John Wayne's Impact On Native American Society

The Effects of John Wayne on Native American Society America: land of the free and home of the brave. Stretching from coast to coast, it’s a nation that claims liberty and justice for all – but what really makes America so great? Is it the astonishing skyline of New York City, a skyline that exemplifies all that we’ve accomplished? Is it the abundance of popular culture and fame produced in the shiny, dream-making city of Hollywood? Maybe it’s the way our ancestors victoriously conquered the fertile, prosperous land that once belonged to the now seemingly forgotten indigenous people.
A symbolic object is something that represents an abstract idea or a bigger picture. Chris Eyre’s film, Smoke Signals, uses many symbolic objects to thoroughly communicate the issues Native Americans face while living in America, “the freest country on Earth.” Specifically, the scene with the song “John Wayne’s Teeth” is used to symbolize indigenous peoples’ ongoing battle for equality and self-identity in a world of neocolonialism. In the beginning of the movie, two of the main characters, Victor Joseph and Thomas Builds-the-Fire, are on a bus to Phoenix, Arizona when suddenly, two white men take Victor and Joseph’s seats. When Victor confronts the two men on the issue, one of them replies, “Find someplace else to have a powwow”

Look at Tom Mix. What about John Wayne?” Victor then argues, “You know in all those movies you never saw John Wayne’s teeth? Not once. I think there’s something wrong when you don’t see a guy’s teeth.” As a means of prevailing over the degrading situation of losing their seats, Victor and Thomas use creativity and humor by singing a song called “John Wayne’s Teeth.” The lyrics sing, “John Wayne’s teeth – are they false? Are they real? Are they plastic? Are they steel?” (Eyre, Smoke Signals). These lyrics communicate a deeper meaning rather than just talking about some cowboy’s set of molars and