Trevor unpacks the Columbus Day debate and whether it's honoring a genocidal colonialist or erasing history. In the field, Michael Kosta explores the conflict between wealthy Hamptons dwellers and the Shinnecock, an indigenous tribe nearby, and Aasif Mandvi reports on Native American sports mascots. Also, actor Jason Momoa discusses "Gather," his documentary about Native American communities' fight to reclaim their food and land.
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This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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The here in the united states, this coming monday is columbus day, the holiday celebrating christopher Columbus for stumbling ass backwards into the new world and then killing most of the people who live there, but for a lot of americans
story, isn't as charming as it once was like we learned this line in the school in fourteen ninety, two columbus sail the ocean blue. In twenty twenty columbus, more orange paint demonstrators round the country have been called
but the removal of statues of Christopher Columbus, saying the italian explore his response.
The genocide and exploitation of native people. The Christopher Columbus
you in Boston, defaced, specifically be headed minneapolis protesters tied ropes around the neck about christopher Columbus statue in there
It the demonstrators cheering as they brought down a christopher Columbus statue in baltimore, and it was then dumped into the baltimore inner harbor. Oh look at that columbus is still exploring the oceans. Don't ever stop doing what you love. What guys look for real? We need to think about whether it's a good idea to tear down these statues, because statues are where the birds poop. What are they supposed to do now hold it in, and I feel especially bad.
Well, people who made these statues you put all that work in, and you don't know if this guy's going to get canceled in one hundred years. That's so unfair! That's why beheading! The statue is the best solution, because you can save the body and just pop on the head of someone else like shaq, you see flawless, but while one group sees tearing down columbus statues as an attack on colonialism, another group sees it as a personal attack on their culture. Some here feel like they're the target of reverse racism, arguing we should learn from our past not erase. It first thing that I learned in third grade: Christopher Columbus, discovered america yup. So he's an italian immigrant again, but he's telling you this this here, land represent something my italian history,
It's terrible that they would degrade something so sacred to us. An attack on Columbus is really a hate crime against italian americans. Americans. We learnt that fateful unthinkable
you're, not a right,
was everywhere
sense.
I was nine eleven you're doing the same thing that columbus day you're coming into our neighborhood and taken away our heritage: okay, they're, hypocrites, wow. Okay, that's an argument for Columbus, I can safely say
never heard before you can't just come in here and destroy our heritage. That's colombo,
no back fees and by the way I cant believe the other guy said that in a respected
Since this is our nine eleven look man, I don't care. How respectfully you put it. You conquer pay. Anything like this to mine. Eleven like there's this guy go through a drive like skills me you'll, forget
our size and we're speck fully dishes my nine eleven. Now you might wonder why. Why would attending the americans want to commemorate the worst part of their culture by forces? I love being black, but I'm not gonna put up a statue of o j in my back yard.
specially, not while my wife friends are there, but once you here why those statures actually went up in the first place, you can
stan why they are so meaningful to italian americans, the late eighteen hundreds,
how you immigrants were arriving in the united states in big numbers and they faced harsh discrimination. They were treated as perpetual foreigners and their catholic beliefs opened. The door for even more discrimination, so they embraced Columbus. After all, he was italian and catholic and already admired so he quickly became an icon for italian immigrants who argued that they too belonged in america in eighteen. Ninety two columbus day was first brought into the school system. A year later, Columbus became the theme of the world expo in chicago branding him america's hero around the world, as columbus on his legend became further
edit, an american culture so did the knights of Columbus, a catholic social club founded by italian immigrants by nineteen thirty, seven, the knights of Columbus, had gained enough influence to convince president roosevelt to proclaim columbus day a federal holiday yeah. I know it's easy to forget that today, but there was a time when italian americans were badly oppressed in america and they held up christopher Columbus as a role model because he put them at the centre of america story. The same way, porter weakens hold up alexander hamilton and look it's hard to reconcile someone's actions when you ve built them up so much not just as a person but as a symbol. Let me just ask anyone who's trying to decide if they can play Michael Jackson, songs that their wedding, but times have changed, and more and more people are finding it hard to celebrate columbus, knowing all the bad things that he did. The good news is that times have changed and other ways to it.
Americans have gone from being prosecuted to be some of the countries most powerful politicians, entertainers and med school cadavers. So you can replace Columbus with any number of deserving italians. I mean just.
if the top of my head, what if we replaced columbus with DR anthony fouch, he he's an italian american hero, he's beloved and respected by everyone, or at least almost everyone and he's trying to fight disease instead of spreading it all over the continent and bestival doctor vouchers, a short guy, so you save on the marble costs. The point is: americans: don't need christopher columbus to celebrate the deeper meaning of columbus day honoring america's immigrant heritage,
celebrating italian culture and, most importantly, getting the day off.
Everyone has heard of the hamptons it's where new york's, rich and famous get there some on, but these past few months the hamptons has also been the home of a major dispute, Michael costa.
