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Sometimes Writer-Blogger
​Cutcha Risling Baldy​

Z Nation was the first post-apocalyptic zombie tv show to feature Native Americans and it was bad… bad… really bad… I’m sure there was something redeeming… Eddie Spears is cute.

11/18/2015

 
Recently the SyFy channel announced that they would air an upcoming episode that featured Native American people living on their reservation post-apocalypse. And there was a resounding “INDIANS ON TV! POST-APOCALYPTIC INDIANS ON TV!” because we tend to get a little bit excited knowing that (1) somebody is trying to make an effort to show a representation of us as alive, futuristic people and (2) hey we actually survived an apocalypse in this fictional universe!

As I have said before, Natives aren’t really represented in post-apocalyptic shows and movies which I find very interesting because Native people have actually survived apocalypses/ the end of the world before… If you want to know more you should read my blog about The Walking Dead and Settler Colonialism. Or listen to this radio interview.

It seems to me that by the time the futuristic apocalypse rolls around Native people have already vanished (as per the “vanishing Indian” trope), so they aren’t a part of this “new world.” Either that, or Native people are just straight chillin’ someplace else, probably on their reservations, and they don’t need to get involved in all that junk where people go into hordes of zombies and thin
k it’s a good idea to try to lead them around (THAT WAS NEVER A GOOD IDEA RICK. NEVER.)

Z-Nation is a bit different because in this post-apocalypse there is a dude who is part zombie or something and they think he might be a cure? I don’t know I’ve only watched two episodes. And this episode was billed as a great thing because it featured many Native actors and a very Native specific storyline.

I watched it because I like seeing Indians on TV. I’ve written about this before in my blog where I explore the “Native Cameo.”“Native Cameos” are those 1-2 episode, sometimes intermittent appearances by Native characters on television shows. What I have found *spoiler alert* is that these Native Cameos resettle settler colonial claims to legitimacy, meaning, they justify, and normalize colonization and settler colonial occupation of Indigenous spaces and Indigenous histories. 

To better critically analyze (or what I like to call “engage in Indigenous media analytics”) I have provided the following cheat sheet of what I have noticed about these Native cameos. In the Native Cameo:
1.       Native Americans are spiritual peoples full of knowledge that is specifically aimed at addressing answers to questions and conundrums of main characters (Spiritual & Knowledgeable)
2.       Native American characters remind us that history is… complicated (History)
3.      Native American’s Own Casinos (Casinos)***
4.       Mascots are dumb (Booo Mascots!)
5.       Native Americans are Men (Men)
But ultimately what I was arguing was that
Understanding, discussing, and complicating the Native Cameo is important. We are more than just cameos to a world that tries to pretend like we don’t exist, or that we aren’t fully functioning nations of people who deserve equal footing in politics and culture. Our worlds are more than just other to the “real” or “normal” world that is often portrayed on television. When we are represented in places like Network television it can and should speak to our continued investment in our shared existence, in our shared experiences on Indigenous lands.
Now, while I think Z-Nation did complicate some of the usual Native Cameo points in their episode. (For instance there is a big attempt to have a “strong female Native” character here. She is the one who ends up in charge). There was still a lot of really problematic storylines that actually resulted in me and my friends GUFFAWING (yes, guffawing). And by the end of the episode the show had checked off every last one of my cameo requirements… (except mascots. Almost Z-Nation. Almost)

In the episode the main characters are running from a zombie-storm (z-storm) that is wide, moving fast and driving them toward the grand canyon. When they get there they meet up with a bunch of Indians living on the land, some in the sacred mountains of the tribe, others in the casino. There is the Chief (whose name is Danny) and the Mad Indian Guy (whose name is Gordon) and the Indian Princess Daughter (I didn’t catch her name) and the Medicine Woman plus several unspoken Indian parts. The Indians introduce themselves by saying “This is tribal land, no visitors allowed." And after they are told that there is a horde of zombies coming their way… they refuse to leave. And all heck breaks lose.
​
I offer you here my picture essay of this episode. Enjoy.

