Thoughts about Smoke Signals

Traditional symbols of mainstream America such as basketball and John Wayne were repurposed by the Native Americans in Smoke Signals. The basketball game that was Arnold and Victor against the Jesuits was turned into a battle of Christians versus Indians. Americans see basketball merely as a game for enjoyment while Arnold clearly interpreted it as more than that. In addition, John Wayne is an iconic character of American Westerns, people look up to him as a hero. The Native Americans however, would probably not view him in that way. Victor and Thomas sang a song about John Wayne’s teeth, making fun of him and demonstrating that they do not think of him as a hero, but as someone who can be mocked. It’s a little bit humorous to think that John Wayne is such an iconic American symbol, when the real Americans (Native Americans) view him in such a different light.  

Also, the movie addresses “real” Native Americans and stereotypical Native Americans. Victor tells Thomas that he needs to be a real Indian—which includes looking stoic. Thomas has to take out his braids to have loose hair, needs to smile less and look angrier, and trade his suit for more casual clothing. Even after all of these changes, Thomas still does not represent the typical Native American as Victor does, and I think that Thomas goes back to his braids and suit anyways; he doesn’t think it is necessary to fit a stereotype when he is naturally a Native American anyways. Victor cuts his long hair off toward the end of the movie. This action goes against the traditional look of the Native Americans, but it is what his father did also. In this way, both Arnold and Victor go against the stoic Native American ways. One other thing to add to the “real” Native American is that Victor’s dad drank a lot of alcohol. On real Indian reservations, there is a problem with alcohol consumption and drunkenness, which is comparable to how Arnold acts in Smoke Signals.