The first three cultures I became interested in and wanted to learn more about (apart from my own) were the Japanese, the Russian, and the "Native American" (as we used to refer to the indigenous peoples of North America, back then).
I've always held a reverence for what we now call the First Nations. As a kid, one of my favorite books was "Eagle Feather" by Clyde Robert Bulla (illustrated by Tom Two Arrows). Later, in Grade 7, we read "Agouhanna" by Claude Aubry.
I went to see "Dances with Wolves" with a large group. The theatre was packed, so my friend Vince and I had to sit all the way at the front and to the left (probably the worse seat I've ever had in a theatre), but we soon got swept up in the film, anyway.
The movie has an interesting pedigree, in that it started out as a screenplay, which was turned into a novel (published in 1988), that was then adapted into the film, winning the Oscar for Best Picture. A sequel to the novel was written, published in 2001.
In recent years, "Dances with Wolves" has been criticized for being a "white savior" movie. While an important perspective, there are narrative benefits to the approach, in that Dunbar serves as the viewpoint character for a predominantly white audience.
This is one of those movies that I really enjoyed and that left a lasting impact, although haven't seen since. My kids are getting old enough to perhaps be interested, particularly my daughters. Perhaps I'll try watching it again, someday soon.
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