I plan on writing a psychological thriller titled "Jaw" about a group of live and spirit Navajo Indians angered by a pack of mountain climbers who illegally climb a sacred rock formation in the New Mexico desert.
I've always been fascinated with Native Americans and their history in the new land. They are commonly portrayed as the antagonists and seen as savage groups of headhunters.
And why wouldn't they be? ...
I'd appreciate any feedback.
I guess a few things bother me with the question. American Indians have been villified by a dominant culture. On the other hand, the atrocities committed by the dominant culture are equally horrific. My intent is not to politicize your post but to say append a comment like "... And why wouldn't they be?" raises the issue for me that you want to continue the tradition of misrepresenting beliefs and customs.
I would suggest reading--yeah reading--some of the works by Tony Hillerman who writes some very psychological criminal novels that often take place on the Navaho reservation. It gives good insight into living thought and often incorporates--as you are proposing--the spiritual elements of the Navaho nation. You might also pick up "Fourth World of the Hopi".
Try to put yourself in the same mindset. What if tomorrow you were told, you're being moved to the other side of the country. Pack only what you can carry because you'll be walking under armed escort. Oh, and by the way, you're no longer American so you don't have any rights. Yeah, we know your grandparents were buried in this beautiful mausoleum but we need it for a parking lot for the bank. Oh, I'm sorry, this grocery store is only for my kind. Your kind needs to use the corner store down the block. Sorry if it's poorly stocked.
When viewed from a certain perspective, it's easy to understand the animosity arising from multiple instances. As late as the 1960s, the government split up families. Imagine being ripped from your family at six and put in foster care in another state. American Indians have been brutal at times. Looking at Europeans in warfare, they have been equally brutal. To say that European atrocities of the French Revolution, Spanish Civil War, World Wars I and II are somehow "civilized" while those of American Indians were less so is hypocritical. The recent actions at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo raise questions about our own American ethic of following the Geneva Convention.
Most of us have not been called upon to make that level of sacrifice. During WW II, thousands of Japanese American citizens were relocated to interment camps losing everything, sometimes being separated from family. The same for the Jews in many countries throughout European history. The same for blacks in American history. If you plan on making it a "psychological thriller", do some legitimate research into the legends and history. Don't rely on "movie mythology". That's like using Flash Gordon as a history of the US space program.
The Navaho, Hopi, Apache, and other nations have a long history worth exploring and understanding. What are their creation myths? What is the role of Grandmother Spider or the Corn Twins? In weaving the story of conflict, you need to understand both sides. If you lived in New England and had a family tombstone that dated back to 1683 and someone came along and permanently defaced it, it would be like someone destroying a part of your family history. Extend that back even further into the past, and you increase the sense of family and desecration. What makes Shipman sacred? What is the role of the Kachina? Understand the symbolism and custom and you craft a far more interesting psychological thriller. Learn some Navaho, visit the reservation and talk to Navaho who can help you.
All these films use the "Indian Burial Ground" backstory, but none of them actually address the Indians directly. I'm curious to find a film of Indian Spirits. Even live Indians, but with live indians I'd like to see something recent that is not a western.
Why are there laws against grave robbing? What is the penalty for going into a "regular" cemetery and exhuming a body? What motivated Americans to protect their dead? Maybe you need to ask friends and family if you can pay a stranger to go dig up Aunt Millie. I'm sure we could use any gold she happens to have lying on her, right? Hack off the finger if it isn't swollen goo yet.
It's easy to write a cheap rip-off horror. Look at "Bone Eater" and the ones mentioned. It's one thing to invoke an element (Windago) or aspect (shapeshifting) from a culture, and quite another to address what it means to the culture believably without legitimate, authentic contact. "Dances with Wolves" and "Little Big Man" the book and movies actually do try to legitimately represent the Plains Indians and their interactions.
Please realize that not everyone on this list fits into a homogeneous world view. If you had said "Yeah, all Muslims are portrayed as terrorists. ... And why wouldn't they be?" or "All white American teens are portrayed as spoiled, emo, rich kids with too much time. ... And why wouldn't they be?" or ... It is not only disrespectful, it unjustly lumps people (i.e., stereotypes). And if you or someone you know is in that targeted group, it's hurtful.
I understand the nature of your question is sincere. The answer you want will not be found in the movies but by actively engaging in contact and research.
