The name of the
film is Apache Talks, the story of three generations of Apache women, by Mathieu
Rougé . The first scene takes place in a city - we can see the streets
with cars and big skyscrapers. We are led to a financial institution - a modern
building made of glass and concrete. There we meet four characters : a black
man , a woman and an Apache Indian woman at one side of the table and an elegant
blonde woman dressed in red at the other side of the table. She seems to be
responsible for the institution. The people facing her apparently came to ask
her for a service - the woman in the middle explains she wants " the bank
"to intermediate the encounters between big corporations and the Apache
reservation as it is difficult to make contact with them otherwise. She mentions
" this has been a big struggle ". She wants the bank to show them
that the reservation is not " a tribe by the river "but a nation,
a government of 23.000 people with something to offer.
This contact would make it possible for the Indians to exploit their natural
resources and land and offer them jobs. We learn that the Apache woman sitting
in the background is a " star ", i.e., a very influential person in
the Indian community.
The second part
takes place inside a van, on route 66 towards Dulce. Dulce is a Spanish word
which means " sweet "so as I know the Apaches established themselves
in the Southwest, this must be either New Mexico or Arizona, territories which
belonged to Mexico before the Americans won them in the war. As Veronica, the
Apache woman drives along we see the landscape through the window : a blue sky
with white clouds, the valley and the mountain range in the background. She
talks about the vision America has of the Indians and the issues the Indians
must face today.
She thinks that people have a stereotyped idea of the Indians , as if they did
not belong to modern times. She mentions that the media and popular literature
,by describing the Indians in a 19th century-scenario, reinforce this old-fashioned
image of Indian wars, chiefs and lifestyles. She believes this is where the
white man would like to keep the Indians. She accuses Americans of not wanting
to see the issues the Indians confront today : land rights and treaties, tribal
sovereignty, alcoholism and poverty and the right to education.
Questions :
Pre-viewing
Watch the introduction and find out the name of the film. What do you expect to see ? Why ?
First segment - setting the scene
Where does the story take place ? Is this an Indian reservation ? How can you say ? What do you expect to see in an Indian reservation ? What have you read in your book ?
Who are the characters involved ? Where are they and what are they doing ? Describe the characters and imagine their status. Talk about them.
Why are they there ? What do they want ? Who does most of the talking ? What do we learn about their purpose and how is the Apache woman called?
Second segment - driving
Where does the second part of the film take place ? What is the name of the place they stop? What language is this in? What does it mean? Where do you think this is and why ? Describe the landscape outside. What region of the United States is this ? What do you know about Apaches ?
Who is Veronica and what is she doing ?
What is the first thing she mentions ? Does she look like this ? Why not ?
How could you tell she is an Indian ?
Veronica mentions that people nowadays still have a stereotyped image of the Indian.
What would that image be? What period of history does it refer to? How do people tend to approach Indians?
What Indian chiefs have you read about in your book ? What have they done ? Which big Indian war have you heard about ? Which side won ? In your Internet questions who are the two big Apache chiefs mentioned ? Describe the Indian lifestyle you have read about.
Why does Veronica mention " this is the way they would like them to be " ?
According to her there are various issues (points that cause problem) that must be faced by the governement. First say what you think and then listen and tick the ones she mentions.
How do the Indians
tend to view themselves and living on the reservation?
Does she have the same perception? Why?
What Apache tribe does she belong to?
What does she want Mathieu to teach her?
According to her, what are white men always doing?
How does she feel on the reservation? What are the words she uses that show this?
What kind of resources do the Indians find on the reservation?
What do these resources provide?