Smoke Signals

     For modern-day Native Americans, aspects of their culture such as storytelling, ancestral bonds, and being connected or returned to nature can help them find power and meaning. On the other hand, being stuck on the reservation, money troubles, alcoholism and obesity, and the need to act like the stereotypical Indian can be problems that keep them from excelling. In the film Smoke Signals, directed by Chris Eyre, both the good and bad sides of present-day Indian life and culture can be observed. The movie follows the story of two Native American boys as they come to terms with who they are and what it means to be Indians.

      At the beginning of the movie, the audience sees Arnold's alcoholism and his families money problems. On several occasion, when Victor has a flashback to his childhood interactions with his father, Arnold can be seen drunk and angry. The audience sees Arnold slapping or hitting his son or wife in two of Victor's flashbacks. Later in the movie, when Victor has made the decision to go get some of his father's belongings, he runs into a problem: he doesn't have the money. Only when Thomas offer him some of the money he has saved, can Victor go get Arnold's things without having to walk the long distance.

     One of the main characters, Victor, can be seen throughout the movie struggling to figure out what it means to be a Native American today in the United States. With an alcoholic father who left him and his mother when he was young, his only role model on being an Indian man is American stereotypes from movies, TV, and books. In one scene of the movie, the audience sees Victor get onto Thomas for "smiling too much" and wearing a suit. He tells Thomas that "Indians are supposed to be stoic and brave-faced" like no one can mess with them. He is later corrected by Thomas who tells him that they were actually descended from a tribe of fishermen, not great warriors. Victor sees himself as the American stereotype of a brave-faced warrior that can't be messed with. This is because his only role model left him as a kid and the only thing telling him how he was "supposed" to act was American entertainment.
   
     The other main character in the film, Thomas, can be seen seeming to already accept and understand what being a Native American man is in the modern United States. In several scenes of the movie, he is telling  stories, either to fill the silence or, one time, as payment for a ride. A big part of the Native American culture was - and still is - storytelling. The point of Indian storytelling, however, wasn't always just to inform the listeners of what had already taken place. Sometimes the story was told for purely entertaining purposes or even to teach a lesson about life. Thomas tells stories to several characters in the movie for several reasons: to trade for a ride to the bus station, to make someone laugh, or even to teach someone a lesson.

     Another big part of the Native America culture is being connected or returned back to nature. When the two arrive back home, Victor gives Thomas some of Arnold's ashes with which he could do what he wanted. In one of the final scenes of the movie, Victor takes the remainder of his father's ashes and throws them in a river, returning him back to nature. With the release of Arnold's ashes, the release of Victor's internal struggles can be seen. The audience can see Victor come to terms with who his is and what that means for him.

     This film is great, not only for seeing the daily life of some of the modern-day Native Americans, but also seeing the internal struggles they have with figuring out who they are and what it means to be an Indian today in the United States.