The 1491s, “a sketch comedy group based in the wooded ghettos of Minnesota and buffalo grass of Oklahoma,” according to their website, have been spawning a new era of Native American satirical education since they made their first video.
The 1491s, “a sketch comedy group based in the wooded ghettos of Minnesota and buffalo grass of Oklahoma,” according to their website, have been spawning a new era of Native American satirical education since they made their first video.
John Daille/VANGUARD STAFf
The Pre-columbus Era: Ryan Red Corn and Dallas Gold Tooth of the 1491’s bring their controversial sketch comedy troupe to PSU as part of Native American Heritage Month.
In some of their online videos, the group can be seen dressed as Navi from Avatar while teaching about the racism they found in the movie. Group member Bobby Wilson is seen preaching about harmful ways to poison the body while devouring fast food. Ryan Red Corn is spotted dancing in just his boxer briefs, a loincloth and a headdress along streets and town squares. In a little more than a week, this group will be spotted at Portland State.
In conjunction with Native American Heritage Month, PSU’s United Indian Students in Higher Education group will host the 1491s at the Native American Student and Community Center. The event will kick off tomorrow with a meet-and-greet for both students and the community to join in conversation with members from the group.
UISHE will also be serving Native American meals like salmon and buffalo to accompany the event. On the following day, Nov. 14, the 1491s will entertain the public with their form of raunchy humor and satirical comedy in a live performance.
Katie Gargan, a senior social science major with a minor in Indigenous Nations Studies and coordinator for UISHE, explains the goal of the program.
“The mission of UISHE is basically to promote Native American cultural values and provide cultural support to Native American students at Portland State,” Gargan said. “We also provide a cultural program that has an educational benefit to both the PSU community as well as the greater Portland community, because we open most of our events up to the city.”
At one of their weekly meetings, members passed around ideas about how to celebrate their heritage month. Naturally, the 1491s were one of their top picks.
Since the group travels to universities and tribal colleges to spread their message, and since they would be in the Portland area at the time, the 1491s agreed to appear at PSU for the very first time.
Twenty members of UISHE have been organizing the event at the university ever since. Gargan explained that this event has brought a lot of excitement to Native American community members who know of the group, and visitors from neighboring schools all over the state have already RSVP’d.
“They’re a really popular group, so what we’ve been hearing is that people have been getting wind of that and are excited,” Gargan said. “The 1491s are pretty unique in that they really employ the value of humility. What they do is poke fun at ridiculous aspects of different cultures, so we have just tried to set this up as an educational opportunity, meaning it’ll be entertaining and a lot of fun but it’ll also force you to think a little deeply about a lot of issues that are relevant in the Native American community.”
UISHE member and Vanguard Calendar Editor Jordan Molnar expressed the importance of attendance at the event, not only because it shines a light on crucial issues affecting the Native American community but because it does so with laughter—something Native Americans believe can be the best
medicine.
“I think it’s important because it’s not just preaching, but it’s a fun way [for] them to poke fun at the culture [and] also talk about serious issues,” Molnar said. “They’re real people and it’s definitely worth taking a look at. I personally have laughed very hard at some of their videos.”
Although the issues presented will predominately be those relevant to Native Americans, Gargan said that anyone from any background will be able to relate, learn and grow from
these performers.
“I think that it’ll be good exposure to relay the issues that are really relevant to Indian people, and being able to see what makes us laugh and what makes us cry,” Gargan said. “Just to really understand cultural values is what this is about, and it’ll be fun for people regardless of their background.”
Molnar agreed that the 1491s highlight relevant issues for everyone, not just those with a Native American background.
“This group has really embraced differences while keeping their culture a central part of who they are, that’s something in the Portland area that we need,” Molnar said. “We need people to feel like they can be who they are in every way. You can celebrate your culture and you don’t have to sacrifice being a very modern contemporary person. You can be involved in all sorts of different things, and you can look any way, and you can still be who you are and who you feel like you are.”
