Dances with Wolves

Dances With Wolves is a fantastic movie! It depicts the American Indians as a loving race, has three very unique Lakota Tribe leaders, shows the life in the Great Plains before American settlers arrived, it really shows the difference between customs and traditions of the whites and Indians, and finally the Sioux and Paunee fighting was very important and showed Dunbar important things that will affect the rest of his life. I really recommend seeing this movie if want to see something that shows Native Americans as loving people instead of savages. In my opinion the movie depicts the American Indian as a race that cares for only their fellow tribe members and worried about the whites killing them off. Also, Dunbar had bad pre-convinced stereotypes about the Indians. If a white comes onto their territory the Indians feel threatened and attack them. Like when Dunbar first encountered the Indians they felt threatened and got ready to attack. Also, when they found out someone inhabited the nearby fort they investigated immediately. Dunbar thought that the Indians were lying, savage, thieves. The guy that drove him to the fort gave him these thoughts. Also, when they tried to steal his horse, the stereotypes were reassured for a short period of time. According to the movie Indians are caring and scared. Dunbar thought that the Indians were a terrible race.

Kicking Bird, Wind In His Hair, and Ten Bears are the three main Lakota Indian tribe leaders. Kicking Bird is a very stern, disciplined Lakota leader. He does like Dunbar joining the tribe. Every time he tries to befriend Kicking Bird he shuts him down. Like the time when he offered them coffee Kicking Bird was hesitant to accept it. Also, he cares about his tribe more than anything. For example, he is always asking Dunbar about how many whites are coming. Wind In His Hair is very kick back and accepting. As soon as Dunbar tries to befriend him he almost immediately accepts him. He brought that huge buffalo hide for Dunbar as a gift. Also, at the feast he let him eat him the buffalo heart which is a huge honor. Ten Bears is probably the most interesting character. He doesn’t really worry about what’s happening around him just focuses on relaxing. For example, when they are about to be invaded he smokes the peace pipe with Dunbar. Also, he is very wise. He predicts almost everything that is going to happen and he is almost always correct. Kicking Bird, Wind In His Hair, and Ten Bears are all very different but are all equally important to Lakota Indian tribe.

The unsettled West prior to American settlers was very different. It was full of culture, peace, and animals roamed the Great Plains. Indians have great pow-wows and many cultural events to celebrate different things. When settlers came they were forced to stop them because they were afraid to get ambushed. Also, buffalo roamed the Great Plains and flocked everywhere. After the settlers arrived they killed off the buffalo to force Indians to retreat. Now there are hardly any buffalo left. Indians used to fight amongst each other to defend land. This was more peaceful times. After whites arrived there was constant war and there weren’t any peace. Before American settlers arrived Indians were peaceful cultural people and now they are deprived and deep in sadness.

When American hunters and military men entered the territory, immediately you could tell a different between their goals and customs compared to the Indians. The white’s goals were to get rid of all buffalo while the Indians goals were to live off the buffalo. For example, the white men shoot at buffalo as soon as they see them and just leave them to rot; Indians kill buffalo and use every single piece of the buffalo and have a ceremony and celebrate about it. Customary white behave is very different than Indians. Whites use forts and guns. Indians use teepees and arrows. Native Americans view their behavior as “unacceptable” and “outrageous” and disapprove it completely. Whites and Indians customs and traditions are very much different and Indians don’t like the “way of the whites.”

The fighting between the Sioux and Paunee was very intense. Dunbar was surprised at first, but then takes immediate action. He learns about himself and why the two tribes fight against each other. When Dunbar found out he was going to be under attack he panics. He doesn’t know what’s going on and ask lots of questions. After, he regathers himself he suggests to get guns. Him and smiles a lot go to get guns from his station. They return and fend off the Paunee. Lt. Dunbar, or better known as Dances With Wolves, Learns a lot about himself. He discovers that he is one of the Sioux and that they accept him in their tribe. Also, he learns that he is a great warrior. The two tribes were fighting over territory and wanted more land to expand their tribe. If you have more land for your people then your tribe will be better known and more feared. In the Civil War they were fighting over disagreement and freedom. Dunbar now knows he is a member of the Lakota Sioux and now knows not to panic when something is going wrong. The reason for fighting in the Civil War and the tribal battles are both very different but both for right reasons and the results are always positive.

I hope now you will strongly consider watching this excellent movie. It depicts the American Indians as a loving race and Dunbar gets pre-convinced stereotypes about the Indians corrected; has three very unique Lakota Tribe leaders Kicking Bird, Wind In His Hair, and Ten Bears; shows the life in the Great Plains before American settlers arrived which was a very peaceful place full of life and freedom; it really shows the difference between customs and traditions of the whites and Indians because Indians were a more proud people; and finally the Sioux and Paunee fighting was very important and showed Dunbar important things that will affect the rest of his life, although the reasons for fighting were different from the reasons of the Civil war both were important. So, if you haven’t picked up your copy of Dances With Wolves, then you better go pick it up right now!!