beard, Light Skin and Church Historians Don't Believe God Chose Juan Diego.

Below:  "One of the basilicas on the site where the Virgin de Guadalupe--Mexico's most revered saint--is believed to have appeared to Juan Diego in 1531." Credit: Deborah Bonello / Los Angeles Times.

Indian dancers at the NMAI

Photos from the inaugural celebration at the National Museum of the American Indian--mostly of Central and South American dancers:

NMAI DC Celebration--January 17, 2009

Comment:  For more on the subject, see Indians in Obama's Inaugural.

James Cameron's Avatar

Great Expectations

The director reveals how he got Fox to greenlight his $195 million technology-driven motion pictureJames Cameron is finally following up that movie about the boat accident. His new project, Avatar, is an epic, 3-D sci-fi film about an ex-Marine on an inhospitable planet where humans can only survive by projecting their consciousness into genetically engineered bodies (a.k.a. "avatars"). The people of earth want to exploit the planet's natural resources, of course, causing the inhabitants to revolt and a war to break out. The rub for the protagonist, named Jake (played by newcomer Sam Worthington), is that he's fallen in love with a native (Zoe Saldana), forcing him to choose a side in the battle. Fox has gone out on a limb, granting Cameron a whopping $195 million to tell the tale—but hey, what's a couple hundred mil for a guy who racked up 11 Oscars with his last full-length feature?

How did you come up with this story?
Well, my inspiration is every single science fiction book I read as a kid. And a few that weren't science fiction. The Edgar Rice Burroughs books, H. Rider Haggard—the manly, jungle adventure writers. I wanted to do an old fashioned jungle adventure, just set it on another planet, and play by those rules.

Your premise reminded me a lot of the Edgar Rice Burroughs John Carter, Warlord of Mars series.
It's definitely got that feeling, and I wanted to capture that feeling, but updated. To be certain, I wanted a film that could encompass all my interests, from biology, technology, the environment—a whole host of passions. But I've always had a fondness for those kind of science fiction/adventure stories, the male warrior in an exotic, alien land, overcoming physical challenges and confronting the fears of difference. Do we conquer? Exploit? Integrate? Avatar explores those issues.

Is it true you have developed a whole culture and even a whole language for the aliens in this movie?
Absolutely. We have this indigenous population of humanoid beings who are living at a relatively Neolithic level; they hunt with bows and arrows. They live very closely and harmoniously with their environment, but they are also quite threatening to the humans who are trying to colonize and mine and exploit this planet.

Sounds like you've crafted a story with a lot of political resonance.
Only in the very broadest sense of how we as a Western technological civilization deal with indigenous cultures; we basically supplant them. If not in an active, genocidal way, then in a passive manner. They just kind of wither away. Our impact on the natural environment, wherever we go—strip mining and putting up shopping malls. Now, we're extending that to another planet.Comment:  Wes Studi is listed ninth in the cast on IMDB.com. He'll probably play the alien tribe's chief or shaman.

I read a lot of those Burroughs-style SF adventure books when I was young. I'll be impressed if Cameron gives the tribe more depth than those books did. I won't be impressed if he merely replicates the tribes in the books, because they were often stereotypical.

So far I'm not impressed with what Cameron is saying. The tribe lives in harmony with nature but threatens the colonizers, then is supplanted and withers away? If Avatar merely reiterates Euro-American history in another setting, what good is it?

For more on the subject, see The Best Indian Movies.

P.S. This movie is not to be confused with Avatar: The Last Airbender. The non-Cameron movie may go by the name The Last Airbender to avoid confusion.

Below:  A teaser that tells you next to nothing about the movie.