[For Native Americans there is something also familiar about
Maya’s interactions with family and friends, with the way the
community speaks to each other, and the sense that distance doesn’t
mean separation. ‘Indian humor’ is prevalent throughout.]
[[link removed]]

PORTSIDE CULTURE

NATIVE AMERICAN REPRESENTATION DEBUTS IN MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT’S
‘ECHO’  
[[link removed]]


 

Sam Sandoval
January 11, 2024
Char-Koosta News
[[link removed]]


*
[[link removed]]
*
[[link removed]]
*
*
[[link removed]]

_ For Native Americans there is something also familiar about
Maya’s interactions with family and friends, with the way the
community speaks to each other, and the sense that distance doesn’t
mean separation. ‘Indian humor’ is prevalent throughout. _

Native American actress Alaqua Cox stars as Maya Lopez in Marvel
Entertainment's 'Echo' showing on Disney+ and Hulu this week., Image
courtesy Marvel Entertainment, Disney

 

SANTA FE, NM —Marvel Entertainment presented a special screening of
their latest Hulu and Disney+ series ‘Echo’ in November. The first
two episodes were shown to a small gathering and featured a short Q&A
with director Sydney Freeland (Navajo).

Streaming on Disney+, the origin story of ‘Echo’ revisits Maya
Lopez, played by Alaqua Cox (Menominee and Mohican), whose ruthless
behavior in New York City catches up with her in her hometown. She
must face her past, reconnect with her Native American roots and
embrace the meaning of family and community if she ever hopes to move
forward.

Echo is a spin-off from the 2022’s “Hawkeye” limited series.
Unlike previous Marvel television outings through Disney+, Echo will
be geared for more mature audiences, much like the former
Netflix-released Marvel shows Daredevil, Punisher, Iron Fist and
Jessica Jones.

The main character, Maya Lopez (aka Echo), is based on the comic book
character. She is Native American, deaf, partial amputee and a
‘villian’ set in the Daredevil storyline. She is a protégé of
William Fisk aka Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio).

Alaqua is perfect for the role as well. Like Maya, Alaqua is Native
American, deaf and a partial amputee. Echo is Alaqua’s first acting
role, having been an Amazon/Fedex employee before being cast as Maya
Lopez. Darnell Besaw, who plays Maya as a child in Echo, is also
Alaqua’s cousin.

The screening presented the first two episodes. Episode one recapped
Maya’s history with clips from ‘Hawkeye,’ plus new footage.
Daredevil fans will be excited and disappointed to know there is a
cameo from their favorite blind superhero (as seen in footage leaked
on TikTok), and an extensive history with Kingpin. Second episode
delves into Maya’s strained relationship with her family and
community as she seeks to make a name and place for herself.

The first two episodes feel distinctly part of the Marvel Cinematic
Universe. This is a world where Iron Man, Captain America and Thor are
heroes, Thanos nearly wiped-out half of all living beings, and alien
worlds are now known. Maya starts off as a mere human criminal working
for a powerful and dangerous crime syndicate, but a run-in with an
Avenger who tells her who ordered her father’s murder changes that.
She begins to connect with her community and tribe, and in the
process, ancestorial forces that are awakening.

Yet, for Native Americans there is something also familiar about
Maya’s interactions with family and friends, with the way the
community speaks to each other, and the sense that distance doesn’t
mean separation. ‘Indian humor’ is prevalent throughout with a lot
provided by Graham Greene (Dances With Wolves, The Last of Us).

Director Freeland, who helped develop the series, directed the feature
film ‘Drunktown’s Finest’ in Gallup, New Mexico, on the Navajo
Reservation, and had directed episodes of Star Trek: Strange New
Worlds, Reservation Dogs and The Walking Dead. Freeland said they
worked with the Choctaw Nation to guide the story, and to accurately
represent their culture.

