A cruel memory of the Osage suffering, from the point of view of the opressor
A few days ago, I went to the cinema to finally watch the most awaited “Killers of the Flower Moon”, directed by the one and only Martin Scorsese.
Based on the non-fiction book with the same title, written by David Grann, it explores the quest for oil on Osage lands, its impacts on the indigenous people and, subsequently, the exploitation inflicted by white settlers.
The film begins with a somehow apocalyptic scenario: Osage men, dancing with joy, as a shower of dark oil falls upon them. The irony brings a bad omen – the attempted genocide and oppression at the hands of white men. Between 1918 and 1931 around sixty full-blood Osage were reported killed. Some were never known or solved.
Osage wealth – oil and money – made them perfect targets: Native Americans were seen as naive, primitive, with need of white supervision to manage their money. Laws were created in that perspective, which allowed white settlers to take full control of Osage and their lands. If an Osage was considered incompetent, court would assigned them a white guardian.
This is the brief context of “Killers of the Flower Moon”, which focuses on the killings occurred at the behest of William Hale, carried out by his nephews Byron Burkhart and Ernest Burkhart, the latter being our main character.
Absolutely loved the cinematography and soundtrack of the film. Even though it’s quite a long show (three and half hours long), the involvement created by Scorsese makes time fly. It was engaging and powerful.
The cast acting, especially Lily Gladstone who portraits Mollie – an Osage woman who marries Ernest (Leonardo DiCaprio) -, is breathtaking.
It could be a perfect film for me, if it wasn’t for the choice of pov. The story is viewed from Ernest’s eyes and, subsequently, from his uncle, our villain. Since the film deals with themes such as colonialism and oppression of indigenous people perpetrated by white people, it would be refreshing to follow the narrative through Mollie’s eyes.
Nevertheless, I believe this film is crucial. It tells history that is silent, forgotten by the rest of the world.
Only in 2011, the US government agreed to a variety of measures designed to better manage the Osage assets. On its website, the Osage Nation writes: “We are not relics. The Osage Nation is thriving on our Reservation in Northeast Oklahoma – a people of strength, hope, and passion, honoring the stories of the past and building the world of the future.”
