Johnny Depp as Tonto

Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.

Johnny Depp as Tonto

Wow, what excitement and anticipation this created for me.  Not only is Johnny, one of my all time favourite actors, but he would be re-playing the role that one of my favourite Uncle’s played, Tonto, that being Harry Smith, or Jay Silverheels

Jay Silverheels as TONTO

Right away I had to do an online search on this headline.

One article I found on Radar Online:

Depp, who will play the trusty partner to Armie Hammer’s Lone Ranger, is part Cherokee and told Entertainment Weekly why he decided to take the role. “I always felt Native Americans were badly portrayed in Hollywood films over the decades. It’s a real opportunity for me to give a salute to them. Tonto was a sidekick in all the Lone Ranger series. [This film] is a very different approach to that partnership. And a funny one I think.” http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2012/03/johnny-depp-tonto-photos-lone-ranger

He is also quoted on Us Weekly as saying:

“The whole reason I wanted to play Tonto is to try to [mess] around with the stereotype of the American Indian that has been laid out through history, or the history of cinema at the very least — especially Tonto as the sidekick, The Lone Ranger’s assistant,” Depp explained. “As you’ll see, it’s most definitely not that. http://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/pic-johnny-depp-transforms-into-tonto-on-the-lone-ranger-set-2012149

His claim of Native American Ancestory:

My great grandmother was quite a bit of Native American, she grew up Cherokee or maybe Creek Indian.” http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2203554/Tontos-trouble-Johnny-Depp-Arme-Hammer-shoot-action-scene-Lone-Ranger-movie.html

Johnny Depp as Tonto:  Under Criticism in Indian Country

Now since he has been quoted, there is much criticism about him playing the role for the following reasons:

• whether he has any Native American ancestry at all,
• because he was cited as saying that it would be comical.
• his choice of costume
• his portrayal of a Comanche or the movie’s inaccurate portrayal of a Comanche
• because the role is not being played by a Native American, First Nations, North American Indigenous person
• use of broken English
• use of mysticism and spiritual guides

Just do a search, there are numerous critique sites.

Well I can safely say that back in my Uncle Jay’s day, even he was criticized for his portrayal. Yet to this day there is still much criticism of his FICTIOUS role as Tonto.

There are a great deal of mixed bloods among us and whether a person grows up knowing their roots or not, who are we to judge,  what they do or do not know,  or when they come to know, especially when they are not raised or immersed in their cultural heritage.  Let us remember, not to long ago it was a common occurrence not to teach your children the language, the traditions, or even let it be known that one was indeed Aboriginal.  Why there are those among us who are immersed or grow up on reservations and still do not know much about their culture and at times misrepresent it.  I have probably been guilty of that myself.  All we can do is work towards a better understanding and this may be difficult.  So much has been lost. We become critics of one another, and what one knows compared to someone else, what is the right way to speak or even conduct a ceremony, etc.  I still continue my learning today and seek out the ones with wisdom, sincerity, spiritualism, realism and experience.

As far as comical goes, I remember my Uncle Jay as quite the jokester, always telling a good joke. Many Native Americans love to laugh and crack jokes.  This has also been a mechanism of our survival.

Jay Silverheels

The show is fictitious.  However, walking around in Indian Country, I do see a lot of Native Americans, garnish their garb with animal totems,  animal embellishments, whether for decorative, ceremonial, spiritual reasons,  or otherwise.  There are many Fist Nations that still know the mysticism and spiritual base of their traditions, and those that choose not to believe or are unknowing. Though there may be many threads of truth within it a fictitious movie, there may also be misrepresentations. This is where conversation and dialogue is sparked and the truth can be brought to light for those that seek the truth. We always know there will be those who take things at face value and all we can do it to continue to educate and become more aware.

I say a lot of Hollywood is about fantasy and fiction.  The Western Genre is largely made up of villains, heroes, damsels in distress, good guy, bad guy.  Why look at the everyday sitcoms in the same time period like Leave it to Beaver, wow, who really lived like the Cleavers?

Western genre portrays life generally dating back to the late 19th century.  I would surmise that back in this day, there were probably a lot of Native Americans that did speak broken English.  Even in my parent’s time there would be talk of some of our local community members. Since their first language was Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, Seneca or Tuscorora they said things out of context or with mixed terminology.

Since our languages are so different and when translated with our different sentence structure, and then spoken in English, words were sometimes spoken out of order in English.

Sometimes the things that are said when translated from a fluent speakers mindset really did sound quite funny back then.  Sadly however, sometimes are own people made fun of these fluent speakers, not because it was funny, but because they did mistake it for implied stupidity.  Really it was legitimate ignorance.

Who has not gone to another country, not knowing the language and mispronounced a word, or totally said the wrong word.  Also when one is not anywhere near fluent in a language, they usually keep to 1-3 word phrases of what they do know.  This in no way equals stupidity, dumbness, or lack of wisdom. Sadly it was associated with such, especially for Indigenous people and African Americans when brought in with the slave trade.

Actually being bilingual does expands one’s brain, proven in research.  It is just that Native North American languages are not held in high regard. When in fact they are very complex languages that are difficult to learn. Ask any linguist.

So I say, you are darned if you are, and darned if you aren’t Johnny.

I am all for breaking down stereotypes and ending racism. True, media is a viable vehicle to do just that. Recently a movie was released on the sport of lacrosse called Crooked Arrow, and there were many Native American actresses and actors in there, and those that played the leading roles were not.  Certainly there were some inaccuracies and they had First Nations consultants on hand as I understand. It still was a step forward because it highlighted the game of lacrosse as originating from Native North Americans and it provided educational material on the Haudenosaunee history of lacrosse. Which by the way; my Uncle Jay was an exceptional lacrosse player too.

Little Me and My Uncle Jay

Recently I have been asked to right a brief bio of my Uncle Jay, as he is among the Walk of Fame honourees on a monument in the neighbouring city to our Six Nations reserve, in Brantford, Ontario. They are updating the plaques and soon having a grand opening ceremony.

This is what I wrote:

b 1912 d. 1980

Born Harry J. Smith on Six Nations territory. Jay Silverheels was a remarkable boxer and lacrosse player.

His lacrosse talent took him across North America and Los Angeles where he merged into Hollywood when Indians were portrayed by non-Indians in a negative fashion. In 1949 he was the first Aboriginal to play a Indian on TV. His fame came as Tonto of “the Lone Ranger”

 Silverheels became an activist for Indian rights continuing to appear in film, TV Shows and commercials. Jay became a spokesman to improve the portrayal of Indians on TV. 1962 – 1968, Jay worked tirelessly establishing the Indian Actors Workshop, an organization to help train Native actors and to prepare them for a difficult task, to rise in Hollywood against racism and stereotypical roles, expanding the theater school in 1968.

Jay’s legacy was to rise above racism, and to break barriers into a well established industry.

In his time period, that was quite an accomplishment, and he was not paid substantial amounts, nor did he receive any Royalty for re-plays of the TV shows.

It seems that Hollywood still has a long way to go, but let us be mindful that we are talking about a fictitious movie.  Those movies do require a lot of creativity and imagination.

Once the movie comes out then we can create more accurate education.  Who knows, it may be a hit with rave reviews. Maybe it may spark a series of accurate documentaries, articles and such. Maybe it will fury someone’s fire so much that they will make a true-to-life movie.  The truth can be brought to the forefront if need be. It is all copacetic.

In anticipation!

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