Freeland said the Choctaw Nation was at first apprehensive about
working with Marvel. She told them that Marvel wasn’t just telling
them they were going to make the series, but instead wanted to
‘partner’ with them to tell an accurate and faithful depiction of
the tribe and have their input. The Choctaw then worked with Marvel on
story and historical and culture accuracy. Marvel recently showed the
series to the Choctaw Nation.

The first Echo series trailer was released on YouTube in two versions,
the second with Choctaw subtitles.

There are several Native American superheroes in Marvel comics, and
Disney+ series ‘What If?’ introduced a Haudenosaunee superhero
Kahhori, but Echo is the first Marvel Entertainment property to
feature Native American representation in a series or movie. Superhero
movies have been criticized for their lack of diversity, though Marvel
has produced movies like Shang-shi and Black Panther that delved into
Chinese and African storylines.

So far, reviews of the series have been positive, while social media
has challenged Marvel’s so-called ‘woke’ agenda by releasing
media that feature and star people of color, women or LGTBTQ+ people.
Prior to any footage or story details being released, alleged media
critics blasted the show.

Much of the same criticism faced Prey, the latest movie in the
Predator franchise starring Amber Midthunder (Fort Peck Assiniboine
and Sioux tribes) as a Comanche hunter set in the 1800s. Many panned
the movie before it was released, yet Prey was met with acclaim and
good reviews when it was released online.

All five episodes of Echo will be released on January 9, which is a
change for Marvel Television releases. Previous Disney+ series have
been released week-by-week. The change has alarmed some online critics
who’ve alleged that insiders say Disney, who owns Marvel
Entertainment, are disappointed with the final product and are pushing
out the episodes at once to get them out of the way. However, Echo is
allegedly the start of more adult-themed television shows like the
cancelled Netflix Marvel television series. Unlike the previous Marvel
pantheon, Echo is released under ‘Marvel Spotlight,’ and future
project include the continuance of the Daredevil series starring
Charlie Cox and D’Onofrio.

It will be interesting to see what Indian Country thinks of Echo once
it’s released.

Echo also stars Chaske Spencer (“Wild Indian,” “The English”),
Graham Greene (“1883,” “Goliath”), Tantoo Cardinal (“Killers
of the Flower Moon,” “Stumptown”), Devery Jacobs (FX’s
“Reservation Dogs,” “American Gods”), Zahn McClarnon (“Dark
Winds,” FX’s “Reservation Dogs”), Cody Lightning (“Hey,
Viktor!” “Four Sheets to the Wind”) and Vincent D’Onofrio
(“Hawkeye,” “Godfather of Harlem”).

Episodes of the series are directed by Sydney Freeland (Navajo) and
Catriona McKenzie (Gunaikurnai). Executive producers are Kevin Feige,
Stephen Broussard, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad
Winderbaum, Richie Palmer, Marion Dayre and Jason Gavin (Blackfeet).
Co-executive producers are Jennifer L. Booth, Sydney Freeland and Amy
Rardin. Christina King (Seminole) is supervising producer.

Cast: Alaqua Cox, Chaske Spencer, Graham Greene, Tantoo Cardinal,
Devery Jacobs, Zahn McClarnon, Cody Lightning and Vincent D’Onfrio.

Directed by: Sydney Freeland, Catriona McKenzie.

* Echo
[[link removed]]
* indigenous women
[[link removed]]
* indigenous representation
[[link removed]]
* MARVEL
[[link removed]]
* Hulu
[[link removed]]
* disney+
[[link removed]]

*
[[link removed]]
*
[[link removed]]
*
*
[[link removed]]

 

 

 

INTERPRET THE WORLD AND CHANGE IT

 

 

Submit via web
[[link removed]]

Submit via email
Frequently asked questions
[[link removed]]

Manage subscription
[[link removed]]

Visit portside.org
[[link removed]]

Twitter [[link removed]]

Facebook [[link removed]]

 



########################################################################

[link removed]

To unsubscribe from the xxxxxx list, click the following link:
[link removed]