KyleOnTheRun
Member
EDIT: The original essay, by writer Dia Lacina. https://medium.com/@dialacina/what-we-talk-about-when-we-dont-talk-about-natives-60f4af9ef675#.9nnctdy0v
Excerpt:
Lead writer John Gonzales' response, via Waypoint: https://waypoint.vice.com/en_us/art...to-criticism-of-native-american-appropriation
Polygon rewrite (first OP; not super-relevant anymore): http://www.polygon.com/2017/3/3/14809342/horizon-zero-dawn-native-criticisms-response
Personally, I think this criticism is unfounded when it comes to Horizon. Anyone who's played knows that instances where the word "savage" is used says something about the prejudices and isolationism of the person using them, altogether building the fiction of the world. As for "brave," certainly the Nora call themselves that, but it's used here as a term of pride and endearment--something to aspire to. And, again, these words are used as a reflection and mirror--calling forth specific images in the players' mind and challenging them.
Excerpt:
Writers have openly discussed what we would call ”Hollywood Indian" tropes without any commentary. Praised the game's ”unique" and ”refreshing" take on gender, social politics, matriarchies — nearly every aspect of Horizon's world building has been critically praised using terms that explicitly and historically have applied to indigenous peoples often to disparage our ways of life and oppress us, all while ignoring that unique and refreshing world building has been lifted almost entirely from our cultures.
Horizon: Zero Dawn has been described as taking place in a world ”where life has seemingly reverted to the tribal-like ways of the past" a phrase that erases how many indigenous peoples still associate as tribal communities and governments, and despite colonialist demands for assimilation, actively live their cultures in much the way they always have.
The uncritical use of words like ”primitive" and ”savage" to describe appropriated cultural signifiers on large media platforms serves to reinforce racist and colonialist ideas about indigenous people.
Look, I understand that no one wants to step outside of their lane. We're all exhausted by The Discourse and don't want to stoke that anymore than we have to. And that professional relationships require tact.
Lead writer John Gonzales' response, via Waypoint: https://waypoint.vice.com/en_us/art...to-criticism-of-native-american-appropriation
"The vocabulary was certainly discussed during the creative process, in terms of wanting to make sure we were sensitive to the cultural concerns of our audience," he told me. "We weren't looking for inspiration from one particular group, and we cast the net widely to look at cultures, tribal cultures, around the world, and also throughout history. That's why a lot of the people talk about the Nora as being like Vikings, or why there are visual elements reminiscent of Celtic pictographs. So, inspiration came from a lot of different places.
"Talking about the term 'brave'—with that in particular, our research into it was that it was not a term that would seem to be offensive. We were trying to find a term that would combine the capabilities of a warrior and the capabilities of a hunter. It was a term that [we felt] was not derogatory, as we came across some terms that were definitely slurs against Native Americans and other groups throughout history. And so, our decision was based on 'brave' not being a 'hot button' term.
"That said, with the kind of culture of the internet that we have right now, it's impossible to predict what it is that may offend. Certainly we were not intentionally being insensitive, or to offend in any manner."
Polygon rewrite (first OP; not super-relevant anymore): http://www.polygon.com/2017/3/3/14809342/horizon-zero-dawn-native-criticisms-response
Personally, I think this criticism is unfounded when it comes to Horizon. Anyone who's played knows that instances where the word "savage" is used says something about the prejudices and isolationism of the person using them, altogether building the fiction of the world. As for "brave," certainly the Nora call themselves that, but it's used here as a term of pride and endearment--something to aspire to. And, again, these words are used as a reflection and mirror--calling forth specific images in the players' mind and challenging them.