MovieChat Forums > Longmire (2012) Discussion > Native American Missing Elements

Native American Missing Elements

posted 8 years ago by bruce-281
3 replies | jump to latest

Being Native American I love the demonstrated lore and interaction between the Native Americans and town folks in this series. A few elements of the portrayal of American Indians by the actors seem to be flawed and need to be pointed out.
Native Americans tend towards practical jokes and humor when interacting. I have seen tall tales, outright whoppers and practical jokes pulled on each other and it never seems to end with the diversity of the people involved. I know Longmire is a serious show, but it would better portray our people if Walt would come on the Rez and find out one man actually has four names and some of them were plays on humor of ongoing jokes such as HawkTail being Birdbutt, etc.
I know it may seem strange but Natives can say contractions such as don't, can't, and doesn't. Some of us even have a college education. Can we get passed the ugh and how stage?
In the episode "What Happens on the Rez" (4-10) the Roughnecks are partying on the Rez to avoid problems with the sheriff and tribal police and to get around the laws. I can tell you this would not happen! If you partied on the Rez and raped and trashed folk the next time you come down there all sorts of tribe members are going to be waiting and come out of the woodwork. Try that stunt on one of my local Rez's and about 60 monster tribal members are going to surround them and put them in the hospital. What is left of them would then be jailed for vagrancy.
Otherwise the show is fantastic!!!

[–] JayCeezy 8 years ago

Every single thing on the show, dialogue, action/reaction, characters coming and going, all move the story forward. The writers are amazing in their economy, and the actors tell a lot moving the story forward without words.

The distinct speaking style of Henry sets him apart. He is "in, but not of" by using that speech cadence.

btw, you probably notice the inaccuracies and nonsense like the "medicine wheel" (which is not a Native American custom, but a white man's storytelling device).

[–] MagusTruthseeker 8 years ago

I know it may seem strange but Natives can say contractions such as don't, can't, and doesn't. Some of us even have a college education. Can we get passed the ugh and how stage?

Henry Standing Bear and Jacob Nighthorse are both shown as rather well-educated, especially Jacob, though Henry is very much an "educated" person. He chooses to not use contratctions. It is a quirk with him. As for the poverty and the uneducated we have seen loads of, that's real life on many reservations. THe casino will hopefully be shown to be helping improve those problems, but we will have to wait a while to see.

As for the premise behind 4.10, every show takes some liberties in order to coax a story along. If, for instance, the tribe was unaware, or for some reason unable to respond decisively, then the premise of skirting the law and consequences holds and makes for great criminal drama, so the writers went with it.

[–] bigtonk 8 years ago

All good points, especially that the show is great.

bigtonk