Robau, "Middle-Eastern descent"

[urbandk]

This interview is way old news, but I wasn't posting on here when it came out. However, when I read this "Deadbolt" interview, I was struck by this passage:

THE DEADBOLT: So that marks a couple of firsts for you in this film. How does it feel to play the first character of Middle Eastern decent?
TAHIR: You know, that’s funny that you say that because just a couple of days ago a friend of mine - I’m kind of a Trekkie, but some of my friends are like real Trekkies so of course they go to all of these blogs - sent me this link to a blog that has like 500 blogs on it just on that fact. It’s an actor of Middle Eastern decent playing a captain, which hasn’t happened before. There have been other characters of Middle Eastern decent, but there has never been a captain. And a lot of the discussion on the blogs was about the fact. At least for me, personally, it’s great because it is a context in which my ethnicity is not being discussed as an issue. To me, that’s great - about a character in a story who’s trying to get Task A, Task B, Task C done. And you’re not dealing with the color of his skin or whatever, we’re not dealing with all of that. We’re working on a very even playing field and the blogs were also about that. It gives us hope, in a way, if you look at it as the realities of today hopefully will not be the realities of tomorrow.

I am conflicted after reading this passage. On the one hand, I am keenly aware of the borderline-racist depiction of the "evil, swarthy Arab" in films such as True Lies. Even Faran Tahir depicts an evil terrorist in Iron Man. Perhaps it's good to point out these milestones.

On the other hand, I wonder if belaboring Star Trek's inclusiveness actually undermines the significance of his inclusion by emphasizing his alterity. I suppose this was an issue as well with many of the token characters of different races on Star Trek, particularly TOS, but Star Trek overcame the limitations of these roles by giving these characters depth and resonance.

I guess my hope is that people will not even notice that Tahir is of Pakistani descent.

The Captain Robau thread seems to suggest that this BBS is already there.

 

[Devon]

He is apparently of Cuban Heritage according to the intel site.

 

[urbandk]

He is apparently of Cuban Heritage according to the intel site.

I noticed that about the character of Robau, which makes the attention Tahir is getting for being cast in this role all the more interesting. He's not even playing a person of Middle-Eastern descent and yet Tahir still attracts attention for his ethnicity.

 

[M'Sharak]

This interview is way old news, but I wasn't posting on here when it came out. However, when I read this "Deadbolt" interview, I was struck by this passage:

THE DEADBOLT: <snip>

I am conflicted after reading this passage. On the one hand, I am keenly aware of the borderline-racist depiction of the "evil, swarthy Arab" in films such as True Lies. Even Faran Tahir depicts an evil terrorist in Iron Man. Perhaps it's good to point out these milestones.

On the other hand, I wonder if belaboring Star Trek's inclusiveness actually undermines the significance of his inclusion by emphasizing his alterity. I suppose this was an issue as well with many of the token characters of different races on Star Trek, particularly TOS, but Star Trek overcame the limitations of these roles by giving these characters depth and resonance.

I guess my hope is that people will not even notice that Tahir is of Pakistani descent.

The Captain Robau thread seems to suggest that this BBS is already there.

This was indeed discussed here at the time that interview first appeared.

http://trekmovie.com/2008/04/15/tahir-talks-captain-robau/
http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=75289

The interview seemed to confuse somewhat the distinction between an actor of Middle Eastern descent (Tahir is Pakistani, born in Los Angeles) and the character being of the same heritage (Richard Robau is Cuban -- I do recall some mention that the character may actually have grown up or lived somewhere in the Middle East, but I'm not sure that was ever confirmed.)

Most people seem satisfied to take it the same way Tahir does: he's glad that there's no obstacle to a Pakistani actor playing a heroic Starfleet captain, and equally happy that the character's ethnicity doesn't seem to be an important issue or story point -- there's no message about it.

 

[miraclefan]

Wasn't there a ''Middle-eastern'' captain in Star Trek 4? His crew made that solar sail to repower there ship or something?

 

[M'Sharak]

Wasn't there a ''Middle-eastern'' captain in Star Trek 4? His crew made that solar sail to repower there ship or something?

He was credited only as "Starship Captain", I think. The actor who played him was Indian (South Asian).

 

[flightmech73]

Wasn't there a ''Middle-eastern'' captain in Star Trek 4? His crew made that solar sail to repower there ship or something?

ya I was going to say that too. His vessel got knocked out by the probe.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Wasn't there a ''Middle-eastern'' captain in Star Trek 4? His crew made that solar sail to repower there ship or something?

ya I was going to say that too. His vessel got knocked out by the probe.

