“For every evil there are two remedies: time and silence,” wrote Alexandre Dumas. The Indians know this well, they are a wise and patient people. And even a lot of time has passed half a century now since when Things Littlefeather, ‘Small Feather’ climbed onto the stage from Oscar to read the reason for the Rejection of the award by Marlon Brandowhich it did not want to accept for the “reserved treatment”. American Indians from the film industry”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QUAcU0I4yU
Insulted and insulted on the Oscars stage
Brando had won the coveted statuette for best actor in a movie that will go down in history.The Godfather“. But not only this film went down in history, but also what happened that day in Piccola Piuma, then 26 years old, under the spotlights that illuminated this sparkling stage. There very young Native American In 60 seconds, he read harsh words against the abuses his community had endured. But instead of getting understanding and closeness, that was it swamped by an avalanche of whistlesand as if that wasn’t enough, they also rose from the audience present in the room racial slurs. The fact that the 1973 Academy Awards came at a delicate moment does not justify this absurd and unacceptable public behavior given that these were the months of the American Indian Movement’s occupation of Wounded Knee, South Dakota.
Marlon Brando (ANSA)
It was the actor himself who invited the young actress and model to attend the celebrity night to raise awareness how Native Americans were portrayed in movies American. Marie Louise CruzThe 75-year-old made a strong gesture: he introduced himself the braids and carry a deerskin suit, and with one hand she pushed away the famous golden statuette that Roger Moore and Liv Ulmann had brought her. However be Message went unheard (at least back then). Not only that, reporters reported that John Wayne, who was backstage at the moment he heard those words, was in a rage. And it didn’t end that evening, on the contrary, it went much further: Marie Louise Cruz ‘Little Feather’ explained that she suffered a lot in the years that followed discrimination in the world of cinema and have always been talked about attacked, insulted and mocked.
The Academy’s apology half a century later
Actress Little Feather Apache took the stage to reject the character of Marlon Brando for the treatment of Native Americans in film productions
“Every time a woman fights for herself, fight for all women‘ the poet wrote Maya Angelou. 50 years ago, Marie Louise Cruz was the first Native American woman to ever speak of this stage. A century later, the time has finally come Apologies from the academy: “The abuse you suffered for your speech was unjustified and totally inappropriate,” said the former president of the academy David Rubin in a letter to Littlefeather, inviting her to an event to be held on September 17 in Los Angeles. That Apache actress speech it was therefore not only rehabilitated but also defined “A powerful affirmation that continues to remind us need respect and the importance of human dignity”. A message that Little Feather clearly recognizes as an exceptional strength: “For too long – according to the letter from the former Academy President – the courage you have shown has been ignored. The abuse you suffered was unjustified, and the cost of your career in our industry and the emotional drain you have experienced is beyond repair. For all of this we offer our deepest apologies and our sincere admiration.”
An evening to “talk, celebrate and heal”
there Evening of September 17th – which will also be attended by the co-president of the Academy’s Indigenous Alliance, producer Bird Runningwater – was organized with a three-fold aim: “talk, celebrate, healFor her part, the actress said in a statement that following her major cancellation, she was “deeply encouraged to see how much Hollywood has changed.” Apologizing, he said: “We Indians are very patient people, it’s just 50 years ago!”. At the same time, he did not fail to emphasize that it is important for them to keep a high sense of humor in all circumstances, as it helps them to survive.
Marie Louise Cruz is now 75 years old and received an apology from the academy after 50 years
Speaking of “a dream come true”, Piccola Piuma has given everyone a different one Lesson of deep humanity and courage. He accepted the invitation to attend the evening organized in his honor, where he will finally receive the warm applause he should have received many years earlier. In doing so, she demonstrated that she accepted the belated apologies of those who only hurt her, rather than understanding and embracing them. But on the other hand, as the wise Indians well know, when you forgive, you are certainly not doing it to erase the past, but to change the future.