Star Trek and how it dealt with Native Americans

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1

There’s barely a mention in all of Star Trek’s 60+ years about Native Americans. Perhaps a comment here or there on the various shows, but no real episodes dealing with the subject.

Until Star Trek: The Next Generation’s seventh season, “Journey’s End” (episode 20) aired Mar 26, 1994. Two plots were in the episode: the return of Wesley Crusher and the Cardassian/Native American problem. If you can find the episode streaming anywhere, watch it. A fine episode.

In the meantime, this was one of the best scenes in that episode.

  • If you don’t want “spoilers”, don’t watch.
2

@UncleSpellbinder you forgot this TOS episode, very cringe :grimacing:

3

Sure did forget about that. Cringe, indeed. :grimacing:

Except for the Wesley Crusher portion of “Journey’s End” (which many don’t care for), there is no cringe in this, thankfully.

4

Commander Chakotay of USS Voyager (and Captain Chakotay of USS Protostar), is a native American character. There were a number of Voyager episodes I recall that gave that some focus.

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5

Opinion, most television material that I’ve viewed deal with Native Americans poorly. Quite probably because European settlers and their descendants dealt poorly with the residents of the Americas, however that’s the story of human conquest repeatedly.
Please note, I am biased by being 3/16th Cherokee.

6

I remember that one

7

I agree with you that “most television material that I’ve viewed deal with Native Americans poorly.”

I’m thinking Longmire was the only show I remember that dealt with Native peoples sensitively and respectfully. Can’t think of much else.

Off topic—sorry @UncleSpellbinder

8

I just think of all tv shows being purely fantasy anyway.

9

Actor Robert Beltran is of Native American ancestry. Comanche, I think.