Did Chakotay ever use the term "Spirits"?

[MadBaggins]

Why did they not use REAL Indian religion for Chakotay instead of making fake stuff up? Achoochie Moya? Farscape reference!?

 

[Enrage]

MadBaggins said:
Why did they not use REAL Indian religion for Chakotay instead of making fake stuff up? Achoochie Moya? Farscape reference!?

Some rules the SAG has about a certain percentage of actors actually have to be that religion. So if Chakotay were Maya, as he was supposed to be, the producers would have to go through the hassle of tracking down actual Mayans to do the scenes. They simply found it easier not to name what religion he adhered to.

At least, that is what I remember.

 

[teya]

Enrage said:

MadBaggins said:
Why did they not use REAL Indian religion for Chakotay instead of making fake stuff up? Achoochie Moya? Farscape reference!?

Some rules the SAG has about a certain percentage of actors actually have to be that religion. So if Chakotay were Maya, as he was supposed to be, the producers would have to go through the hassle of tracking down actual Mayans to do the scenes. They simply found it easier not to name what religion he adhered to.

At least, that is what I remember.

That sounds bizarre.

First of all, most Maya are Catholic. They practice a syncretic religion that combines Catholicism with folk magic.

And second of all, wouldn't be hard to find Maya in LA. We have a *lot* of immigrants from Southern Mexico and Guatemala. That's been one of my gripes from the beginning--that TPTB likely had sources working in their own homes: nannies, maids, gardeners. Hell, my facialist is Maya--I get folk tales and stories about her childhood along with my facials.

The reasoning I'd heard about not giving Chakotay a real tribe was that TPTB thought they'd offend other Indians by picking one nation. Problem was, they prolly should have asked some Indians. By not giving him a tribe, they made him an Indian unrecognizable to other Indians.

 

[Tralis]

od0_ital said:

Tralis said:
Did Chakotay ever even speak?

Tralis, between this and your post here, I'm seein' a pattern develop.

Consider this your friendly to stop trollin'. Keep it up, and ya will earn a warnin'.

This topic it wasn't warranted, I should have been more contructive. The other I stand by...
I guess what I'm really trying to say is Chakotay's whole character was originally to be the mystic, religious fellow of the ship. I just think the way the character was written it seem like being a Native American mystic consisted of being extremely quiet as if having something wise to say, but being to wise to say it unwarranted. It also seemed to consist of ceremonies that were silly and of questionable origin, sometimes feeling more akin to Bajoran religious practices than Native American. I guess this topic signifies how awfully vague his actual beliefs were. But, I suppose this isn't a terribly apropriate place to say why I think the writiting failed the chacter. Its not a "Why was Chakotay's religion insulting to the viewer" topic, and I'm the only person who seems to be moving it in that direction.

 

[Nebusj]

teya said:
The reasoning I'd heard about not giving Chakotay a real tribe was that TPTB thought they'd offend other Indians by picking one nation. Problem was, they prolly should have asked some Indians. By not giving him a tribe, they made him an Indian unrecognizable to other Indians.

That's more or less the reason I would bet on -- by picking a non-specific Indian nation they could have Chakotay's background be whatever is most dramatically satisfying and not contradict any actual materials.