More than a decade after the sci-fi blockbuster, Avatar, premiered in theatres, James Cameron has returned with a sequel that transports spectators to the lush world of Pandora. However, some Indigenous viewers are unwilling to return to it.
Activists are decrying Avatar: The Way of Water for appropriating Native American and indigenous culture, and are calling for the masses to boycott it.
In a tweet that has already gained over 47,000 likes, Navajo artist and activist, Yuè Begay, called for a boycott of the film, while Autumn Asher Blackdeer, a scholar from the Southern Cheyenne Nation, produced a widely circulated list of Indigenous-led sci-fi films for fans to see instead.
Countless others have also expressed their disapproval, with some, including Yuè Begay, referenced comments made by Cameron in previous interviews.
James Cameron, the film’s director, has been accused of appropriating indigenous cultures’ customs and history in order to satisfy his, ‘white man’s savior complex’.
Avatar: The Way of Water goes deeper than its predecessor. It introduces the Metkayina people of the reef as a homage to the Māori, in an effort to highlight the variety of Indigenous people worldwide.
Cliff Curtis, who is of Māori heritage, plays Metkayina chief Tonowari. However, many of the other characters continue to be voiced by White actors.
Avatar: The Way of Water is a sequel to James Cameron’s highest-grossing film of all time, Avatar, which was released in 2009. The sequel also made around $435 million in its first three days in theatres.
Avatar 2 stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, and Sigourney Weaver from the first film, with Kate Winslet joining them in the sequel. Avatar: The Way of Water is the most widely release film ever in history.
