Smoke Signals: Movie Review

Smoke Signals is a comedic yet dramatic film about Victor, a young man trying to forgive his father. The story begins with a glimpse of two boys, one of which is rescued from a fire that consumes his parents. As the boys grow up, the tension between them builds. The rescued orphan boy, Thomas, becomes a naive but positive nerd. Victor embarks on a journey of forgiveness towards his father. Victor is proud of his Native American background and finds pleasure in confrontation with meeting his father. Victor’s father left when he was a boy and then learns that his father just died, and his mother sends him to collect the ashes. He is only able to make the trip with Thomas’ help. However, and there is a condition that is difficult for him to accept. Victor must swallow his pride and take Thomas with him. The young men are different and learn from one another and more about the world, about Victor’s father, and most of all about themselves. It is a delightfully paced sentimental and funny film, which gives a unique perspective on Native American culture.

Apache is the culture that is being portrayed in smoke signals. The Apache tribe was a nomadic group, and their lives revolved around buffalo. Apachians wore buffalo skins, slept in buffalo-hide tents, and ate buffalo. They were one of the first Native American tribes learned to ride horses, and they quickly began using horses to hunt the buffalo. They also searched and ate berries and plants for additional food. They did not, however, eat fish or bear, because these were both considered unclean for eating.

In Apache society, both men and women were important to the tribe. Men were chosen as bandleaders, but women held important roles in the tribe as well. After a marriage took place in the tribe, the groom would move in with the bride’s family. The husband hunts and works with his in-laws’ family members. If his wife died, the husband stayed with her family, and her family would help him find a new bride. Men were allowed to marry more than one woman, but only wealthy leaders did this. It was usually a sister or cousin of his wife if he decided to remarry.

Until the Spanish arrived in their territory, the Apache and Pueblo Indians had a peaceful and economic relationship with each other. The Pueblo tribe traded agricultural from their farms and pottery in exchange for buffalo meat. Apache focused on growing their products or making cultural products and instead could focus all of their energy on buffalo hunting. The peaceful trade network between the Pueblo and Apache was disrupted. The Spanish wanted to trade with the Apache and diminished the Pueblo trading abilities; they were successful in this endeavor.

The Apache had many ceremonies that they celebrated. The ceremonies often focused on certain dances. They celebrated a girl’s entrance into womanhood with the Sunrise Dance. The Apache believed that when a girl performed the Sunrise Dance, she was given special blessings to help her in life. Another dance was the Crown Dance, also known as the Mountain Spirit Dance. This dance was masked, and the dancers would impersonate mountain spirits.

Victor Joseph grew up on the Core d’Alene Indian Reservation near the small town of Plummer, Idaho. Victor is living with the memory of his absent father. He lives only with his mother and is always accompanied by his nerdy neighbor Thomas. Victor’s biggest change is confronting his past. It’s a long journey to Phoenix, which means that Victor has plenty of time to reflect on his childhood. Victor comes into contact with people who knew his father. Victor struggles to understand not who his father was, but what sort of man Victor himself might become. He is a quiet and guarded Native American. Victor has always been a man of few words, which isn’t surprising given his tumultuous childhood. Victor protects himself from seeming vulnerable by lashing out at the people around him, making him seem like a bully. Victor is an honorable young man who is proud of his people’s history and culture. Victor does not back down when facing physical challenges or prejudice. His stubborn toughness serves him well when confronting the injustices of the world around him, but makes it hard for him to acknowledge and confront his internal demons.

The stereotype of Indians dramatically changed in the ’50s when Native Americans became viewed as ruthless savages. All Native Americans were supreme horsemen who wore headdresses is a stereotype that lived on. Finally, in the ’70s, Indians were viewed as “cool” and thought of as hippies, and today Native Americans are portrayed in the media as poor and drunken. Many Native Americans are poor or suffer from alcoholism. This is one of the stereotypes thought of about Native Americans today.

The Apache tribe is portrayed throughout history as a savage war-hungry people, they raided villages and tormented nearby groups. The fact is, the Apache raided for generations to protect their land from invasion. The Apache wanted to stay peaceful, and they were forced into the act of battle to remain a free people. Although their want for peace might have been true, most European accounts of the Apache have portrayed them as violent. This stereotype of Apache has also lasted the test of time. Many people thought since they hunted buffalo and tried protecting their land they were violent. Violent acts from the Apache are discussed in a letter from Juan de Oñate as early as 1599. Apache tribe was only trying to keep their families safe and land to themselves. They are ignored in today’s time and also thought of as vicious even in New Mexico. They are connected to the Athabaskan language family.