A new excerpt using raw footage from our documentary on poverty porn and the voyeuristic quality of European, but especially German “observation” and misrepresentation of Native American cultures and peoples.

The willful stereotyping of Indigenous peoples and the racism, white supremacist ideology and especially the patriarchy utilized when those from the demographic which gained power through violence, genocide and exploitation of others believe they have the continued right over other peoples bodies, stories and narratives. They use systematic racist and sexist structures in industry and society created by those just like themselves, to continue to erase, replace and/or misrepresent/misuse other marginalized and minoritized peoples and groups.

It’s a deep societal problem that doesn’t just affect Natives. This is not a niche film or issue. The mentality that not only practices but defends the minimization, erasure and silencing of certain groups or peoples, is a widespread problem at the root of most every disaster, crisis and issue facing our world today. It’s at the root of imperialism, capitalism, climate crisis, consumerism and violation of rights of all kinds, past and present. We do not want it to be our future. We all should be committed to ending such practices, “protected status” and privilege right now. 

That’s why we say, “This is not about Winnetou. It’s about you and us. ALL of us.” That’s why we say it is far past time to symbolically unlearn and forget Winnetou, and all the practices, the behaviors, mindsets and value(less) systems that promote erasure, exploitation, fetishization and appropriation. 

 

Dialogue from the film: “It’s an unfortunate aspect of capitalism and white supremacy that people end up in a job they don’t necessarily like or exploiting parts of their identity that they would rather not but that’s how you survive. I often downplayed my (Native) identity and didn’t talk about it because I didn’t want to be forced to perform myself to be consumed by white Germans.

Unfortunately, that’s one of the only ways you can make money in Germany, and in Berlin especially. I met many people that all of the things they’d done and all the things they were became a marketing strategy to perform personal tragedies, migration stories, or poverty porn for Germans who consumed it because it made them feel like they’re open-minded, liberal and understanding of other people when they’re voyeurs basically.

I feel like one of the first important things to do is remove the emphasis on spectacle. If your only interaction and the way you interact with others is primarily through spectacle then it’s a very privileged position. It’s very focused, it’s pretty one way. It doesn’t have complexity. I feel that’s the starting point for people being able to interact with Native peoples, and people not like themselves in general.”

Our documentary is available on DVD for private use, but there’s only 25 copies now left in our stock! Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

Organizations, institutes, universities, etc. are encouraged to contact VTape, the non-profit artist run distribution company based in Canada, which can provide screening and institutional copies for rent or purchase.

We have continued to search for a European or especially a German distributor or studio to broadcast, but no matter how open-minded, diversity conscious and anti-racist many claim to be, we’ve not been able to find one despite our award-winning status and social justice, human rights contentiousness of our film.