The Native Cameo in Z-Nation: A Picture Essay

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They come upon some Indians. At a casino. The Indians aren't having it. The casino has a big bus, and a parking garage and lots of cool ass Indians.
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Here comes mad Indian guy (Eddie Spears, yum) and he's mad. He's also really, really, really good looking. And mad. Stop making him so mad white people. That's right, he's mad because white people have zin-digo disease. (I couldn't decide if that's what they were saying.)
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"You bring disease and destruction." Stop doing that white people.  And actually they are. They are running from a zombie-storm and have led that horde right to them. P.S. The kind of shout out to Jack Forbe's  Wetiko Psychosis made me feel pretty happy. If that was on purpose.)
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Strong Native Woman takes them to the infirmary which is also a storage unit for all things Native American that they have found at the Native American souvenir stores from just around the way. Let's play spot the dream catcher, random baskets, pendleton blankets? 
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Strong Indian Woman and Mad Indian Guy are fighting about how you shouldn't be mean to white people. Medicine Woman is thinking about how she just forgave random white guy for settler colonialism. See that look on her face it says "wait, did I just forgive that guy for all the genocide?"
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The zombie comes to kill the two white guys and old white guy (who has been forgiven for all the settler colonialism) transmorphizes (jumps out of his body) and becomes this painted Native looking spirit thing and is able to kill the zombie even though he's still trapped in the net. You have to watch it if you don't understand. 
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This is Chief Indian after he prayed with some sage and then decided to go out gambling. I guess staying in your big ass building while a zombie horde comes is a bit of a gamble anyway. 
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The whole casino gets swallowed by the horde and destroyed. Goodbye gambling that was still working because there's always a generator at the casino. 
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That's when the buffalo start glowing. And Peyote White Guy says "do you think that zombies are as stupid as buffalo?"
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In the end zombies are as "stupid as buffalo" and they get herded off a cliff into the grand canyon. 
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This lady starts yelling "yáʼátʼééh" over and over again, I guess hoping they are Navajo? Okay you got me, most of us probably speak a little Navajo. They are everywhere!
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See how mad he is? He's so mad and angry. It's because... white people. And all the settler colonialism. Did I forget to mention that mad Indian guy was a Native American Studies Professor in his past life? That's why he's so mad. He thinks everybody is a settler. (Touche SyFy Channel)
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 Hey stop being so mad, says the Native woman. I appreciate that she puts him in to his place. She also rescues the white guys from the Mad Indian dude and tells him to chill. My friend who was watching this with me said "Sorry Kocoum." (SO TRUE)
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After the "medicine woman" fixes the old white guy up she gives him Peyote and they go out trippin' together. He makes bad jokes about the "long strange trip" this zombie-apocalypse has been and then she forgives him for settler colonialism and tells him it's not his fault. 
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Mad Indian guy decides he's going to entrap the white guys and sacrifice them to the zombies because he's mad and he used to be a Native American Studies professor. It's true, we Native professors are mad because we know too much. It's why most of our classes are just us giving this look to students and going "SHUT UP WHITE STUDENTS."
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In the mean time, Chief of the tribe who is at the casino is giving his daughter the side eye. There's a lot of side eye going on in this episode, all by Native people. We are really good at side eye. He decides that the Casino is sacred land and he's going down with the ship. Also he puts his daughter in charge (go Native women being leaders!)
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Of course he wins the jackpot. Which I took to mean "see you're never going to win any money at an Indian casino until the world ends." That's okay, you should still come and play and hang out with us. Cause we all have casinos...
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Mad Indian Guy is sad cause his Dad (the Chief) died.  So is his sister.  Mad Indian guy is going to be nice now cause he's Sad Indian Guy. He says "we need a plan" for the zombie-storm.
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 Remember when the buffalo got slaughtered by white people in order to usher in Native genocide? Stupid Buffalo! If only the buffalo had guns, then maybe they wouldn't have been so weak and gotten all killed and stuff.
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And I just whispered “sorry Havasupai. It’s raining zombies today.” (You all know there are Natives that live in the Grand Canyon right? We are EVERYWHERE.)
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Now everybody's friends. 
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See, Mad/Sad Indian Guy is like "we will record this in our history." Which I also kind of appreciate, because the idea that the western based book history is gone (end of the world and all) and these Native histories, always thought as "primitive" and "non-existent" are still here, and those are the ones being recorded... nice. (Also check out Medicine Woman, she's still thinking "wait. Did I really forgive old white dude for settler colonialism? Did that happen?" (IT HAPPENED)
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Strong Indian Woman is still making googly side eye at the skinny white dude that she was googly-eyeing at earlier who she rescued from the death sentence that Mad Indian guy sentenced him to.  She says "come back and visit." And they googly eye some more. This story sounds awfully familiar. 
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Mad/Sad Indian guy says thank you. No, thank you Eddie Spears, for being in this show and having the best hair. Also the best chin. And the best face. And the best lines. You're the best. #NativeAmericanStudiesProfessorsAreTheBest #EvenTheOnesThatAreJustFictionalAndOnTV 
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Medicine Woman gives old White Dude some more Peyote probably hoping he'd forget that she forgave him for all the settler colonialism and genocide. That didn't happen. It didn't happen... she'll whisper in his Peyote dreams. (IT DID). 

