Johnny Depp as Tonto

Now as an artist that has utilized The Lone Ranger as part of his body of work and is a staunch advocate for the accuracy of Indigenous portrayal in media, I am interested in this turn of events. Granted, Johnny Depp has claimed he is Cherokee, Irish, German with some Navajo(?) [via IMDB] all well and fine. The problem isn't is Johnny Depp Cherokee, it's what does he know about being INDIGENOUS, there I said it.

What authenticity is he going to bring to the silver screen that will translate what you and I know as Our shared cultural experience, Pan-Indian as some of it might be? I don't think he is going to offer anything to Indigeneity other than some dressed-up caricature of what he and Verbinski thinks "Indian" is. Now, is it okay since Tonto is a fictional character? How much fantasy is he going to project to an audience that not only loves Depp, but practically worships him? How much of this character will the audience actually walk away with as truth and how much as fiction? We know that the majority of America gets their information from media, and that information is framed in its presentation. So, if Depp's portrayal of Tonto is a caricature of what he has conjured in his mind about Indigenous people then we should be prepared to do battle with fantasy. If he doesn't embellish on his character's persona, a la Capt. Jack Sparrow then we might hope for a more humanistic approach to his rendition of Tonto. I'm hoping for the latter. My biggest qualm regarding this turn of events, Johnny Depp as Tonto is when has he ever portrayed an Indigenous person?* Why now? What not utilize the myriad other Indigenous actors known for their Native roles? Wes Studi? Damn, even Cherokilmer (term coined by friend, Maria Colon of FLABMAG.COM), Val Kilmer is more known for his role as FBI half-breed, Ray Levoi as well as his charitable endeavors with the Native American Indigenous Cinema and Arts Organization. Why not Adam Beach or Benjamin Bratt?

Honestly, I look at this casting existing only in the end product, cha-ching $$$. Director Gore Verbinski, Pirates of the Caribbean franchise will be taking on the task of directing Depp once again in his performance of Tonto. Now, that franchise has earned to date $2.68 billion in worldwide box office revenue. How is this not the reason? Where are the other people dismayed at having Tonto resurrected by Verbinski, Disney, and Johnny Depp and thrust into the popular culture as something that is Indigenous? Disney is infamous for its horrendous representations of Indigeneity and its place in popular culture as somehow the man behind the curtain.

* Yesterday my friend, colleague and FLABMAG.COM founder/editor extraordinaire, Maria Colon enlightened me. I didn't know Depp was the star of his own directorial debut in The Brave, where he plays what is a typical Native American stereotype. Funny thing is Depp adapted the novel of the same name from Gregory McDonald. "The film was first shown at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival[1] where it received mixed reviews. The film was released in theaters and on DVD internationally, but not in the United States." You can actually view it on youtube. Thanks to Maria for bringing this to my attention.

Aimless - No GPS

Good-bye 2009, mundane and poisonous as you were. Hello 2010, thanks for starting off all jacked up without any clear indication of what you might be providing me in your first three months. This morning, I received notification from Ithaca College of my rejection for teaching in their film program, that makes three or four times now that I've literally applied for the same position and the third or fourth time that I've been rejected. Hmm? I know when I'm not wanted! Being that I only live a short drive away I thought I might be able to get my feet wet teaching in their program, but not even an adjunct bone has been tossed my way. This lone wolf is getting ravenous.

The beginning to this new decade is humming right along past me, as I practically lay prone in a defeated and beaten fetal position. Already? Jesus, it's a bit early for being beat down in 2010. I've gotta get my head above water and start treading like there's no tomorrow, tomorrow might just be as painful as today if things continue to go as capital as they have been last year and these past three months. I was looking forward to accomplishing a lot of things this year, but I feel so damned tired. Granted, daylight savings just ended and this time change has been taking somewhat of a toll on me, so maybe it's a temporary thing, it better be a temporary thing.

Although, I can say with the negative comes the positive, you can't have one charge without the other, can you? I don't think so. Some good has occurred within these past three months, which I believe balances out everything. Maybe I should look upon this as a fresh start? Like the board has been wiped clean. To be honest, I am a pessimist, that holds on to an ounce of optimism. Although that doesn't help me plod through all the muck and the mire.

I can say I've had the fortune of communicating with friend and fellow artist, TJ Houle and he's been helping me keep my outlook looking brighter than I have been able to illuminate it on my own. I am actually becoming the proud owner of one of his photographs, so my collection, small as it is, is slowly growing. We are planning on collaborating this year, and I am scraping and scrounging every cent to make sure it happens. I am also planning on meeting up with him in his travels to Toronto and NYC, which will be a grand meeting of the minds.

Ideas come and go, some get written down others are simply so fleeting there isn't even time to grab a pen and paper to catch them before they get lost in the ether. Lately, I feel like I have misplaced my pen and paper as I struggle to even piece together the ideas I have to make them coherent, but I also struggle to get the words out to enable myself to speak at times.

If it weren't for FLAB MAG, friend's Maria and TJ I think I'd become complacent in the position I am in, but I am warring to get out. I am hoping for great things and rearing my ugly head as hard as I can to make things happen, only time will tell if they will. There is hope, even without a GPS.

FLAB and Film Festival Mania

Well, January roared through and I'm still tackling the construction of numerous DVDs for film festival submissions as well as compiling the requisite information to accompanied said DVDs. So, I have not had too much time to rant or rave about anyone or anything as of late, but keep an eye out for FLAB (http://www.flabmag.com) the wonderful Maria Colon's new online zine slated to launch March 1st, 2010!!! Woo Hoo! I won't tell you what the acronym stands for because you'll have to attend the live launch and enjoy the workout? So for all you fans of the beautiful NAICA zine and the gorgeous Ms. Maria and her busy staff, be there or I'll take this foot and hit you on that side of your face. Check out FLAB at fb: facebook FLAB

(images property of Maria Colon)

NAICA—a possible ressurection

So, I spoke with NAICA founder, Maria Colon over the past week. We discussed the current situations of our NAICA members and where most of us are in relation to NAICA and America's wonderful recession. I had mentioned my desire to maintain NAICA as a viable non-profit so we could continue our intended mission and grow intellectually and conceptually. She was all about it. Hopefully, aside from some of our financial situations we will be a federal non-profit. We are already a NY state non-profit, but due to our combined limited funds and other fiscal responsibilities, we must approach this with care and diligence. For me, I'm trying to save enough money to purchase a new system that will allow me to keep creating my video art, graphic and web design so I can maintain my client base, although it was feasible in the recent past, bills came first. Now, I am working toward purchasing that new laptop, or if I'm lucky a MacPro or 27-inch iMac QuadPro, if I'm lucky. This will allow me to continue my work, and be able to contribute regularly to NAICA.

NAICA is looking to expand, not to lock ourselves down to the Native American/Indigenous North America or US populations, we'd like to include the other continental Indigenous populations in our coverage and evolve in other directions that allow us to continue to provide our unique perspective and spotlight art that doesn't only exist at film festivals of 8 hours away.

So, keep an eye on the Internet and NAICA's rebirth of cool, not that it died, only seemingly hibernated. We will be working harder to receive funding so we can reach our goals, mission and evolve in a super hybrid cyborg-like organization.