Why Do They Use Some Native Americans To Play The Part Of Mexican/Guatemalan Indians In Acapolypto movie??

Question

Since Native Americans complain that they are offended for recieving remarks that they look like mexican indians, then why does Mel Gibson use some native american indian actors to play the part of Mexican/Guatemalan Mayan Indians in the movie "Acapolpyto??

To have less confusion. Indians should be give the title as to the country they live in. Example, "American Indians," "Mexican Indians," "Guatemalan Indians," "Peruvian Indians."

Answer 1

There are two main reasons for this.

1. The average North American honestly can't tell that there's much of a difference between the different races. Although there are very distinct differences, there are also very distinct similarities. Caucasian North Americans and Europeans tend to have a hard time distinguishing between Asian people and Native American people, which really don't look all that similar. (I'm white and I know this because I live in a very multi-cultural city, but not everyone has that priveledge). Throw in a bunch of different Native groups from different areas, and many people just won't be able to tell the difference (except perhaps by accent - and even that's unlikely).

2. Mel Gibson is rather obviously somewhat of a racist / biggot himself. We've all heard the tale of his anti-semetic drunk rant. I'm not personally that upset with it, although a lot of people are. But it does prove that within that nice exterior, there's someone with a problem. He's white and he's at least a little bit racist. That would explain to me why he's one of the white people who finds it hard to distinguish between the groups and therefore casts them in the same roles.


I hope this answers your question. If anything I said offends you, I'm very sorry. I tried to make it as truthful as possible.

Answer 2

Answer to that might be easy...maybe there are not enough Mexican/Guatemalan Indian actors.

Native actors doesn't exactly have any baring on what is done in respect to whether other Native people not involved are offended or not...they can't exactly stop the actors from what roles they take and maybe some of the actors are more caught up in the Hollywood deal and can't see the offense other people see.

Answer 3

First of Mexicans are from North America and Mexican Indians are Native America or Amerindians so American Indians are Indians from every part of the Americans north and south.

Answer 4

This sounds like classic "Indian Blood Myth" Syndrome...and amazingly, we may even be witnessing the birth of a brand new IBM (Indian Blood Myth). It has all the telltale signs: claiming "high cheekbones"..."tanning easily"...(or someone in your family is "dark")...your natural way with animals ('cause Indians are mystical/in tune with nature)... However, you've already been told by your relatives that they aren't...yet, you just KNOW that you are! PREDICTION: This will start as a theory and eventually turn into a CLAIM...you'll have kids...talk about your INDIAN BLOOD...they'll pass on the IBM and a few generations down the line your descendants will take this as an absolute truth and be talking about you as their "Fullbooded Cherokee Grandmother." ALTERNATE THEORY: Maybe you are BLACK. What if your "dark-olived skinned" family is of African ancestry. Have you ever consider that? And if not...why not??? Black people can have high cheekbones...and they love animals too.

Answer 5

Most movie execs will go for the lowest paid actor, if they are not the main character. Haven't you ever seen those old technicolor "cowboy & Indian" movies...they always painted a white man/woman brown to play the part of an indigenous person...thats hollywood for you, it's stupid!!!

ALSO:
"Indians" is a misnomer, just as much as "Native American" is! "Indian"= a well-known eff-up by that lost guy who stumbled upon this land in 1492 AND "Native American"= The governements attempt to PC (more like over-generalize) our peoples status! I myself, am S'Klallam/Chippewa-Cree. (Although, for the sake of easing confusion, I will refer to myself as "Native")

The answer above says that "Natives" were not indeed native to this continent at all...ahem, excuse me!

The first natives who came here were not...BUT, after living on these soils for thousands and thousands of years, and pro-creating, the children born to individual tribes became NATIVE to the land...SO those who came here AFTER the land being habited for thousands and thousands of years by thousands of individual tribes WERE IN FACT immigtrants.

Anywhoo...I just wanted to clarify a little...

Answer 6

All "native" Americans stem from the same Asians who followed the land bridge.

"Native" Americans are not native to this continent at all. DNA testing proves once and for all that Indians are merely Asians who followed the land bridge. (This is why Indians have a mongoloid-shaped, Asian skull and black hair.)

The oldest known remains ever found in both north and south America are that of Kennewick Man, found along the banks of the Columbia River. Kennewick man was white not Indian/Asian.

When the white man arrived for a second time to the Americas they found that the Indian/Asians hadn't yet invented the wheel and regularly practiced cannibalism.

White folks created the greatest, freest and most prosperous society the world has ever known.

www.nationalist.org

Answer 7

Who knows why Hollywood execs do anything? Follow the money, babe. Follow the money!

Answer 8

Ask Mel.