We’re witnessing an undeniable Native American awakening right now. From Washington, D.C. to Hollywood, centuries of historic erasure and exploitation are slowly being righted with a focus on honest Indigenous stories and discussions. Just look at the groundbreaking run of creators Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi’s coming-of-age dark comedy,.
These authentic depictions are wooing mainstream audiences while shattering outdated stereotypes and moving the entertainment industry beyond its often extractive tendencies. But like many overnight sensations, this breakthrough has actually been years in the making. “It’s the fruits of decades of work, and there were a lot of people who came before me that helped chip away at that block,” Harjo (Seminole/Muscogee) tells me of the resoundingly positive response to. “I have been making films for 20 years and have been in countless conversations about how to break through in this industry. It feels like a long time coming.”which ran for three seasons on FX/Hulu from 2021–2023, set a gold standard for authentic Native depiction