Smoke Signals Paper The identity of modern Native Americans is both complex and increasingly recognized by the rest of the world in light of Native American protests such as the Dakota Pipeline protests and the Thirty Meter Telescope affair. Native Americans are a group that was severely influenced by European colonialism, although the generic history of the natives after European conquest has been seriously misinterpreted and misunderstood. Most of the texts students are exposed to regarding Native Americans establish them as a thing of the past and are biased to unconsciously favor a European point of view. However, Native American sources depicting Native American life are therefore much more valuable because of their ability to offer a fresh perspective. In Chris Eyre's film Smoke Signals (1998), the truth of being a modern-day Native American is depicted as embracing the shades of gray that ultimately construct an identity that combines both indigenous tradition and European influence. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original Essay The film's two main characters, named Thomas and Victor, embark on a journey to recover the remains of Victor's father, Arnold, who abandoned him at a very young age. Thomas is characterized as socially awkward but enthusiastic and feels deeply connected to his traditional heritage. By examining the characters of Thomas and Victor, we can juxtapose the two aspects of the modern “Indian” way of life. The main characteristic that links Thomas to a more traditional Native American way of life is his enthusiasm and ability to tell complex and detailed oral stories, in which he fully immerses himself. Thomas cares less about the accuracy of a story than about the lesson or meaning of what a story might represent. When Arnold's girlfriend asks if Thomas wants lies or the truth as she is about to tell a story, he simply replies "both." However, this emphasis on oral tradition also creates problems in the film, especially for Victor, as he cannot distinguish what is real from what is fabricated, especially when he hears stories about his father. The same issue is raised in Joel W. Martin's "Indians, Contact, and Colonialism" when he says that "(textbooks) can imply that Native Americans disappear from religious history" (151). The tradition of oral storytelling in the film is synonymous with Thomas as a character, as his tendency to tell these stories becomes a problem as Victor attempts to understand his father's true story. The second way in which Thomas becomes representative of traditional values ​​is that he allows Victor to continue his journey in search of his father's remains by giving him his savings for bus tickets. The journey is reminiscent of a pilgrimage, something deeply connected to Native American tradition. During this journey, Victor grows emotionally and ultimately concludes the pilgrimage by having one of his own when he travels over twenty miles to get help for a woman with whom he is involved in a car accident. Through oral tradition and pilgrimage, Thomas represents the traditional aspect of what it means to be a Native American in modern America. While Thomas represents a traditional twist on the Native American way of life, Victor represents the European influence that conquest and contact left on the natives. Victor's mother is famous for her fry bread, which is a staple,.