The Canary Effect Offers Jarring Perspective of Native American Treatment
HED: STAND brings light to Native American genocide for Columbus Day
WEBHED: STAND Against Genocide to Present ‘The Canary Effect’ on Columbus Day
“Kill the Indian, Save the Man.” These startling words appear under the title sequence in the trailer for The Canary Effect, a film set to screen Monday by the Ohio University chapter of STAND Against Genocide.
“This powerful documentary provides a historical account of the Native American genocide while analyzing the current effect on the Native American population,” said Neti Gupta, co-president of STAND at Ohio University.
The documentary focuses on the treatment of Native Americans by the American government, which the documentary’s website describes as “genocidal.” Although the film is being shown on Columbus Day, it does not only focus on the cruelty faced by Native Americans upon Columbus’ arrival, rather, the suffering of Native Americans up until present day.
While, these atrocities won’t be found in the classroom, STAND treasurer Kody Seeger said the film offers a different viewpoint than what kids are commonly taught in school about Columbus Day, and the treatment of Native Americans in general.
“In schools we’re not really taught how it looks from the Native American standpoint.” Seeger said. “We were always kind of the ‘good guys’ finding the new world, but there was really a lot of trouble going on with Native People.”
While the film displays many tragedies that occurred in the past, Gupta believes it offers a valuable lesson for the present.
“It is important to be aware of the past and how one has been molded to understand certain events,” Gupta said. “As we better understand the past, we are able to relate it to current conflicts and situations and perhaps with a dose of empathy.”
The documentary will be shown in Grover Center room 113. In past screenings, STAND has presented The Act of Killing and Free China, and the organization will continue to screen films in the future.
sw399914@ohio.edu
