Identity politics and the Cheyenne people
In the film Powwow Highway characters Philbert & Red Bow do a wonderful job in expressing how completely different they are when others (namely white Amercia) views them in only one group and that is Indians. Although the two friends are very close and share the same gender and ethnicity identity Philbert is far more spiritual and calm whereas Red bow is violent and angry with the way people treat him based on the fact that he is Native American and Cheyenne. Clearly Red Bow has every right to be angry about they way his people are treated but sadly it seems as though his pain is also harmful to him and his self identity.
The road is not only a physical journey but a spiritual and emotional journey for the two men. Along the road they play the ‘other’ not only because of their ethnicity but because they are travelers and unfamiliar to others and there is some type of suspicion that comes along with the traveler. Bonnie, Red Bows sister is also struggling with identity politics because she is being treated unjustly in jail based on the fact that she is not white and also because she is a woman. Also, these reasons are what put her in jail which shows how corruption is a big part of identity politics as well as who holds the power.