The Native Truth
A column dedicated to historical truth and human rights activism
of the American Indian

Editor: Terri Jean
www.terrijean.com/ terrijean@...
Established year 2000

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Please note: This column includes spoilers about the 2005 Amityville Horror
film.



Another Indian Burial Ground, Please....

I was 9 years old in 1979 when the first Amityville Horror movie hit the big
screen. The supernatural " true story" account of 28 days inside a demonically
possessed house included an Indian subplot completely forgotten until I plopped
myself down at the local theater to watch the 2005 remake. Suddenly, my head was
filled with suppressed images of diabolic Indian Chiefs, a haunted Indian Burial
Ground and, for whatever reason, a portal to hell located somewhere in the
basement.

Humph...

I went home that night and did a bit of research on first the Amityville story
itself, and then Hollywood's use of Indian clichés in horror movies. I was
surprised by what I found... and perplexed. Before I explain, let me first play
Movie Critic:

Amityville Horror 2005

- 1 out of 5 stars (only because I did jump a few times and screamed once)

- The "based on a true story" advert was a joke. This movie strayed not only
from the original film, but it wasn't even close to the actual Lutz family
account.


As for the Indian subplot? It went from ridiculous to bizarre. The Indian Burial
Ground/cursed Indian Chief clichés were omitted... only to be replaced by the
spirit of an evil preacher who impaled, sliced, hooked and lobotomized poor,
insane Natives sent to his underground torture chamber-ish sanitarium.

Yes, you read that correctly. A 17th century diabolical white preacher-man was
hanging crazed Indians from hooks and cutting their heads open way down deep in
his basement's basement - or something like that. The images were disturbing (of
course) but I did find it interesting that in the span of 30 years, the Indian
storyline went from evil villain to helpless victim.


I first need to point out that the original story told by the Lutz family in
1975 did NOT have a haunted Indian Burial Ground (which will now be known as an
IBG in an effort to separate the movie cliché from an actual sacred place). The
IBG was not added until 1977, when a guy named Holzer (a professor of paranormal
psychology) took a self-described medium into the house to contact evil spirits.
She claimed that to have had a conversation with a deceased Shinnecock Indian
chief on the "warpath" because he wanted his tribal burial grounds vacated. She
said the Chief possessed the body of the previous tenant, causing him to murder
his entire family, and would continue his hauntings until the property was
vacated and the house destroyed. Strangely, this threat had somehow escaped the
many families residing in the house before, and the families living there
afterwards. No flying pigs, demanding voices, subterarian inhabitants, bloody
walls or rooms full of flies had or have been reported. Apparently, the Chief's
beef was only with a few select people.

Now I'm not all convinced this house sat on an IBG, or that it was haunted to
begin with, but I am open minded to the possibility. And if 112 Ocean Avenue in
Long Island, New York is indeed the portal to hell, I can only hope the current
residents have that thing covered up. I'd hate to hear
of some kid or dog falling into it.

But there are folks who think the Lutz story is complete BS; a story concocted
purely for profit, shamelessly exploiting the horrific events of the previous
year. Actually, much of the account has since been debunked. For example, the
Shinnecock were not from that area, their Burial Grounds are not on that
property, and they said hauntings are not part of their culture.

Taking all that into consideration, I was actually surprised to see the new
"crazy Indian" and even crazier preacher (Ketcham) plot-line. I thought these
Hollywood big-wigs would know better by now.

When the screenwriter was asked about this aspect he said "...every haunted
house film lays the blame on ancient Indian burial grounds. Actually, in the
book, it's not a burial ground, but a sort of Indian nut house where the sick
and crazed members of the Shinnecock tribe were locked up in these horrible
exposure pens, far away from the rest of the community.... we tried to create
some connection between Ketcham and the Indians, one in which the Indians would
be seen as the first casualties on this piece of land, and that Ketcham was the
blame for all that was evil with the property. Why not stick it to the white man
for a change, eh?"
-Www.creature-corner.com/?type=new&id=538

Does that mean that the 2005 Amityville Horror motion picture is some kind of
political protest? Is it a metaphorical middle finger to "the man" for his
historic mistreatment of indigenous people? If so, I gotta tell ya... I didn't
get it.

Personally, I think the screenwriter guy is an idiot, but he's right about the
IBG theme. It's a common, overused Hollywood cliché used in horror movies to
explain hauntings and homicidal spirits. Think I'm kidding? After a quick google
search, here's what I came up with:

* Blood Trail - cowboys, evil spirits, IBG.