As more when you think of the hamptons, you think a pristine wages called rosy and dressing up as a caterer too
making the village of labour day party, but the hamptons also have a dark, sir. In ancient conflict between the white man and his mentions in the chinook, a native tribe, who live next door on their ancestry lance now the conflict is a rubbing again. As the shoemaker give a wreck did a giant tribal monument on the only road into the hamptons. I went to find out how an indigenous simple could raise tensions in place with the world's highest concentration,
of npr tote bags. It is kind of an eyesore. You know you come here for it's beautiful nature and environment and to see that it's just out of place very obtrusive and distracting okay, so big so much to kind of cover from top to bottom gets distracting, and so it could be potentially dangerous for any of the drivers. Okay, it's potentially dangerous for drivers, but that's not the main objection. I believe that it doesn't allow you to maintain the purity of an enclave here when white people start talking about purity, even I get a little creeped out, but many of these Hampden knights really believe the monument infringes on their spiritual connection, to the land. To get the tribe's perspective, I met with chairman Brian polite and no I'm not going to make fun of his name. That would be rude. Brian. Thank you for sitting down. I know you've had some bad experiences with the white man, but I come in peace, hey man we're all about peace.
The people of southampton are saying that, due to your monument, their way of life is under attack or laugh. Okay, that's just laughable we're a sovereign nation and they have no authority to tell us what we can and cannot do on our trouble in what was the reaction within the tribe when the monument went up very happy were the forgotten people.
So now we have or marker on the gateway, the hamptons, reminding people that are all visitors on our lands. Clearly, the monument is a source of pride, but what is it
Oh shut up bilbil.
I've never seen anything so big I mean I have, but it's pretty big, so these natives are using capitalism to ruin the white man's sacred way of living with nature. Talk about cultural appropriation, this tribal model
It looks a lot like an electronic billboard. If you ask anybody on the chin and cognition will say it's a monument, let's call it what it is. This monument is your side hustle. You may get some extra money on the side. It's a monument to art, overcoming adversity and saying that we're still here, but also we need money for education police.
Apartment playgrounds, social programme, so it will have an immediate economic impact of the nation. Huh,
This monument is economics for the tribe and how much of it is kind of you to the hampton resident. While I think it's a little bit of both now, you see that's not very polite laughter everytime. Somebody builds a mcmansion on our ancestors' bones or plays golf when our ancestors' bones. That's a big f! U to us! So if we can beat our people, then at the same time sticking to a town that stuck it to us for the last three hundred and seventy five years so much the better okay. So just want you to know that no more golf for me! Thank you in response to the monument white people have been sharing an important part of their culture lawsuits,
Members of the tribe see these as part of a long pattern of oppression. There's some restitution of reparations to have to be made- and this sign is pointing to a time- is now widely venturing. Sixteen already jack and go into town, and I can log- and I guess I can pretend life. It's ok, no more talk to my residence,
I want to make us as a white man facing a four hundred year. Legacy of injustice, racism and poverty made me feel like a total piece of shit but gazing across the bay at calvin klein. Seventy five million dollar mega mansion it hit me. Maybe I could be the guy in the cabin costume movie and bring a message of peace to the pale face. I knew the perfect way to reach
problem solved microsoft. Everyone may be right back
The passage of time hasn't lessened the debt between America o this country's original inhabitants. Even today native american culture is under attack us of monday
as more for eight years, chief align awake thrilled, the fans of the EU?
where's the illinois, but this past winter the board of trustees voted to send him to the spirit world now
chief, we'll dance, no more forever
the university made the absolute correct decision getting rid of
if aligning with american indians, are not dancing clowns. We are. We are human beings, okay, but what if the football team totally kicks ass? Do you know that,
no native american mascots once flourished across this great land, but in recent years they ve been
forced from their ancestral homes, putting their
very survival in doubt.
As in dances. With wolves and we'll take one brave brain to stand up for his people, the chief has gone and so all the spirit and all the time.
way and all the price and the honor tradition. That's all been taken away from us do so
We don't care about your culture. We don't care that you were here first yeah, the water trustees, who, I believe is all Caucasian got rid of the native american chief surprise. Surprise! It's the white man and bullies like this couldn't care less. I am really glad that the school retired chief wanna walk. I feel like it was the right thing to do why pale faces like you, trying to push native americans from the hops chief illiniwek, isn't native american he's a
ray spaced racist stereotype. Aren't you array space stereotypes certainly do have you look in the mirror lately
when's brother plain, a white guy: that's no one too
I never heard that
thanks to insensitive belligerents like this native american mass god. Culture has been unfairly cast as crude and defensive. Archie was trained by native americans, so he did. He give you your suspect was possible while performing this dance, brave pukes on himself. Do there has not been a brave balls and face the seven area chief, three beer queer. What other parts of the country that is? It is an honour, the dancer the chief has done. Like the native americans, you waste nothing
use every part of the stereotype just but berlin was an expert on all things. Indian summer,
remains unconvinced. They are
american indians. They are not native. Those are fraternities chief along the work is not authentic and any stretch of the imagination.
