1491s explained

The 1491s
Nationality:Indigenous
Active:2009–present
Genre:Sketch comedy, Narrative comedy
Notable Work:New Moon Wolf Pack Auditions
To The Indigenous Woman - The Violence Against Women Act

The 1491s are a Native American sketch comedy group, with members based in Oklahoma, Minnesota, and Montana. While the members' sketch comedy has had a growing cult following since the mid-2000s, and their videos since 2009, they are perhaps best known for their work in more widely-known shows such as Rutherford Falls and Reservation Dogs.

Their comedy sketches, spoken word, and longer narrative works depict contemporary Native American life in the United States, using humor and satire to explore issues such as stereotypes and racism (internal and external), tribal politics, and the conflict between tradition and modernity. Their over 150 YouTube videos have frequently gone viral, including their first video, the Twilight parody "New Moon Wolf Pack Auditions!!!!"

A Los Angeles Times reporter described the group's output as "dozens of videos, some crass, some cryptic, some laugh-out-loud hilarious."[1] Group member Dallas Goldtooth has cited British comedy legends Monty Python's Flying Circus as an influence. The group creates all of its pieces collectively.[1]

The group's name is a reference to the year 1491, the year before the arrival of Christopher Columbus and widespread European colonization of the Americas began.[2]

Performances, film and television

The 1491s have been featured on The Daily Show, where they made featured content on the Native American mascot controversy.[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] They have made videos for social and legislatives issues such as full inclusion of Indigenous women in the Violence Against Women Act.[8] [9] As member Bobby Wilson explains, "There's so much expectation put on Indigenous people in the arts, especially in the media. It comes from a longstanding tradition of non-Native people, most often white men, writing stories for Hollywood and the stage. We're fighting those tropes. If they show up in our work, it's just to lampoon them."[10]

In 2018 the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, along with New Native Theatre, co-commissioned the 1491s to write a play for their American Revolutions series of new plays about US history. The play, which ran from April 7, 2019, to October 27, 2019, consists of linked comedy sketches covering events between the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890 and the Wounded Knee Occupation of the 1970s - hence the title, Between Two Knees.[11] [10] Portland Observer critic Darleen Ortega called it "a feat of theater magic so satisfying that, after seeing it three times, I am determined to savor it at least twice more before it closes",[12] while Lee Juillerat of the Herald and News wrote, "With gobs of humor, it politely lays a guilt trip on white people for the history of injustices against Native Americans."[13] Between Two Knees was performed at Yale University from May 13–June 4, 2022.[14]

Members of the troupe have appeared in films and television shows directed by member Sterlin Harjo, and in 2021 four out of the five troupe members worked on the shows Rutherford Falls and Reservation Dogs, as actors, writers, directors and producers.[15] [16] [17] As of season 2 of Reservation Dogs, with the addition of Ryan RedCorn to the writers' room, the entire troupe are working on the well-received show.[18] [19]

Members

The individual members of the 1491s are:

