Communications and Media

The portrayal of the life of modern day Native Americans in this 30 days episode entitled Life on a Reservation, to my analysis, is quite accurate. Modernization has led to the caging of these people in a reservation, a place meant to give them a chance of re-living their native culture and re-establishing their connection with the land. But the reservation, as shown in the episode, sadly became a place where most of the residents are poor due to the lack of available jobs. Spurlock himself experienced this when he tried looking for a job during his stay in the reservation. Furthermore, the sheep he brought for the family on the first day was not only appreciated by the Denisons, the host family, for its cultural implications but also because it can be considered  good food  on the table considering their socio-economic situation.

    The episode showed a partially different perspective on Native Americans in comparison to the depictions in early Western-themed films. A Native American in these films is portrayed as a savage who needs to be tamed which is not evident in this episode because it actually showed civilized people such as Spurlock s host family. But the films  depiction of a Native American who is a spiritualist or a medicine man trying to bring old traditional cures into the modern world was featured in the episode particularly when Spurlock participated in a sweat ceremony with a medicine man.  

    In terms of Indian gambling, as these people are beginning to be stereotyped as casino players who make lots of cash in these kind of establishments, I think the episode somehow defeated this perception. Basically, it was shown that Native Americans in the reservation are poor people who can hardly find decent jobs. Interestingly, how is it possible that they can play in casinos with no money to talk of

    The image that Native American-inspired mascot nicknames given to sports teams want to portray is that of fierce people and warriors. This is a fair depiction, in that, once upon a time Native Americans were like this literally. Metaphorically speaking, they can still be considered as warriors, however, this time fighting poverty, alcoholism and even the extinction of their culture. Another way of looking at these nicknames is considering Native Americans as winners just as sports teams want to be considered. In a way, this might also be true because their fight against full assimilation is half-won if not more initially with the putting up of the reservation as it is a symbol of acknowledgement or recognition of their existence and the importance of preserving their heritage.