Final conclusion: These Natives need their own zombie-apocalypse show. It would be awesome. There's some work to do... yes. Much actually. Many, many things. But if Eddie Spears ain't on the television each week what's the point of television anyway? Get on it Z-Nation. And then hire some really good Native writers. Lots of them actually. And Directors. This could be awesome. (This episode was not.)

no:'olchwin-ding, no:'olchwin-te (to growold in a good way): The Hupa Flower Dance and the revitalization of women’s coming of age ceremonies in Native California

11/18/2015

0 Comments

 
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The following is an excerpt from my in progress book based on research I have been doing for the past few years on the revitalization of women's coming of age ceremonies in Native California. People have been asking "where's the blog?!" And I can only respond "I'm trying to write a book!" So I thought I'd give a sneak preview of what I'm working on and a little bit more info about my academic life and why women's coming of age ceremonies are so important for Native communities.


At one time,women's coming of age ceremonies were a public celebrations of a girl’s first menstruation which demonstrated how young women are powerful members of Native cultures and societies and that gender equality is central to Native epistemologies. Prior to invasion by western settlers, the Hoopa Valley Tribe, like many other tribes in Native California, were complex societies where gender roles were egalitarian and spirituality was central to all aspects of life. California's post-invasion history was a genocide aimed at the total annihilation of Native peoples and included systematic attacks on Native women and their coming of age ceremonies. As a result, many Native nations no longer practiced their women’s ceremony. At the start of the new millennium, Native women in many communities throughout California have come together to bring back the ceremony as a way to strengthen their community and promote healing from the issues of exploitation and violence introduced during colonization.

As I set out to do research on the revitalization of the women’s coming of age ceremony for my tribe, I was keenly aware that I wanted my research and study to focus on the impacts of this ceremony and demonstrate how it (re)writes, (re)rights and (re)rites who we are as Native people. In my own community, the Flower Dance has been an important method of healing for our people. It not only helps young women to build a foundation for their futures, but it has inspired older women, men and young boys to change how they regard the young woman of our community.

In regards to writing what will become part of the historical record, and a testimony to the contemporary experience and autonomy of Native people, I wanted to help tell a powerful story about women, about California Indian women, and how California Indian people can continue to build their futures with the cultural and spiritual foundations from our First People and our ceremonies. It was for this reason I focused not only on rigorous scholarly research of archival, ethnographic materials, but also
 on informed community based research that does not treat decolonization as “metaphor” but articulates a tangible means by which to decolonize Native communities so that they can be healthier, vibrant peoples (Tuck & Yang).


I foregrounded interviewing the women who were tied to this revitalization, although there were men who are important to the praxis and (re)vitalization of this ceremony as well. 
I have personal relationships with all of the women who I interviewed. Melodie George-Moore is a medicine woman for the Hupa people, mother and teacher, my relative, and close friend of my mother. Lois Risling, my mother, is a Hupa elder, trained medicine woman, and educator. The young women who agreed to be interviewed included Kayla Rae Carpenter, Natalie Carpenter, Alanna Lee Nulph, Melita Jackson, and Deja George. Together they span the first ten years of this revitalization in the Hoopa community. Each of the women agreed to and were excited about utilizing their real names in this research, something that I found poignant and important to respect, because of how proud they were to be tied to this revitalization. 

​The following is an excerpt from the final chapter of my book...

xoq’it-ch’iswa:l (on her- they beat time; a Flower Dance is held for her) The revitalization of the Hupa Women’s Coming of Age Ceremony ​

As I have continued to participate in Flower Dance ceremonies it has become very clear to me that the resurgence of the Flower Dance is a tangible, physical, spiritual and communal act of decolonization. This aspect of the dance was reflected by Hupa medicine woman Melodie George-Moore as well. For her, the dance is about empowering women, because of how colonization targeted Native women.
[The Flower Dance is] a very powerful nod to what women bring to their tribe. Especially powerful seeing as colonization, and for some tribes up to 500 years of colonization, it’s amazing to see when they come to watch what they experience… decolonization, I would say, at a very basic level; at a very biological level. We are celebrating menstruation. I don’t care what you think of it, this is what we think of it (George-Moore)
The Flower Dance supports an Indigenous decolonizing praxis by enacting Indigenous methodologies that center on ceremony to counteract the impact of settler colonial ideologies of gender, history, and spirituality. The women who helped revitalize this dance believed it was the loss of the Flower Dance that contributed to the struggles facing the women of the tribe and that the performance of this ceremony would create a community of women who could provide support to each other and to the young girls.
TI think that it’s an important part to keeping the balance in our community, in our spirituality, basically in all the areas of our lives. ...There’s a lot there that sort of keeps that balance within our tribe, male and female (Carpenter, K).