And apparently the actor who played that captain is a world-famous sports star, isn't that right?

 

[Ovation]

Tennis, I believe.

 

[flightmech73]

Just got a screen cap off my DVD. Hes the capt. of the Yorktown.

 

[Cyke101]

Just got a screen cap off my DVD. Hes the capt. of the Yorktown.

Yeah, I'd definitely say South Asian origin.

 

[adg]

So, uh, Tahir thinks HE himself (not the character) is of Middle-Eastern descent? Does he not know that Pakistan is not in the "middle east"?

 

[M'Sharak]

So, uh, Tahir thinks HE himself (not the character) is of Middle-Eastern descent? Does he not know that Pakistan is not in the "middle east"?

It both is and isn't, depending from what standpoint you happen to be looking. In a number of ways, it straddles a boundary (if such a thing can be said to exist at all) between the Middle East and South Asia, possessing characteristics of both. Too, the definition of the term "Middle East" has always tended to be somewhat fluid, often including Pakistan when it was convenient to do so.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_East#Etymology

But anyway, the role isn't supposed to be about that.

 

[TIN_MAN]

Well, if Tahir is of Pakistani descent and born in Los Angeles, then I guess Robau can be of Pakistani (or Middle-Eastern) descent and be born in Cuba?

 

[M'Sharak]

Well, if Tahir is of Pakistani descent and born in Los Angeles, then I guess Robau can be of Pakistani (or Middle-Eastern) descent and be born in Cuba?

I referred earlier to something like that:

...
(Richard Robau is Cuban -- I do recall some mention that the character may actually have grown up or lived somewhere in the Middle East, but I'm not sure that was ever confirmed.)

I'll see if I can remember where I saw it.

The only wrinkle would be that "Robau" seems to be a distinctly Hispanic surname, particularly common in Puerto Rico and Cuba (one thing I saw said that the character Robau is in fact named after a favorite uncle of writer Roberto Orci's, who first turned him on to Star Trek as a child.) Of course, that doesn't mean that the badass captain couldn't be the child of a Cuban father and a Pakistani mother, but I somehow doubt we're going to get that level of detail during the movie.

Edit:

I found that interview (from December 9). The pertinent bit here:

TrekMovie: Everything that has come out over the last month has answered a lot of questions, but also raised new ones. The first of which came up recently, related to Captain Robau, who was revealed on the new Intel site [boldlygo.intel.com]. Can you talk about who he is and what his background is, like his being from Cuba.

Roberto Orci: As you know, the [USS] Kelvin is named after, not only the same scientist with the temperature scale named after him, but also JJ’s grandfather. And the captain of that ship, Richard Robau, is named after my uncle, who was born in Cuba. One of the things we talked about early on, was where was Uhura born? Does Sulu have to be Japanese? And it occurred to us that, in the future, the borders that exist now won’t exist then. So you can be born somewhere, and raised somewhere else, and live somewhere else, and even sometimes off Earth. So I always imagined that Capt Robau was born in Cuba, but then grew up in the Middle-East.

 

[Cyke101]

Well, if Tahir is of Pakistani descent and born in Los Angeles, then I guess Robau can be of Pakistani (or Middle-Eastern) descent and be born in Cuba?

As a consequence of work, I stumbled upon some books that aptly reminded me that even a little over a hundred years ago, there were very few people who identified as mixed-race. You would find the needle in the haystack if you could find a Half-Asian/Half-Caucasian person in a major metropolis. But times change, and I'd like to think that in the 23rd century, anything is possible in terms of lineage.

Heck, Sulu is Japanese-Filipino and arguably American. I love it.

 

[indranee]

So, uh, Tahir thinks HE himself (not the character) is of Middle-Eastern descent? Does he not know that Pakistan is not in the "middle east"?

It both is and isn't, depending from what standpoint you happen to be looking. In a number of ways, it straddles a boundary (if such a thing can be said to exist at all) between the Middle East and South Asia, possessing characteristics of both. Too, the definition of the term "Middle East" has always tended to be somewhat fluid, often including Pakistan when it was convenient to do so.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_East#Etymology

But anyway, the role isn't supposed to be about that.

oh dear god, not this again.

listen, no matter what your hallowed wiki tells you, Tahir ain't Middle Eastern. Pakistan is not and has never belonged to the middle east. culturally, in terms of language, and geographically, it is South Asian through and through. oh sure, Tahir and his Pakistani compatriots would much rather have the world believe they're "middle-eastern". it's been a politically disengenuous ploy of theirs for a while now. in fact, since about 1947. it helps them feel separated from India... maybe superior, even. but it's not a fact, just fantasy.

