XIV ANNUAL REGINA FLANNERY HERZFELD SYMPOSIUM ON THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF NATIVE AMERICA
The Department of Anthropology at the Catholic University of America presents
Buck Woodard, American University
Representing Historical Culture on the Big and Small Screen: Success and Challenges from the Algonquian Chesapeake
In what ways can historical anthropology contribute to popular media representations of the past, and what responsibility do consultants have to ensure accurate portrayals of the peoples and cultures they study? For projects that combine dramatic performance, scholarship, and indigenous descendant communities, the drive for “authenticity” is often conjoined and conflicted with artistic license, romanticism, and contemporary politics of representation. Television and film work that wish to access “real” Native people and culture must often contend with the impacts of colonialism, issues of narrative ownership, and the negotiation of cultural authority. The outcome of civic engagement and collaboration can, however, produce notable results that satisfy multiple stakeholders. This presentation examines how historical anthropology in the Chesapeake has influenced media portrayals during the past twenty years, to include the ways in which anthropology has contributed to the interface of art/media with contemporary tribal representations. New indigenous constructions of “traditional” culture have also drawn on a combination of archaeology, ethnography, linguistics, and media representations for contemporary social and political needs.
Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at 5:00 pm
CUA McGivney Hall, Room 106
This is an in-person event with a catered reception following the talk.
SUPPORTED BY THE REGINA FLANNERY HERZFELD MEMORIAL FUND