As a gamer with a passion for both entertainment and social justice, I find myself deeply moved by D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai’s powerful statement at the Emmys. His red handprint on his mouth is not just a symbol of solidarity, but a call to action for all of us who have been blinded by the media’s lack of focus on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis.
If you didn’t catch the Emmy red carpet, you might have been unaware that Reservation Dogs star D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai was there with a significant emblem on his face. Nevertheless, during Eugene and Dan Levy’s opening, the camera focused on the actor as the father-son duo made a jest about the Television Academy acknowledging a cherished comedy series for the first time in the acting and series categories this year, even though it has been critically praised since its debut season.
In the spotlight for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Woon-A-Tai is seizing the opportunity to bring attention to a grave issue. The red handprint on his mouth symbolizes unity with Indigenous women who have gone missing or been murdered, a group whose stories are frequently overlooked by the media and law enforcement.
Native Hope – an organization focused on rectifying the injustices faced by Native Americans, sharing indigenous narratives, providing educational materials, and supporting Native communities – offers a comprehensive explanation of their symbol’s significance.
A red hand over the mouth has become the symbol of a growing movement, the MMIW movement. It stands for all the missing sisters whose voices are not heard. It stands for the silence of the media and law enforcement in the midst of this crisis. It stands for the oppression and subjugation of Native women who are now rising up to say #NoMoreStolenSisters.
D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai poses for photos at the #Emmys.
— Variety (@Variety) September 15, 2024
Although the issue of Indigenous women’s hardships has been discussed on a national level, unfortunately, the dialogue concerning the vanished and murdered girls and women from these communities hasn’t received the attention and focus it deserves.
Data from the Bureau of Indian Affairs indicates that Native Americans and Alaska Natives encounter murder, sexual assault, and violent crimes more frequently than the general population. Furthermore, a substantial number of individuals reported missing or found deceased are indigenous women from these regions.
The above information, however, is not common knowledge. This why the short-lived broadcast series Alaska Daily was important. The ABC drama followed an Anchorage daily metro newspaper where two investigative journalists Eileen Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) and Roz Friendly (Grace Dove) reported on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis. There was nothing like it on network television and its unfortunate that the show had only one season.
As a devoted fan, I’ve been captivated by Woon-A-Tai’s journey on “Reservation Dogs,” and it’s ignited my own passion to amplify voices from our community. His recent red carpet debut was just a glimpse into this commitment, and I can’t wait to see how he uses his platform in the future. In an exclusive chat with Variety, the talented Canadian actor gave us a sneak peek into his vision for his career:
One thing that it’s taught me moving forward with other projects, especially Indigenous-centered projects, is that it has to be with an Indigenous writer and director. Before, I was just so used to working with a lot of non-Indigenous people. “Reservation Dogs” has taught me how important it is that we are the ones to tell our stories for us. Nobody should tell our stories on our behalf. That’s been going on for too long. We’ve had too much misrepresentation because of it. Moving forward, I am very much going to stick with telling Native stories through the Native lens.
All three seasons of Reservation Dogs are available to stream on Hulu.
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2024-09-16 04:53