Pakistan middle eastern my ass. if Pakistan is "middle-eastern", so is India AND Indonesia. now go figure THAT ONE out.

 

[indranee]

Wasn't there a ''Middle-eastern'' captain in Star Trek 4? His crew made that solar sail to repower there ship or something?

He was credited only as "Starship Captain", I think. The actor who played him was Indian (South Asian).

Vijay Amritraj. brother of Ashok Amritraj. tennis-playing brothers from India who later got somewhat involved in MOR and mediocre productions in Holly and Bollywood.

 

[Skywalker]

Well, if Tahir is of Pakistani descent and born in Los Angeles, then I guess Robau can be of Pakistani (or Middle-Eastern) descent and be born in Cuba?

I referred earlier to something like that:

...
(Richard Robau is Cuban -- I do recall some mention that the character may actually have grown up or lived somewhere in the Middle East, but I'm not sure that was ever confirmed.)

I'll see if I can remember where I saw it.

The only wrinkle would be that "Robau" seems to be a distinctly Hispanic surname, particularly common in Puerto Rico and Cuba (one thing I saw said that the character Robau is in fact named after a favorite uncle of writer Roberto Orci's, who first turned him on to Star Trek as a child.) Of course, that doesn't mean that the badass captain couldn't be the child of a Cuban father and a Pakistani mother, but I somehow doubt we're going to get that level of detail during the movie.

Edit:

I found that interview (from December 9). The pertinent bit here:

TrekMovie: Everything that has come out over the last month has answered a lot of questions, but also raised new ones. The first of which came up recently, related to Captain Robau, who was revealed on the new Intel site [boldlygo.intel.com]. Can you talk about who he is and what his background is, like his being from Cuba.

Roberto Orci: As you know, the [USS] Kelvin is named after, not only the same scientist with the temperature scale named after him, but also JJ’s grandfather. And the captain of that ship, Richard Robau, is named after my uncle, who was born in Cuba. One of the things we talked about early on, was where was Uhura born? Does Sulu have to be Japanese? And it occurred to us that, in the future, the borders that exist now won’t exist then. So you can be born somewhere, and raised somewhere else, and live somewhere else, and even sometimes off Earth. So I always imagined that Capt Robau was born in Cuba, but then grew up in the Middle-East.

Maybe Robau's father is Cuban, but his mother is from the Middle East.

 

[Ovation]

So, uh, Tahir thinks HE himself (not the character) is of Middle-Eastern descent? Does he not know that Pakistan is not in the "middle east"?

It both is and isn't, depending from what standpoint you happen to be looking. In a number of ways, it straddles a boundary (if such a thing can be said to exist at all) between the Middle East and South Asia, possessing characteristics of both. Too, the definition of the term "Middle East" has always tended to be somewhat fluid, often including Pakistan when it was convenient to do so.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_East#Etymology

But anyway, the role isn't supposed to be about that.

oh dear god, not this again.

listen, no matter what your hallowed wiki tells you, Tahir ain't Middle Eastern. Pakistan is not and has never belonged to the middle east. culturally, in terms of language, and geographically, it is South Asian through and through. oh sure, Tahir and his Pakistani compatriots would much rather have the world believe they're "middle-eastern". it's been a politically disengenuous ploy of theirs for a while now. in fact, since about 1947. it helps them feel separated from India... maybe superior, even. but it's not a fact, just fantasy.

Pakistan middle eastern my ass. if Pakistan is "middle-eastern", so is India AND Indonesia. now go figure THAT ONE out.

I teach Modern Middle Eastern History and Pakistan is only peripherally mentioned. I usually have a large number of students who start the course thinking Pakistan and Afghanistan are "middle-eastern", but they learn otherwise. Besides, the "Middle East" is a recent designation (recent to historians, anyway) and a western one at that (replacing, for the most part, the "Near East" or "the Orient"--at least in English. In French, le moyen orient and le proche orient are still common). In any event, in my course the "Middle East" runs from Egypt to Iran and Yemen to Turkey. We discuss the Magreb and Central and South Asia peripherally but they are not "middle eastern".