Reservation Dogs - Emma G.

The show Reservation Dogs is done brilliantly; It allows its viewers to immerse themselves in Native American reservation life of the 21st century while poking fun of classic clichés used to portray Native life. These clichés were initially shown to the viewers, but then turned on their head when the audience was introduced to the lifestyles of the main characters of the show. Reservation Dogs showcased the true lifestyle of Native Americans on reservation land: areas considered to be food deserts, lack proper healthcare, and are often neglected.

In the second episode of the show, the lack of adequate healthcare is highlighted when some of the characters visit the Indian Health Clinic (IHC). Bear, one of the main characters, is jumped which leads him to seek the clinic's services. Cheese has his eyes dilated after a health professional realizes his eyesight has not been checked routinely. In addition, Elora has stomach pains which lead her to seek medical assistance. While at the clinic, the inequalities Native Americans face within the health care system are highlighted. Bear is forced to wait a long time in the waiting room before being called back to a physician who has a short temper: Dr. Kang. Dr. Kang does a quick examination of Bear, while making inappropriate statements about the possibility of his mother remarrying, commenting on the patient's ethnic background, and not offering any helpful treatment. Dr. Kang is also referred to as the "everything doctor" as the IHC lacks physicians of certain specialities which decreases the health outcomes of the community on the reservation. 

Not only are physical health outcomes on the reservation poor due to inadequate healthcare systems, mental health outcomes are poor as well. The audience in later episodes that the character Daniel--a friend of the core group on the show--took his own life. Those that are impoverished on the reservation have unique stressors caused by social disadvantages. It is important that we identify these inequities and pass legislative change to address them. 









Comments

  1. David BernellMarch 1, 2023 at 2:48 PM

    This post -- in addressing how the show portrays the delivery of healthcare services (or lack it) -- points to the how a show can "poke fun" at a topic and use humor to highlight the suffering of people who have been subject to everything from direct attack to utter neglect. I'm reminded of the phrase, "If I ever stop laughing, I'll never stop crying."

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Milk - Emma G.

Image
In 2021, it was estimated that roughly 20 million Americans--roughly 8% of the adult population--were part of the LGBTQ+ community. Even more Americans reported attraction to the same sex, but were unable to give themselves a label that categorized them into the 8%. The number of Americans identifyng as part of the LGBTQ+ community has increased over the years, with a huge increase shown after the legalization of the gay marriage within the United States. In the 1970s, even some of America's communities full of LGBTQ+ activism struggled to flourish against the homophobic values within the United States. In the film Milk , Harvey Milk, an openly gay man in Castro, runs for public office. His campaign and election is met with criticism from the homophobic opposition. While campaigning, Milk famously states, " On the Statue of Liberty it says, 'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free.' In the Declaration of Independence, it is written, '
Read more

Milk

Image
 Maddie Dieringer  During class we discussed how acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals has changed quickly compared to other public opinions throughout history. This makes sense with my understanding of history, but I feel as though there has been an increase in the number of laws taking rights away from LGBTQ+ individuals, especially people who are transgender. I did a few quick google searches and found that there were 17 anti-LGBTQ laws passed in 2021 which was the worst year for LGBTQ rights since 2015. It seems that with more awareness and progress there is even more legislative push back to create laws that harm LGBTQ people than before. According to the American Civil Liberties Union there are 389 anti-LGBTQ bills being introduced across the US having to do with health care, education, civil rights, free speech and more. Linked below is the ACLU page that is kept up to date.  In the film Milk we see some of the adversity gay individuals faced during the 70s, and it's easy to see
Read more

Reservation Dogs

Image
 In connection to the other films, I thought this show represented a lot of unity and togetherness within the characters. The group had to all stay together to progress and questions of leaving versus staying to help the community also came up, specifically for Bear. I thought it was really important that the entire cast and anyone who helped create the film were Native American or Indigenous because of the lack of opportunities they often have and the educational aspect behind it. Growing up and going to school during the years of K-8, kids don't normally learn about Native American culture or history. If you're lucky to learn about them while in school, it is usually pretty vague. I don't remember learning about the history that much, but I do remember a period where we discussed the culture and why some things are important that may not be to ourselves. I think that community gets left behind and forgotten a lot and people are uncomfortable discussing that. The most prom
Read more