Monthly Archives: August 2010

soap opera

La Taxista

    Introduction to Ecuadorian soap opera La taxista.

Thanks to a recent tweet by Sacha Rosero of OtavalosOnline.com, I read an article about a new Ecuadorian soap opera called La taxista.1 The soap opera’s protagonist, Rosita Tituaña, is supposed to depict an Indian from Imbabura province who has migrated to the coastal city of Guayaquil. The show’s critics explain that it reproduces stereotypes about Indians being unable to speak correctly when in fact, Otavalos are well known as world travelers and polyglots. An indigenous professor notes that the show’s producers did not even bother to accurately portray native dress since Rosita wears a mixture of elements from the dress styles of native women from Otavalo and Chimborazo. The show’s librettist, however, argues that La taxista endeavors to show that Indians don’t have to change their ways in order to succeed in life. Ecuadorian actor Alberto Cuesta agreed with critics and made an interesting point: afro-Ecuadorians, women and gays have also been subjected to this type of treatment in Ecuadorian media.

After watching a recent cast interview (see up to 0:34 and 9:18 to the end in particular) and part of the second episode, it seems to me that the show’s creators have never traveled to Imbabura province or ever spoken to any Otavalos. First, Rosita’s style of dress is indeed inaccurate. This may seem like a superficial critique but it’s a manifestation of the fact that little research was done into the culture being portrayed. I have seen women from other provinces who migrate to Quito wearing a mixture of western and native dress. However, when women from Imbabura mix elements of western and native dress, it doesn’t look the way Rosita is portrayed in the intro clip. Second, the writer’s assertion that an Indian should not have to change left me at a loss as to what the show’s conception of an Indian is. Is the essence of an Indian to be innocent? To speak incorrectly? To play to folklorization of Indian culture by breaking out into dance in an Indian costume? It seems that whoever was responsible for molding Rosita’s character has conflated being ignorant and unsophisticated with being Indian. Being Indian is different things for different people but I think it has more to do with practicing and having pride and respect for native culture – something one can do while dressing in western clothes, while speaking French, or while speaking standard Ecuadorian Spanish, for that matter. I have nothing against dialects; I tend to sing like a Cuencana when I speak Spanish. But, Rosita doesn’t even speak in Imbabura dialect! And even if she did, she could do it more genuinely. The exaggerated manner in which she speaks is played for cheap laughs and it gets tired pretty quickly. Besides leaning towards insensitivity, it also results in bad acting.

It is sad that some people may watch this show and engage in ignorant jokes at Indians’ expense.2 And I suppose I should feel offended by the show. But I don’t. I shook my head as I watched the clips above, alright. But, at the same time, I know Rosita is not a reflection of who Indians really are. Instead of feeling offended for Indians, I feel embarassed for the show’s creators because it is more of a manifestation of their ignorance and how far they need to go to bring genuine and meaningful portrayals of Indians to the media.

If I had Ecuavisa, I’d probably tune in just to dissect these stereotypes some more. So, it might be worth it to examine this aspect of it for a class. But otherwise, and unless they start taking these things into consideration, it seems like I’d probably do like Rosita sings in her intro: hightail it outta there “hecho una bala.” Silly song is catchy.

P.S. But wouldn’t it be something if the show’s creators took critics’ comments to heart and came back with television we can all be proud of?

1. Redacción Sierra Centro. “La taxista incomoda en Imbabura.” El Comercio 15 de agosto 2010.

2 See Muenala, Germán. “La taxista.” El Diario del Norte. 8 de agosto 2010.

documentary

The Plymouth Rock of the South

The title of Rachel Nez’s 2005 documentary, The Border Crossed Us, is the phrase used in chants and on signs at immigration rallies. Given that Native Americans were here before any other group in the U.S. or Mexico, this poignant phrase was never more true. I’ve added this clip here because the phrase always reminds me of the similar African American immigration experience, as expressed by Malcolm X’s when he noted, “We didn’t land on Plymouth Rock. The Rock was landed on us.”

Amid the dominant national voices surrounding the immigration debate, you may have missed that of the Native American groups affected by border policies. In the past few months, Arizona’s Senate Bill 1070 has caused renewed interest and ire surrounding this issue. However, many groups, like the Tohono O’odhman of Arizona and the Sonora Desert region of Mexico, have had to endure the injustice of immigration policies for many, many years. In the 2005 documentary The Border Crossed Us, Navajo filmmaker Rachel Nez explores Tohono O’odham efforts to change laws that hinder many of the (particularly older) tribal members who do not have paperwork to travel freely between the U.S. and Mexico. In order to do so, they must prove that they are indeed U.S. citizens or, in the case of Tohono O’odham Mexicans, have documentation to visit the U.S. The Tohono O’odham have not traditionally used documentation to prove their citizenship and therefore cannot prove their status. Therefore, in many cases, relatives across the border cannot visit with each other or practice traditional rituals and customs.

The documentary is short but useful for anyone discussing immigration issues as they relate to Native peoples as well as how native religion and customs are viewed by outsiders. In one especially moving moment in the film, a young man discusses how disrespectful border agents are when going through his grandfather’s religious objects. The young man asks how we would feel if someone started rifling through the Pope’s items. Although this did not have to do with immigration per se, I thought the young man’s succinct questioning would be a great starting point for a classroom discussion on respecting other groups’ value systems and ways. This part made the film especially memorable to me.

When I first saw this film at the NMAI Native American Film Festival in New York City back in (I believe) 2007, I asked Ms. Nez about the status of the bill discussed in the film (yes, I actually did stand up for Q&A for once). She said that it was too soon to tell. A few years later, I see that the Tohono O’odham continue to fight against these policies, including recently leading a contingent against S.B. 1070 March.