* Pet Sementary - IBG, evil spirits, killer animals and kids.

* Dark Harvest - young people, car trouble, IBG, a demonic scarecrow.

* The Shining - IBG underneath hotel, dad goes crazy. People die.

* Death Curse of Tartu - go-go dancing on an IBG. Indian curse. Tartu comes back
for revenge

* Zombie Bloodbath - a reactor built on an IBG, evil zombies.

* Poltergeist - IBG, haunted house, possessed tenants, and not-so-IBG coffins

* Savage Harvest - IBG. Described on one site as an "entertaining Indian-themed
bloodbath"

* Identity - a modern movie with John Cusack and Rebecca DeMornay. A hotel, IBG,
spirits, killings.

* The Dark Power - college girls, rented house, IBG, unhappy shaman

* Skeleton Man - archeologist, IBG, artifacts, killer spirit warrior

* Terror at Tate Manor - IBG, ghosts.

* Roy Colt and Winchester Jack - Indian skulls, IBG's

* So much staying alive and lovelessness - IBG under a mall, a cave. Bad things
happen.

* Within the woods - friends, cabin, IBG, death

* Death4told - campground, ghost stories, IBG, shape shifters slaughter campers

* A second glance to make a first impression - business developer, IBG,
hauntings

* The Haunted - phone booth installed in a cemetery (huh?) Indian curse. Evil
Indian woman spirit.

* The Reptile - Indian curse, murder and gore

* Scalps - college kids, Indian curse, IBG

* Pirates of the Caribbean - I don't remember an IBG but an Indian curse runs
through the entire movie



And for the kiddies...

* 3 Ninjas Knuckle Up - waste dumped on an IBG

* Kids World - IBG, wishing glass, and a witch doctor


I know there are a LOT more movies out there with IBG's and "Indian curses,"
but after ten minutes of searching, I had to stop. It was depressing.

So why the cockamamie cliché? I, of course, have my theories:


Theory One: The IBG plot-line worked in one movie, so it'll work in others. And
they'll use it as long as people buy the tickets or rent the videos. (This is my
"no duh" theory.)

Theory Two: Graveyards are often pretty darn spooky, but most are clearly
marked. The location
of many indigenous graveyards are often unknown, so they could pretty much be
anywhere.... you might even be on one right now. This possibility allows for
much creative license with screenwriter's who need a reason why a home or
property would be haunted.

Theory Three: The "bad Indian" cliché is a cinematic stereotype that
subconsciously reaffirms the "savage" preconceptions deep within the minds of
the masses - thus allowing the Manifest Destiny ideology to remain, justifying a
races near extermination.

Theory Four: People are scared of Indians. They're mystical, magical
shape-shifting creatures who, at any moment, will pop out from behind a tree and
strike you dead - or, worse yet, you'll piss one off and he'll lay a curse on
your soul that can never be broken.

Theory Five: Karma and guilt. Americans know that atrocities were committed and
hundreds of nations were obliterated or nearly obliterated. Retribution is
feared, and some people may believe that the ghosts of those who died due to
this nation's invasion and European takeover will some day come back to get
their revenge.


Those of you who know me or have been reading my column will probably guess that
my cynical opinion is Theory Five. Americans have enjoyed their free ride long
enough. They know what happened is wrong and the guilt continues to consciously
or subconsciously well up inside those who know, but ignore, the truth. But
karma is a powerful force and so is revenge. Someday, somehow, the Ghost Dance
prophecy might just come true and then true justice will be served.

Regardless of the reason - or my skeptical, cynical opinion - the IBG/Indian
Curse story plot-line is one movie cliché that needs to end. It's offensive and
ignorant. Let's give it a rest.

But I must admit that it was interesting to see the change from villain to
victim between the two movies, and the white preacher to be the bad guy this
time. I'm not too sure if that's a progressive step forward for Native people,
or if it's just another punch to the gut. For those of you who watched both
films I would like to know your thoughts, and if you have any theories of your
own please send them my way.

And now I'm going to drag all of my old horror movie VHS tapes and look for more
IBG movies.

Cheers to you all and I hope you're having a happy summer!

Terri Jean



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Terri Jean, director of the Red Roots Educational Project, is the author of
the daily inspirational, 365 Days of Walking the Red Road (Adams Media
Corp). Visit http://www.terrijean.com to learn more.

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