Wiping the War Paint Off the Lens: Native American Film and Video

Visible Evidence

by Beverly R. Singer, Robert Warrior (Foreword)

Native Americans have thrown themselves into filmmaking since the mid-1970s, producing hundreds of films and videos, and their body of work has had great impact on Native cultures and filmmaking itself. With their cameras, they capture the lives of Native people, celebrating community, ancestral lifeways, and identity. Not only artistic statements, the films are archives that document rich and complex Native communities and counter mainstream media portrayals. Wiping the War Paint off the Lens traces the history of Native experiences as subjects, actors, and creators, and develops a critical framework for approaching Native work. Singer positions Native media as part of a larger struggle for "cultural sovereignty"-the right to maintain and protect cultures and traditions. Taking it out of a European-American context, she reframes the discourse of filmmaking, exploring oral histories and ancient lifeways inform Native filmmaking and how it seeks to heal the devastation of the past. Singer's approach is both cultural and personal, provides both historical views and close textual readings, and may well set the terms of the critical debate on Native filmmaking. Beverly R. Singer is a filmmaker and director of the Alfonso Ortiz Center for Intercultural Studies at the University of New Mexico.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Native American, Film

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Michelle Boyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brief discussion/overview of recent Native American films. One of the main themes of the book revolves around stereotypes (perpetuated by Hollywood) conflicting with true indigenous identity (which is often not depicted because indigenous film makers have trouble getting funding and producing widely-viewed films).

"All filmmaking is a risk-taking venture, but too often the rationale given by funding organizations for rejecting Native American film proposals is that they are not as good as other proposals and that as filmmakers we lack experience. The underlying attitude is that we as Native filmmakers are unconventional in our approach to filmmaking and too often personally invested to a fault in wanting to make a film about our people." (p9)

In some respects, I appreciate the brevity of this book, as it sets itself up as a 'starting point' for future research. It gives a small overview of several popular indigenous films (Smoke Signals), and of course mentions some of the more iconic non-indigenous produced films (ie: Dances with Wolves). That being said, I also find that at times further elaboration may have been necessary to drive points/contentions home.

Overall, a good 'beginning' to a larger discussion of indigenous film. Definitely something I would recommend for introductory film courses. Or for those just interested in indigenous cinema.

[Loren Toddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A highly recommended book from a great mind and a great instructor. I was fortunate enough to have read and discussed this book with the author in a class setting and I was very glad I did. A very good book with a lot to say. It points out something so simple but so pivotal to Native Americans about culture and sovereignty. Highly recommended to any reader.

[Nicholas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beverly Singer analyzes the development of Native American filmography in this short work. Unfortunately, interesting insights concerning Indian films are overshadowed by the constant theme of "miseducation" of the white people in America. By the end of the work, one wonders if he or she has read a review of Indian cinematographers or an attack on Euro-American film making.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

A somewhat idiosyncratic book--definitely written from a filmmaker's perspective rather than a historian. Still, it's interesting and infuriating--makes me irate that Native peoples in this country have so few opportunities to control their filmic representations.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a solid review of various Native American films, from the view of cultural sovereignty.