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Stop Stealing Native Stories Analysis

The document summarizes and responds to an article titled "Stop Stealing Native Stories" by Lenore Keeshig-Tobias. The writer agrees with Keeshig-Tobias' view that Canadian film and media have improperly adapted and portrayed Native stories and culture without sufficient Native input or understanding. Specifically, the film "Where the Spirit Lives" is criticized for not accurately showing how Native people would truly act and for lacking Native perspectives in its creative aspects. More broadly, the writer is uncomfortable with how Canadians have taken Native stories passed down for generations and remade them without proper respect for Native traditions, perspectives, and ownership of their cultural works.

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496 views2 pages

Stop Stealing Native Stories Analysis

The document summarizes and responds to an article titled "Stop Stealing Native Stories" by Lenore Keeshig-Tobias. The writer agrees with Keeshig-Tobias' view that Canadian film and media have improperly adapted and portrayed Native stories and culture without sufficient Native input or understanding. Specifically, the film "Where the Spirit Lives" is criticized for not accurately showing how Native people would truly act and for lacking Native perspectives in its creative aspects. More broadly, the writer is uncomfortable with how Canadians have taken Native stories passed down for generations and remade them without proper respect for Native traditions, perspectives, and ownership of their cultural works.

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© © All Rights Reserved
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READER RESPONSE

Text: Keeshig-Tobias, Lenore. Stop Stealing Native Stories, Page 583

Ever heard of theft? Many have heard of it such as shoplifting, robbery,


etc. But have you heard of stealing stories? Stop Stealing Native Stories is
about how Canadians have taken and molded the version of native stories. I
agree with most of the writers views. Keeshig-Tobias is someone who loves
and builds a deep connection with stories. He holds books in high regard as
he thirsts for knowledge on the vast world and its diversity of cultures. This is
evident from They reflect the attitudes of people (583). I will delve deeper
into his reasoning for his arguments.
Beginning with the writers view on Where The Spirit Lives film, he felt
that the movie does not really portray how Indian natives would truly act. In
paragraphs 8 and 9, I was sympathizing with the writer as we were put off by
the quality of work in the film. Native people were not involved in any creative
aspect of the film (584). It made me realize that the film had actors who acted
as the native characters. These actors would not have done a good job of
acting, as they would not be able to think like a native. They are just following
the scripts of the producers and directors. In paragraph 8, Their voice was
heard insights lacked by the movies writer and producers. This feels like a
sore attempt to make the film resemble the natives lives. People gain a lot
from watching. By releasing this film, they are giving off the wrong impression
of the natives to the audience. The feelings and message of the film should
have been conveyed with sincerity. For instance, let us look at Hymn For The
Weekend by Coldplay. The video was filmed in India. Snapshots of the
Indians in their ragged clothes, people praying in the Ganga River were taken
with mini videos. The video matches the song that they had sung and is
meaningful. Hence, the Canadian film industry had done an unsatisfactory
job. They have not only stolen the idea of the natives story in a film, but had
done a poor reform of it.
The dark truth- Instead, the Canadian is stealing. native stories
(Page 584). It sounds horrid as these native stories are passed down from
generations and are as valuable as gold. The industry could have ran out of
resources to produce films or stories appealing to the audience, turning
towards the ancient tales for creativity. This form of reasoning is evident in
page 585, Or maybe they... graves for museums. Yet, we need to take a
step back and consider the perspectives. A person from the cultural industry
would say, I am making money. What is so wrong about it? As his job, he
would look at the profits from whatever resources he could get his hands on.
Ethics and morals are not in the picture.
Overall, the writer is uncomfortable with the way the Canadians are
taking over the stories and remaking them. The statement on page 584, be

prepared to live with us (paragraph 23) to write from a natives perspective


or act like one, you have to understand that living with them for a few months
does not make you one. A native has years of traditions embedded in his
mind, body and soul. Natives may not be able to write the stories for us, but
translators can learn their languages and write a book, with given credit.
Producers can teach natives to act so that they can participate in their film,
then it would not be stealing native stories.

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