Scholarship & Research
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Item Systemic oppression of indigenous people and documentary film storytelling from an Absaalooge paradigm(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 2020) del Duca, Camille Mona Höwitaawi, Alahuzha Itchish; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Lucia RicciardelliIn this paper, I propose that contemporary documentary films that depict Native American cultures should tell the story from that culture's perspective, centering relationality instead of perpetuating hierarchal thinking. My methodological approach to both this paper and my film 'The Roads of Healing' is based on the work of Indigenous Research Methodology scholar Shawn Wilson, whose work prioritizes relationality and aims to have the final product benefit the community. I have done my best to respect and follow the Absaalooge protocols taught to me by my relations. In this paper, I will discuss the colonial impact of Eurocentric documentary representations of Indigenous people on Native Americans through an analysis of 'Beyond Standing Rock' (2018) and 'What Was Ours' (2016). I will then demonstrate how aspects of the Indigenous worldview can be expressed in documentary filmmaking through an examination of 'Fast Horse' (2018) and 'Return to Foretop's Father' (2019), concluding my study with an analysis of my own film 'Roads of Healing', which I propose as a model for documentarians who are working to decolonize Eurocentric nonfiction filmmaking. In doing so, I will illustrate how systemic racism perpetuated by euro-centric documentary filmmaking practices can be challenged by embracing an Indigenous paradigm.Item The depiction of indigenous African cultures as other in contemporary, Western natural history film(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 2006) Shier, Sara Ann; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Ronald TobiasImages of the indigenous other have always been used in accord with the imperialistic movements of the Western world. Filmmakers continue to use the basic model of depicting people of indigenous cultures as exotic and more primitive than people of Western cultures with the effect of validating Western values and reinforcing the perceived superiority/authority of Western values over other value systems. This form is readily apparent in the treatment of the indigenous people of Africa in natural history films from the inception of the medium to present day. I will examine films from the 1920s through the present day. If filmmakers are to create successful natural history films that incorporate people of indigenous cultures, they must critically study the histories and mythologies that inform these films in order to avoid making the same mistakes.