TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Brando, Wayne and our indigenous peoples

The UN says there are about 370 million indigenous people in 90 countries.

Julia Suryakusuma (The Jakarta Post)
Premium
Jakarta
Wed, August 8, 2018 Published on Aug. 8, 2018 Published on 2018-08-08T10:17:20+07:00

Change text size

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
This undated handout photo obtained April 19, 2018 courtesy of Melissa Ilardo shows a Bajau diver hunting fish underwater using a traditional spear off the islands of Indonesia. This undated handout photo obtained April 19, 2018 courtesy of Melissa Ilardo shows a Bajau diver hunting fish underwater using a traditional spear off the islands of Indonesia. (AFP/Melissa Ilardo)

M

arlon Brando (1924-2004) and John Wayne (1907-1979) were two of Hollywood’s biggest legends starring in many iconic films.However, politically they were polar opposites. 

Wayne was a conservative Republican, Brando a Democrat, at least officially. His interest was not really in party politics but was more of an activist in race and equality-related issues. In 1973, Brando famously rejected an Oscar awarded for his epic performance in The Godfather. He used the platform to protest the way Native American Indians, the indigenous inhabitants of the United States, were portrayed in films, and even more so the way they were treated in real life. 

In his speech, he wrote, “We were the most rapacious, aggressive, destructive, torturing, monstrous, people who swept from one coast to the other murdering and causing mayhem among the Indians […] we don’t like that image of ourselves […] we like to see ourselves, perhaps as John Wayne sees us”.

Wayne, basically the Trump of Hollywood,who routinely slaughtered American Indians in his movies, believed in white supremacy. He said, ““I don’t feel we did wrong in taking this great country away from them. There were great numbers of people who needed new land […] and the Indians were selfishly trying to keep it for themselves.” Keeping land that belonged to your ancestors for 15,000 years is selfish? Right!

to Read Full Story

  • Unlimited access to our web and app content
  • e-Post daily digital newspaper
  • No advertisements, no interruptions
  • Privileged access to our events and programs
  • Subscription to our newsletters
or

Purchase access to this article for

We accept

TJP - Visa
TJP - Mastercard
TJP - GoPay

Redirecting you to payment page

Pay per article

Brando, Wayne and our indigenous peoples

Rp 35,000 / article

1
Create your free account
By proceeding, you consent to the revised Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.
Already have an account?

2
  • Palmerat Barat No. 142-143
  • Central Jakarta
  • DKI Jakarta
  • Indonesia
  • 10270
  • +6283816779933
2
Total Rp 35,000

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.

Share options

Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!

Change text size options

Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small, medium, or large—find what’s most comfortable for you.

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

Continue in the app

Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.