Movies like this, remind me of how proud I feel to be a Native American. Also knowing Clint Eastwood had any involvement in this movie gives great confidence. First things first, this movie is amazing, powerful and realism to it’s ugliest truth. Watch it, love it, know it. Ok, So myself, I am Native American and Swedish ethnicity, and back in the 1980’s it wasn’t unheard of but it was still semi taboo to date a Beautiful lil Indian girl at West Seattle high School, but hey, my Dad was an innovator, a rebel and a Baad Mutherfucker in his hay-day(s). So he went for it, then oops here I am. In the Film Indian Horse they show the lead character go through several chapters of his life while he narrates the story to help you really grasp what the character is feeling. You see how Hockey is his way out of the life of Neglect, Abandonment, Abuse, Fear and oppression. Hockey in Canada is very popular how Football is very popular in the United States. However Hockey is much rougher as in Football fighting is strictly prohibited and can get you thrown out of games or fined. Hockey you can knock a guys teeth out and only receive minutes in a penalty box before returning to the game. The character goes through double the abuse during games as being Native American is double-hate time for other sports players. You see in the movie how this was an era when folks would openly taunt or hurt Native Americans just for being alive or enjoying a beer with friends. It makes you sick but also sort of reminded me of our History and how far we have come. First it was man VS Animal, then it was racism, then it was the type of race that mattered. Next humans realized women needed their rights, then our next milestone was gays deserved rights and soon after, Transgender can’t be left out and somewhere in the mix Animals deserved rights the whole time too. Soon the computers or robots will demand rights. Maybe that’s too far off? We digress, back to the film, there are some notable scenes like when the crowd applaud and adore the Lead Characters Hockey skills and congratulate him by throwing miniature toy Indians with Native Headdress/warbonnets on them. You see him lay on the ice staring at the the toys as land near him with this indifferent yet intense focus in his eyes. Leading us as the audience to think two things, one that he is highly offended to see a mockery of his people but also it could be a moment of shock that everyone praises him to make toys of him like a rockstar. One thing is for sure that OG Native Americans don’t appreciate mockery or toys with Warrior Chief Headdress’ on. The culture of the Native American Headdress is that it’s rarely given to anyone and only chiefs and warriors are among those to be given such a great gift. Few can proudly wear them and are to be defended at all costs. I remember the first time my Mother saw me wearing a warbonnet on my head that I bought from an online store. I wasn’t sure how she would react being a proud Native American herself. She takes one look at me and says “aww my lil Chief of West Seattle, cuuute, I love it” and it was at that moment I felt like the daughter of a Baad Mutherfucker who produced a Baad Mutherfucker for a Mom knighted me the power to wear this War Bonnet proud and to defend it against any opposing enemies. Not too long after that my Uncle (who is younger than me because the Natives don’t have an [OFF] switch, HA) Anyway my Uncle defends me to another Native from my own tribe or in Canada they call tribes “Bands” and the other member was offended by my War Bonnet. Said they are only earned. My uncle says this to him “If it’s drowning in the tears of his enemies or going through life full of Trials & Tribulations, then yes, My nephew has earned that. It’s not his fault he was sent to white washed schools without his Grandfathers guidance but at this point it’s important we as Native Americans hold onto whatever we got left.” and when I read that I felt like my Uncle did a giant upper cut punch right through any cultural appropriation comments brought on by anyone Native American OR not Native American. It was beautiful to know that he is my family. My uncle is a wise but gnarly Indian and I love him and the rest of my family just the way they are. So with that being said about how OG Native Americans not appreciating any sort of mockery of their culture you can see in the film the lead character never ever loses who he is no matter how far he goes in life. He carries his pride throughout the film into a victory lap around the scenes. You see how close he is to the family that helps him. Even though the character is taken in by other Natives who are not his direct bloodline he realizes family is who you choose. The movie covers a time when Native American language was removed from the schools and you would be strictly punished if you used any Native tongue or names in school. They successfully deleted much of Native American culture from the history books. Though some of the people he meets are great some are also bad but not revealed until it’s usually too late. You get to see an era on film before the civil rights movement with some harsh looks at our own people being harsh to other living breathing people. In a time when humans didn’t even know what humans are suppose to look like, yet it’s a trick fucking question, we are all humans so this is how we all look. How the earth was growing and like how human growing pains they can hurt. Our lands were so broken that we couldn’t even see the human race for the human and instead focused on only the race. This is a great movie for anyone that enjoys seeing a character never give up and never give in. Happy endings with true events makes it even all the better.