Celebrate the partial and non Natives, they celebrate you!

An elder who is a friend was talking to Matt last night about a talk he did on misconceptions about Native Americans. There are tons, and the sad part is many of the misconceptions and sadly, prejudices, come from Native Americans themselves.

The most glaring thing recently is that Johnny Depp is playing Tonto in a Lone Ranger movie. First, it is probably clear to most people that Depp is one of (if not THE), best actors out there today. His persona changes to that character. He brings that character to life. If I were a movie maker I would certainly want Depp in my movie.

Depp has promised to play Tonto in a new light. He is playing him as the brains of the pair who keeps the lone Ranger out of trouble all the time. I think that is awesome, and will be quite entertaining. It will be the Lone Ranger that we are laughing at, not Tonto.

All good things. Good things for Native America too. Yet, there always has to be a bunch of Native Americans who want a Native American person to be doing things.. Now I can see their point, many westerns were made in the old days with non Native actors. Not all westerns were made with Non Natives. Many of the Natives galloping over the desert were in fact Natives. They weren't always the right tribe (Shoshone played Navajos, etc), but they were Natives.

Today people want a Native to play the Tonto part. I can think of only one person that could play that part. Adam Beach. The handsome and talented man who played in Codetalkers. Now I don't know if the locals would even accept Beach, he is Canadian, and that is how silly all this is. Maybe they even asked Beach, who knows.....because I can picture studios asking NA actors to play Tonto, and those actors saying "no" becasue Tonto was a side kick who didn't say much. He was the second banana. Tonto was a joke to Native America, who wants to play a joke...well apparently now that Depp is, everyone wants the part to go to a NA actor.

Depp took the part and is going to make Tonto NOT be a second banana, and he has the clout to do it. Where Hollywood may say "no" to a no name actor (and I am NOT talking about Beach here), they know Depp has the brains to make it work, and work well. Depp has the part, and will no doubt do an awesome job, but here is the kicker. Depp IS part Native American. He doesn't have all the background information, and many do not. People who live on a reservation find it unfathomable that one would not know their entire family history. Actually it is quite easy. Many have no records, maybe there were no records to begin with, and many were destroyed. Families were separated. My tribes took each other prisoner all the time, that is why we are so mixed with so many tribes. I know for sure of two tribes in my blood, and I am told there can be as many as eight! The records were mostly kept by the BIA, there WAS NO BIA when my tribes were assimilated in to the main stream. There was no United States! There was just a bunch of colonies, and prior to that, nothing.

It isn't easy for every Native American to know their ancestry. Depp is an example. I had a hard time because the blood is on my father's side and my Mom divorced him before I was born. She moved several states away, so my contact was minimal and when I was small. Three year olds usually don't get handed a list of family run downs, even if they do have them....

Native America is many times its' own worse enemy. There are enough problems without saying Depp isn't Indian enough to play the part. Get over it!! There are many proud Native Americans who do much for Native America that are not full blood, that are blonde, red heads, and have blue eyes. There are many that are not "carded", nor can recite their entire family history back to the 1400's and beyond. Yet what is in their hearts is love, family, promotion of the Native American ways, and dedication to the beliefs. More than what many "official" Native Americans are doing these days.

The amount of Haters out there in the world is ridiculous. They think they can dictate who can do things, who can be places and who join groups, based on their blood. BULL. They cannot. These are jealous, hateful people. They are people who plot, bully, and spout off at the mouth nonsense. It is what is in your heart. I have said it before and I will say it again, there are some people I know without a drop of Native blood that are more honoring to the Native ways, more dedicated , than people with Native blood. They are even more honorable, becasue they choose a path that will be difficult to walk. To disgrace them is disgusting. When they are doing things the right way (and not "your" right way , but THE right way), NO ONE but Creator has a say. You honor them, you thank them.

I come from the east coast where we met the white man hundreds of years before the Plains and Southwest tribes. We are much more friendly with each other and those who adopted our ways. I guess some others have a few hundred years more learning to do. They have centuries of Spiritual growth to do!

Embrace Depp, who is a Native, and all those who are part Native and celebrate the Native ways. They are part of the good in the world, not part of the bad, and if you have a problem with it, then YOU are the problem, not them. Don't be a Hater, don't be prejudicial!Don't be judgmental! Don't be Egotistical! NONE of that is condoned by Creator!


Peshaui Wequashimese






(C)2012 Dr R M Wolf. May not be used, copied or reproduced without prior written permission