Johnny Depp, actor and current philanthropist, is having waves of empathy for the Oglala Sioux Native American tribe. He is currently making an offer to buy a 40-acre plot of land for $3.9 million from Mr. James Czywczynski (landowner and non-native) that includes the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre, South Dakota, with an additional piece of land that the owner is selling for $1 million.
The site of the Wounded Knee Massacre has a historic and bloody past. On December 29, 1889, the U.S. 7th Cavalry led by Major Samuel M. Whitside ?escorted? two wandering Lakota tribes on a five mile trek to Wounded Knee Creek where (due to a small skirmish) a single shot was fired by Native American Black Coyote, who refused to yield his rifle. This led to the entire 7th Cavalry unleashing a gunpowder barrage on the two Lakota tribes, senselessly murdering 300 warriors, women, and children.
Whenever a government goes to war with another country or people, in this case against Native Americans, the suppressing government must dehumanize those they wish to conquer, so as to create the least moral conflicts among their branches of military. Hitler did it to Germany, as America did it to the Native Americans.
Over the general course of Native American history since our trespassing, these people have been lied to, cheated, robbed, raped, and of course been victims of the most heinous act i.e., genocide. Most land treaties have lead to the government reneging on their deals, thus providing Native Americans with ever decreasing parcels of land to dwell upon.
Mr. Depp has expressed deep concern about the plight of the Native Americans, for reasons of ancestral relations. In an interview with Depp with the Daily Mail, he said
I was told at a very young age that I have some Indian blood ? God knows how much, but it’s there. It’s part of me. We were told that we were of Cherokee descent, but it’s possible it could have been Creek Indian.
It appears that Mr. Depp wishes to change the negative connotations associated with of our antiquated Native American image in cowboy films. His desire is to enrich and highlight the virtues of Native Americans that haven’t really been portrayed often in Hollywood.
Mr. Depp’s current role as Tonto in the movie The Lone Ranger, is his way of giving back the image of a people that through their obliteration, our country was founded. Before signing up for his role as Tonto, he asked for blessings from the Native American community, and was actually offered to be adopted into the family of Comanche activist Ladonna Harris.
His promotion and loyalty to Native Americans demonstrates that even though he has a net worth of somewhere around $300 million, he still has compassion for an otherwise ‘swept under the rug? culture.
Edited and published by WP.