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: An environmental activist who uses comedy to help stop oil pipelines . . September 13, 2016 . 2016-09-15 .
  2. News: Taylor-Corbett. Lynne . Who Are The 1491s and What Is 'Between Two Knees'?. Clyde Fitch Report. 1 June 2019 . 13 Aug 2021 .
  3. News: The 1491s. 28 April 2016. Al Jazeera America. 21 March 2014.
  4. Web site: Behind the Scenes of Our Tense Segment on The Daily Show . Huffingtonpost.com . 30 September 2014. 2016-06-01.
  5. Web site: The making of the 1491s - The Tulsa Voice - June B 2015 . The Tulsa Voice . 2016-06-01 . 2016-06-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160623224003/http://www.thetulsavoice.com/June-B-2015/The-making-of-the-1491s/ . dead .
  6. News: Murg. Wilhelm . On the Cutting Edge of Native Comedy With the 1491s . . 2012-09-02 . 2021-09-11 . 2016-05-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20160525031426/http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2012/09/02/cutting-edge-native-comedy-1491s-130943 . live .
  7. Web site: Warning: Native Humor! 5 New Videos by the 1491s - ICTMN.com . Indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com . 2014-03-14 . 2016-06-01 . 2016-05-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160529024450/http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2014/03/14/warning-native-humor-5-new-videos-1491s-154001 . dead .
  8. News: Justice denied for Native American women. 15 September 2016. Al Jazeera America. 18 September 2012.
  9. News: Video Urges Action on VAWA. 15 September 2016. Indian Law Resource Center. 5 September 2012.
  10. News: A Troupe That Turns Tropes Into Takeoffs. 2018-03-20. AMERICAN THEATRE. 2018-09-18. en-US.
  11. News: Oregon Shakes' 2019 Season to Feature Translated Shakespeare. 2018-04-05. AMERICAN THEATRE. 2018-09-18. en-US.
  12. News: Native Comedy Packs Hard Hitting Truths. 2019-07-23. The Portland Observer. 2021-05-02. en-US.
  13. News: 'Two Knees' bites, stings — and shares a point of view . 2019-07-04. Herald and News. 2021-05-02. en-US.
  14. News: Between Two Knees. 2022-05-27. en-US.
  15. News: Boutsalis . Kelly . 'This Is What We Should Have Had All Along'. 9 Aug 2021. 13 Aug 2021. The New York Times.
  16. News: Tennant . Zoe . Rutherford Falls brings Indigenous writers together for new NBC sitcom. 7 Feb 2020. 13 Aug 2021. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
  17. News: Starr. Michael . Oklahoma teens California dreaming in 'Reservation Dogs'. 3 Aug 2021. 13 Aug 2021. New York Post.
  18. News: Patten. Dominic. 2021-09-21. 'Reservation Dogs' Star Devery Jacobs Joins Expanded All Indigenous Writers Room For Season 2. 2021-10-14. Deadline.
  19. Web site: Sterlin Harjo Is Not Afraid to Sacrifice a Good Idea - The Reservation Dogs showrunner leads by instinct . vulture.com . 2022-09-28 . 2022-09-29.
  20. Web site: Dallas Goldtooth . The Guardian. 28 April 2016.
  21. Web site: Hailey's On It! - Splatter of the Band - Exclusive Clip. Disney Television Animation News. 8 Jun 2023. 10 Jun 2023. Hailey's Uncles are voiced by Dallas Goldtooth, Amir Talai, John Eric Bentley, and Ken Tatafu..
  22. http://newsok.com/sterlin-harjo-honored-by-oklahoma-film-critics/article/3619597 "Sterlin Harjo honored by Oklahoma Film Critics: The Oklahoma Film Critics Circle will present its 2011 Tilghman Award to state filmmaker Sterlin Harjo."
  23. Joanna Hearne and Zach Schlachter, "An Interview with Sterlin Harjo and Blackhorse Lowe", Native Americans on Film: Conversations, Teaching, and Theory (University Press of Kentucky, 2013),, pp. 169ff. Excerpts available at Google Books.
  24. News: Migizi Pensoneau. 28 April 2016. The Huffington Post.
  25. News: "The Native characters aren't afterthoughts": "Barkskins" writer on reclaiming Native narratives. 25 May 2020. 18 Aug 2021. Salon.com.
  26. Web site: Avatar Studios Adds Reservation Dogs Writer To Team As Native Consult. Screen Rant. O'Donnell. E.. January 13, 2022. June 15, 2024.
  27. Web site: Duty. Shannon Shaw. Community comes out to support CASA program. Osage News. 28 April 2016. 18 December 2013. 5 May 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160505213538/http://osagenews.org/en/article/2013/12/18/community-comes-out-support-casa-program/. dead.
  28. Web site: Reservation Dogs Season-Premiere Recap: NDN Storytelling. Vulture. Simmons. Kali. Aug 2, 2023. Aug 6, 2023.
  29. Web site: Meet 8 Indigenous Beaders Who Are Modernizing Their Craft. Vogue. 24 April 2019 . 24 April 2019.
  30. Joey Clift . joeytainment . 1653839455986536449 . Spirit Rangers Season 2 comes out May 8th and we just announced a bunch of our voice cast!! It was so fun working with all of these Native and Indigenous superstars and I can't wait for ya'll to hear them in the new episodes! #SpiritRangers . May 3, 2023.
  31. Web site: (#104) "What About Your Dad". The Futon Critic. July 26, 2021.

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