Identity Politics of Buddy and Philbert
Powwow Highway gives a sometimes humorous and sometimes poignant look at the identity politics of the Native American main characters Philbert and Buddy during their journey across Western America. The people and institutions that surround these men on their journey places them in a situation and a culture that defines them as something other than average Americans. During their trip they encounter a variety of individuals who help facilitate their journey and who identify them along the road as part of the Native American community. Philbert aligns himself with a more spiritual form of his Native American past and present. Buddy on the other hand is a part of the militant and political factions of his people. Together both of these men represent different parts of their community. A lot of the humorous conflict of the movie comes about because of the two different lifestyles of Philbert and Buddy. However what enables these two men to make the journey together is what they have in common – their Native American identity. One of the most poignant scenes in the movie is when Buddy’s niece and nephew are trying to get change to call Rabbit. They ask the old woman sitting on the ground if she is a Native American. The kids say “our mom is too.� It is through the children’s exposure to Philburt and Buddy that they understand that they too are part of a community.
Philbert ad Buddy’s identity politics both hinder them and enable them on their journey. When people discriminate against them because of who they are it makes their journey more difficult. An interesting part of this film happens during the powwow when one of Buddy’s old nemesis who represents a faction of the population that is at odds with Buddy’s political views allies against him. That interaction blurs the lines between those who identify with Native Americas and those who are only interested in exploiting their fellow human beings. I the end of the movie the happy ending occurs when all of the characters escape from the law. Their identity at the end of the movie is decidedly outside a mainstream American existence and definitely occurs only because of their identification together as Native Americans.