Category Archives: film

Remembering Maria Tallchief

When someone mentioned ballet my mother would chime in that a famous ballerina came from her American Indian community. Maria Tallchief. We learned this week that Tallchief passed on. She and her sister Marjorie came from a prominent Osage family, … Continue reading

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Cookie Full of Arsenic

I’d hate to take a bite of you. You’re a cookie full of arsenic. That’s just one of the unforgettable quotes from the movie, The Sweet Smell of Success my students viewed this week. Set in 1950s against the backdrop … Continue reading

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Science of Mixed Messages

Received a thoughtful comment from a reader about the mixed messages we receive in light of Nike’s campaign to promote Oscar Pistorius as a weapon, warrior and “bullet in the chamber.” The campaign hit a concrete wall when Pistorius’ girlfriend … Continue reading

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Girls Don’t Need Math

What can you say to attract undergraduate college students to a course in science communication? When I explain to new acquaintances that my work revolves around science communication, their eyes glaze over. Boredom sets in.

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Would You Think Twice about Blackface?

This week Charlotte of Monaco donned American Indian garb at an equestrian show in France, channeling Native spirits of yesteryear. The theme was the American West. So: if the theme was the Civil War, might Charlotte show up in blackface? … Continue reading

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Onward

Although today marks the end of American Indian Heritage Month there’s no end to the issues confronting indigenous peoples and I will continue to share my thoughts about topics—some critical, some lighthearted—from an Indian lens. My argument during American Indian … Continue reading

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Indian Humor

Sure, Indians have a sense of humor. Just ask Ryan Red Corn. Red Corn, a fellow Osage with Renaissance qualities—graphic artist, filmmaker and improv actor—has created videos that highlight Indian humor and is a member of the 1492s, an Indian … Continue reading

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Bizarre Month

A bizarre intersection occurs when October 31 greets November 1. We leap from All Hallows Eve to Native American Heritage Month just by turning a page on the calendar. Halloween agitates some of my American Indian brethren. Native regalia aren’t … Continue reading

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Exterminating Indian Identity

Soon I will be bound for Phoenix to present a paper on American Indian identity and authenticity: a topic of keen interest. Critics often complain about Indian stereotypes, ranging from the issues surrounding sports mascots to non-Indians playing Native roles … Continue reading

Posted in authenticity, cinema, community, ethics, Family, film, human origin, individualism, Kennewick Man, Native Science, repatriation, science, writing | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Enter Tonto

Social media are all a-twitter over the casting of Johnny Depp as Tonto in the reimagined film, The Lone Ranger, set for release next year. And my pals aren’t sure how to respond: it’s easy to make fun of blue-eyed … Continue reading

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