Smoke Signals, a movie directed by Araphao tribe member Chris Eyre, portrays the idea of being burdened by your history and ancestors, through the struggles and stereotypes faced by Victor and Thomas on their symbolic journey.
The problems presented by Native American history were exemplified in this movie through displays of poverty, alcoholism, isolation, and sterotypes. Like their ancestors, Thomas and Victors lives existed on the fairly desolate, and boring confines of their reservation. The movie shows the lack of excitment and life by emphasizing points such as how everyone knows each others buisness, the small school and basketball team, as well as the opening radio lines discussing the "usual" traffic, meaning that there is none as always. The isolation and monotony of life on the reservation is definetley not the most significant problem, as poverty takes the lead. For characters Victor and Thomas, neither of their respective families are able to generate a proper income. However, it does not seem that they are singularities in this circumstance, as the entire town appears to be poverty struck. Victor places the blame on his forefathers and their lost battles, which we (as the viewer) notice when Victor shows us that he believes in the white view of the Indians, not as fisherman but ferocious warriors. From a greater view, we see that Victor feels he is carrying a burden of his ancestors, as he desperatley tries to reflect the "white mans" view rather than the true roots of his heritage. Victor even tells his dad that he does not have a favorite Indian.
In the movie, Victor displays his hatred for alcohol as it changed his dad to be abusive and ill-tempered. Indians are often stereotyped to be alcholics, but as displayed in the movie, it is not complteley myth. This is one other reason that causes Victor to be confused whether or not he should be proud of his hisotry.
As Victor and Thomas travel to Phoenix, Arizona to collect the ashes of Victor's father, they face "cowboys" on the bus which eventually leads to them being placed in the back of the bus. Thomas says, "The cowboys always win", and Victor is once again reminded of the negatives of being an Indian. However, on the way back, Victor swerves in the road to avoid a car wreck. He is then stereotyped and accused of being drunk and the cause of the wreck, by the man who is actually to be blame. At this moment, he realizes that the wreck was not his fault, and neither was his father running away. He also realizes he should not be blaming his ancestors or his father like the man blamed him. He then comes to terms with his history on the way back, and is able to return to the reservation with pride he didnt have when he left.
