500 Nations

When I was a kid in school, they made such a big deal about us learning every state and its capital; I certainly never remember being taught about the Native American nations or their locations or anything about the systematic genocide that was exacted upon the peoples of our land. While we have slowly (all to slowly) become aware of our legacy with regard to the Africans who we enslaved and the stain that lingers on our collective minds to this day, as a culture, we are barely aware of the Native American cultures, who these people were or their cultures. They meld together into a single notion of "people who were here when we got here and who lived in teepees," and that's about it. Everything else is learned from Hollywood's western movies ...films like Tarza, Son of Cochese," where they dress up Rock Hudson in what Hollywood thinks ALL Native Americas look. And the many rich cultures that existed on American soil for eons before White Eyes got here has been systematically, I would suggest painfully ignored. Our modern culture barely even acknowledges Native American history and these, some of the worse sins of our fathers . This documentary is essential i educating use so we can have an incite into who we really are, as painful as that might be.

500 Nations is told mostly in the exact words of those committing the atrocities, giving a rare authenticity to the narrative and keep everything anchored in the historical context. Having seen this documentary, the next time you hear those cliched discussions about how is that that ordinary people living ordinary lives in Germany could wind up committing those atrocities toward the Jews, it might give us pause to question how good European Christians forming a new country could do what THEY did to the natives who were here long before White Eyes stepped foot on this continent, bringing with them their diseases and alcoholism and religion and perverted ideas of ownership of the land, water and air, but worse, their propensity for violence and genocide. This documentary needs to be as universally taught in schools as is "Catcher in the Rye" or "The Great Gatsby."

This is the history of indigenous Americans my generation never learned in school: their rich cultures and spiritualities, the waxing and waning of economic and military powers of tribes, city-states, and empires, and the details of the barbarism of invading Anglos/Europeans. The CGI reconstructions of indigenous buildings and cities, the interviews with modern indigenous people, and readings from their ancestors' writing, breathes life into what could have been dry and tedious material. I've watched the first of this 4-disc series, and I'm already uncomfortable, knowing that my life in California is predicated on the genocide of those who were here first. But it's important to know the truth, however unpleasant.

For people of European descent who believe that their ancestors brought enlightenment and "civilization" to the Americas, this should be a lesson in humility. For among the some 500 native American nations, there were those that practiced direct democracy (the Oneida), built cities, organized federations of tribes (the Sioux) and administered empires (the Aztecs and Incas).

The tragic history of the native Americans is laid bare as hitherto little known details as to how they were systematically deprived of land, food and sometimes outrightly massacred are brought to light. Most shocking was the revelation that US government officials murdered Amerindians in reservations by giving them blankets used by victims of smallpox. Moreover, moving them to reservations far from their native environment deprived them not only of food but also of the plants that they used as medicine. The buffalo was hunted to near extinction by government hired hunters like Buffalo Bill in order to starve the Plains Indians. The Cherokee who adapted to the white man's culture, became successful farmers and entrepreneurs were disenfranchised - their properties seized and the whole nation sent to reservations. The episode about the "Trail of Tears" was heart wrenching.

The most interesting part for me was the exposition of the North Amerindians' cosmological and religious beliefs. For example, one North American nation believed that God placed them in an ideal world akin to paradise. This would imply that they do not long for an afterlife.

I don't know if it was in this series, but I recently found out that the Black American Indian contingent in the New Orleans Mardi Gras is not merely the product of fiesta fantasy. Those people really have a claim to native American ancestry as when the US army and the settlers were exterminating the Indians, African Americans in Louisiana absorbed those coming their way into their community to protect them. I understand some of the Seminoles who were hunted into the everglades of Florida managed to find their way into the black community of New Orleans. This resulted in an admixture of the two races. This brings to mind the American blacks who were in the US invading force during the Philippine-American War who joined the Filipinos. Obviously, they saw the war as a battle between races and it they decided they belonged to the colored side. Unfortunately, they were later captured and executed.

If you like movies that are sympathetic to the Amerindians, see also Soldier Blue, Dances with Wolves, The Royal Hunt of the Sun and Geronimo: An American Legend.

I can remember first seeing this documentary almost seven years ago and at the time, I was completely fascinated by so many unknown truths that this documentary uncovered. There are so many things that are not taught about the Native American struggle in our country. Many of the things in this documentary are simply not talked about in schools when I was growing up. I wish I could remember more details of this great documentary but it has been seven years.

Kevin Costner did a wonderful job producing and hosting this mini-series. Perhaps he was inspired after making "Dances with Wolves". Whatever the reason, this mini-series will always stand out for its stunningly beautiful and tragic portrayal of Native American history in the Americas.

I can remember first watching this series when I stumbled upon it one summer in 2001, and I became both fascinated and depressed with what this series presented. In fact, this series changed my perspective of the original Americans forever, seeing them as genuine humans with plenty of stories to tell and how they were respectful of the Earth we are standing on. What shocked me was the cruel treatment from the Europeans whether it was the attempted conversion to the treacherous methods of mass slaughter that obliterated many of the nations. The interviews with the real Native Americans further fascinated me with their cultural ways and perspectives on European conquest (except for those that did offer hospitality). Kevin Costner is a great host, perfect for the part from his Dances with Wolves work. He deserves a humanitarian award for mentioning the once great folk that walked the Americas and how they should be recognized and respected.