Smoke Signals Essay

Smoke Signals is a movie where Native Americans first struggle with their history, but eventually learn to appreciate this history and use it to their advantage. The film starts life out on a reservation in Idaho, but before long two Indians must make the trek to Arizona where they are greeted with stereotypes of all kinds. 

The film Smoke Signals, carried a heavy tone where the two main characters, Victor and Thomas, have to deal with stereotypes as well as the general history about Native Americans and are treated unfairly because of these said stereotypes. For example, as Victor and Thomas make their way to Arizona they briefly get off the bus to buy Thomas a new shirt, but when they return their seats have been stolen by two white men that look like (even though this is a stereotype) the typical racist redneck with their trucker hats and support of guns. After telling the men they were sitting in those seats, the white men insult them and tell them to move to the back of the bus. The film exemplifies how many citizens think that they can boss around Indians just like the government did, and how this leads them to be treated as second class citizens. Earlier on the bus ride, a woman from Mississippi was complaining about being only an alternate on the US gymnastics Olympic team and compares herself to Indians. This sets Victor off as he sees no way that being close to the Olympics and having to deal with the terrible treatment from not only the government but also the average everyday American citizen. This shows how the average American looks down on Native Americans for letting the government take over the culture, move them out of their homes and take over their land. The average American sees the Indian as weak, as they do not understand everything Indians had to endure, which is something many Native Americans will always have to deal with.

 Victor and Thomas however use these stereotypes and history to empower themselves and accept their culture rather than move away from it. Their are many times in the film when Thomas will tell some ridiculously long elaborate tale to get something that he needs. Whether it be a ride to the bus stop, or information about Victor's father, he embraces this stereotype of Indians passing down their stories, and uses this as an advantage by learning how to tell them through experiencing someone like his grandmother telling stories to him. At the end of the movie, Victor and Thomas are caught in a car crash with a woman suffering potentially fatal injuries, Victor thinks of all the things his father has done as well as other Indians in the past, he sets off on a 20 mile run with Indian music going on in the background before eventually finding help and getting help to the injured woman.

          All in all Smoke Signals is a very empowering film for Native Americans depicting how to let one’s culture help on their road to success, but unfortunately a person will always be met with stereotypes about themselves. The film exemplifies how a Native American needs strength to overcome these obstacles, and listening to their history will only help.