Avatar and Dances with Wolves: The White Savior

In both Avatar, the top-grossing movie of all time, and Dances with Wolves, winner of seven Academy Awards, the white man appears as savior to the native people. Both movies, when broken down, have literally the same plot. A white man, enlisted into the service of the United States military, infiltrates a native culture in order to both learn about them and make it easier for the military to overtake them. After spending a substantial amount of time with the tribe, the white infiltrator becomes sympathetic towards the natives’ plight. All the natives want is to live in peace and maintain control of their land, which holds spiritual meaning for them. At first weary toward the white man, the natives embrace him after one of their own falls in love with him, and he pacifies a wild animal (giant dragon monster and gray wolf respectively). Now joined together, the white man leads the natives into battle against the US military and wins a small victory. The white man becomes a leader within the tribe, embracing their culture.

What is the problem with this type of story? It reinforces stereotypes, it belittles Native American culture, and it negatively oversimplifies their spirituality and customs.

In dealing with these films, one must slightly separate Avatar from Dances with Wolves, if only for the reason that it is science fiction and it does not nominally depict Native Americans. The natives in the movie, however, do undeniably represent Indian Americans. The fact that the movie is an allegory for the United States’ oppression of Native Americans is none too subtle. For example, the warmongers are called marines in the movie (a specific reference to United States military), the want for “unobtainium” in the movie mirrors the want for resources in the days of Manifest Destiny, the natives’ garb, language, and spirituality purposefully mirror that of Native Americans. That being the case, the movie reinforces stereotypes by reducing the natives to the most basic of Native American stereotypes, their deep spiritual connection to nature, their alien language, their use of primitive weaponry, their overaggressive behavior, etc. Worst of all, the use of Native Americans as aliens, reinforces ideas that natives are not American, they are not even part of this world. Rather than providing any sort of understanding for indigenous people, Cameron’s film exploits natives for the sake of entertainment. Dances with Wolves similarly exploits them in this way, though it at least provides more depth for their culture and humanity.

The problem of having the white man as savior is that it places white culture in a superior position to that of natives. The white man has abilities and knowledge unavailable to the indigenous population, and only he can save them from the oppressive government. Natives could not hope to protect themselves; they are victims of their own inferiority. By placing the white man in a superior position, Native Americans can never hope to achieve equality. They cannot help themselves, rather the white man must take control and help them and protect them. Whether or not assimilation into white culture is the goal of the white savior, he must act as parent to the childish and primitive Indians who otherwise would remain a victim and remain inferior.

Finally, the oversimplification of Native American spirituality, especially in terms of their connection to nature, degrades the credibility of their religion. It commodifies it, making it available for consumption for New Age groups and aficionados. Instead of appearing in its entirety, it becomes a product to be consumed in misunderstood pieces that fit the agenda of the individual seeking spiritual fulfillment. Native Americans cannot overcome oppression if their beliefs and practices are not taken seriously and in their entirety.