I think the dance brings a lot of people together. That kind of dance especially, because, I mean even if, even if mom is not in the picture or if dad's not in the picture you know that side of the family needs to come together for this girl and the family comes together for her. ...who cares about if they are fighting or who cares about what somebody said about somebody two years ago or who borrowed 20 bucks and never brought it back or you steal fish out of my net, or whatever. It's -who cares about that -this kid, this child, this girl needs us right now… (Nulph).
​

A lot of [this dance] is representation of the support you have in the community.  I really appreciated the talking circles, it was just constantly seeing these women every day. It’s like they could leave at any moment but they’re not. This is what they are here for and I appreciated it. ...it helped signify how I stood in the community (Jackson).
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Part of  (re)building this community came from the resurgence of songs and singing among women. Some of the older women who participated in the ceremony were singing for the first time.  Younger women were coming together with older women to teach each other songs and talk about their role in the ceremony. Some women created song groups, who specifically came together to make up new songs, bringing new life to the ceremony. In these song groups many of the women were afraid at first of singing but were encouraged by those older women who remembered when women “sang out.” In this respect, the personal journey of the women was reflected in their journey of learning, creating and singing a song in the ceremony. As Melodie George-Moore reflects:

There’s other things happening here, like the five generation first time dancers, all of them first time, one time, singing together for the first time ever. Wow, I can’t top that- five generations of women singing together at one time. That’s the ultimate, that’s the ultimate decolonization that happens (George-Moore).
The revitalization of the dance, therefore, has provided a very poignant methodology for addressing these issues of gender and societal imbalance and the introduction and adoption of a misogyny into Hupa cultural practices and epistemologies. Alanna Nulph notes that what she learned in her Flower Dance was that in Hupa culture and society women are very important in all aspects of the culture and that the Flower Dance ceremony speaks to that importance.
[In Hupa culture] women own a lot of property and regalia and did a lot of the work, they are acorn eaters and who gathered all the acorns? Women! And who weaves all the baskets? The women, with exceptions sometimes you know. Who cuts up the fish? Who drys the fish? The women. So women are important just as the same as men are important in the bigger dances, you need something to celebrate women or else women will get mad at you and you don’t want angry women in your society (Nulph).
Lois Risling explains that this dance has helped men to “look at women in a different light.”
When you dance over somebody and celebrate somebody you don't think of them just as a piece of meat or just as some kind of sexual object. Which is kind of ironic, because that’s not how the miners thought, the miners thought the opposite of [Native women], just as them being a sexual object. But I think if you’ve danced with somebody, you've said prayers over somebody, you begin to think of women in a different way. And this is I think really important for our society because we have been oppressed and we have been told that women, from Christian American morals, we’ve been told that women are not equal to men and they’re not in the same position that men are in. But this ceremony definitely shows that women are important to the society and play a very important part in it (Risling).
As Hupa medicine woman Melodie George-Moore reflects on the impact of this dance she focuses intently on how each of these young women, and all of the people who have become a part of a the Flower Dance community, are able to utilize the positivity of this ceremony against the many issues that still face the Hupa people. The dance, and it’s public celebration of young women, contributes to a community healing, not just an individualized experience on the part of the kinahłdung.
I think we’re making a dent in, or building and holding space against, negativity. There’s a lot of negative things in this world. Especially in the modern world. In the modern Hupa world there is a lot of negative things that are cause for concern and I think we’re holding space against that with this dance. …I thought (we were only) giving the girl armour but in fact what we’re doing is a lot larger than that not just for the girl but for other people who come to participate (George-Moore).

Other Resources

Blue Jay Sings-- The Revitalization of Women's Coming of Age Ceremonies and making Blue Jay Veils 
by Cutcha Risling Baldy (Hupa, Karuk, Yurok)
Presentation on Flower Dance revitalization begins at 57:21 in below video.
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    Cutcha Risling Baldy is an Associate Professor and Department Chair of Native American Studies at Humboldt State University. She received her PhD in Native American Studies from the University of California, Davis.  She is also a writer, mother, volunteer Executive Director for the Native Women's Collective and is currently re-watching My Name is Earl...


    (5) Top Posts

    On telling Native people to just "get over it" or why I teach about the Walking Dead in my Native Studies classes... *Spoiler Alert!*
    Hokay -- In which I lead a presentation on what happens when you Google "Native American Women" and critically analyze the images or "Hupas be like dang where'd you get that dentalium cape girl? Showing off all your money! PS: Suck it Victorias Secret"
    In which we establish that there was a genocide against Native Americans, yes there was, it was genocide, yes or this is why I teach Native Studies part 3 million
    5 Reasons I Wear "Indian" Jewelry or Hupas...we been bling-blingin' since Year 1
    Pope Francis decides to make Father Junipero Serra a saint or In Which I Tell Pope Francis he needs to take a Native Studies class like stat

    I need to read more Native blogs!

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