Instead of focusing on Thankstaking or that Germany as a whole only mentions Natives during times of controversy or misuse, tomorrow, 25 November at Friedrichstadt-Palast in Germany’s capital city, Berlin, we’ll see what’s up with the revamped scene featuring Native themes! It’ll be my first time seeing and hearing all components together after I served as cultural consultant on the scene set in the 1800s of the USA, for the youth show, “Spiel mit der Zeit”.
Around this time last year, I was contacted by one of the directors to provide feedback and cultural accuracy/representation on a scene, then it also evolved into co-writing song lyrics and feedback on costuming. They had heard about then viewed my documentary “Forget Winnetou! Loving in the Wrong Way”, and taken it into consideration in their internal discussions.
The main director was reviewing the show’s elements, having been a part of its original creation and so forth, but through educational efforts by so many Indigenous peoples and allies through the years, rightly decided it needed an update and overhaul to remove as many stereotypes and misrepresentations as possible. Then adding more culturally appropriate perspectives and insights on both sides of the camera, as it were: in consultation and creative action.
In Germany, if there’s a famous person wearing a “Native costume” to a party and there’s an outcry, if there’s a new film or book with Native slurs, stereotypes, perpetuating “white-washed” Eurocentric narratives of Native caricatures like 2022’s ridiculous but antagonistic debacle, or one of the USA’s holidays based on lies to erase their genocide and theft of Native lands and lives… then you might hear about Natives in the news. Or when Germans are complaining that educational efforts to stop Native stereotyping and misuse is taking away their freedom or German culture. (Which begs the question anyway, so racism is part of your culture?)
Every year there are dozens of articles and other media usually glamorizing “Indian hobbyists and hobbyism”, and the actors, directors, museum curators and so forth, who make their careers on Eurocentric possessiveness and “ownership” of Native cultures, traditions and history. Otherwise, ACTUAL Natives are usually ignored, especially if they are not the stereotype Germany prefers. Rarely IF EVER do you see stories of any kind about the positive collaborations, cooperations and endeavors Natives and non-Natives are accomplishing, which deserves note and celebration.
Friedrichstadt-Palast didn’t have to change anything about Native representation in their youth show, but they chose to do so. It’s 2023, and there’s firsthand information available at any time about other cultures, and actual cultural consultants from any culture where they can speak in person, especially in a huge city like Berlin. They didn’t remove the scene, although they considered it. They didn’t omit Native references, they didn’t rationalize their previous choices, nor get defensive when certain issues were pointed out. They had committed to positive change, and then worked in cooperation with myself and others to make it happen. Sure, more change still needs to be made and it understood that creatives who happen to be Native CAN ALSO be regular members of any production team anyway, this is a good step.
While I will see the whole production tomorrow and post my review later, whether I had been a part of it or not, I applaud Freidrichstadt-Palast, its directors and others who I feel are a good example of what Natives have been asking all along: intercutural cooperation and changes in alignment with overall Indigenous perspectives regarding self-representation. Nothing was denied German or other European peoples who have relied on stereotypes, misrepresentation and misuse of Native cultures and peoples, and in fact, a better, more well-rounded and enjoyable show may have been attained. And what is even more important to me, a FAR BETTER EXAMPLE was set for the 1000’s of young people and others who will see the show, on how we can work together without Eurocentric narratives, red-facing, stereotypes.
Anyway, check out the trailer and other info about the show at the link. https://www.palast.berlin/show/spiel-mit-der-zeit/
Red Haircrow 
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