Anyone who has spent time with these noble savages- as I have knows- that's not the case. I followed them to their happy hunting grounds. We come here with the spirit world I made. A tradition
Offering to mother with time running out,
is indigenous people
The final appeal to america's values, the vast majority of the students fact, the staff committee, one of the chief here, so that small minority got the chief.
Kicked off. The campus forever I wish was to give minorities rights. That's not what this country's about. They should realise that in america the majority will win in this.
the way that it should be these minorities. They should. I forget what the majority are shut up in some respects and some aspects here:
only time will tell if native american mass, not culture survives
sun will set,
These nearly extinct, people beautiful
Thank you also on a scale from two. Whether this way, that's not that's nice, that's not good, either.
Earlier today I spoke with action star and activist jason mamma. We talked about his new documentary that tells the story of native american communities reclaiming their food and land
what's up buddy, what's going on jason, how you doing I'm awesome
warranty them going out of my mind. A lot of people know you as an action star. I mean you know whether it's being a breakout star in game of thrones with it's, you know, leading the front line of shows on apple tv with c, where they had some. You know just like blowing up the box office with aquaman jason momoa is an action star. This project that are going to be talking about today is a little different. It's a lot of hearts, a lot of pain and lot of hope. Tell me about the documentary gather and why Jason momoa decided that this this film needed to be made. While I think the way you brought up just being known as like an action star, you know it's a misconception of who I am even going back to my first film
erected it had to deal with the atrocities that were happening on native american reservations. I made it my duty in many ways and in my art and my companies to kind of fight for justice and mob bring to the forefront things that are my concerns and I think all the roles that I play, people kind of can think of me in a different way. But yeah. You know when gathered came by there's those
things are happening to even my own people in hawaii or just the things that have been happening and in what has happened to our ancestors and the disconnection
between our ancestors and our traditions. Our food source, and so this film is extremely
beautiful and I E. If I can use my plan,
in any way to be able to bring something. That's an honest human film and the true history and explanations of what has happened to so many have so many indigenous cultures, France, I'm all on board. So when I saw a blew my hair back, you know I've seen it about five times. I love it. I just watched it
against that I could be with you and I am glad have you get a chance to watch it MA am. I cannot tell you something I learned things watching it that I didn't know. I I feel, like any great documentary, doesn't any great documentary you know sharpens up the things you do know, but then it always open your eyes to an aspect of an issue that you genuinely never knew before. What a lot of people may not know is how decimating the food supply was. One of the things that the cleanliness did to destroy native american populations decimating their food. You know polluting the way they each restricting them from living. The way they lived.
and you see those effects still affecting those communities today in and that's what you show in the document which I found really fascinating, I mean how it ripples out at me, like it relates to the amount of services or be cd and like to shipping all the crap that coming over on boats when we were
We were island earth. We were a little one sent by ourselves in the middle of the ocean. I just find it that it's so disconnected from the natural food source that it's beautiful to be able to share a little bit of that.
and be a part of something like this. I mean I definitely varied.
For that you washed it isn't, I'm doing it
do that, so I'm very thankful for that, but it's a yeah. It's a beautiful film that I want to get out to the world. You showcase people who are putting false solutions. You know you're you're, putting indigenous peoples in front of the camera. This isn't one of those stories where, like the documentary filmmaker old executive producer, makes it about themselves. This is a story about the people. We follow these amazing people who are saying here's how we can combine science with our traditions. Here's how we can move into the future, here's how we can claim back our food supply. Why do you think it was so important for you to make sure that this film centered itself around those heroes, as opposed to just you telling their story? I mean that's the best part about this thing like being involved because it comes directly from there. I felt like I was getting. I felt like I was growing and getting therapy and the experience
it's within the tribe. I mean that's. What's beautiful about it is it's truly amazing filmmaking and also the the director does the way that he unfolds in history selling process. So I I mean that's what makes just a great documentary in general before I let you go, I I'm worried about your currency. I know how crazy that can be here's my suggestion you play music. I say you should do like a free concert every day, even if it's for thirty minutes where people live online, you likely to quarantine, though I feel like
not eleven. I was wearing quarantine jason, you claim
francine. I was born in quarantine, nah man, you know what I I I I grew up stuck in the house, partly because of apartheid, partly because my grandmother was afraid to let me go outside so I mean I'm used to it, but I don't think I've used to anything that's happening in the world, so
stay strong when stay, strong, stay noisily or security is real. My friend don't ever threatened me with a hug jason I'll. Take you up on it. Thank you so much for joining us on the show
level, it's warm or shows from an early job. I guess universe by searching the daily show. Wherever you get your PA just watch the daily show. We noted eleven den central, germany's federal and stream full episodes any time on Burma. What this has been a comedy central podcast.
Transcript generated on 2023-11-09.