OP by The Mayor of Simpleton

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The problem: The Rez is a trope about when Native American or Canadian reservations exist, at least as defined. The description lists four "varieties" that such a setting can come in:

The concerns over tropeworthiness were brought up in the Is this tropeworthy/Chairs? thread, and after reading the discussion about the trope, I decided to do a wick check (with some sorting help from Synchronicity).

Wick check: Link here, but here's the quick results:

• 13/50 wicks were just instances where a Native American/Canadian reservation happened to exist, or 26%,
• 5/50 wicks were of a "casino rez", or 10%,
• 0/50 wicks were of a "magical rez", or 0%
• 10/50 wicks were of a "political rez", or 20%,
• 6/50 wicks were of general low-quality Native American reservations, or 12%,
• 0/50 wicks were of a "phlebotinum-hiding rez", or 0%,
• 5/50 wicks were of other use, including multiple combined types of rez, or 10%,
• 8/50 wicks were zero-context or unclear, or 16%, and
• 3/50 wicks were unclassifiable, or 6%

Analysis: Alright, so there wasn't any use of the "magical rez" or "phlebotinum-hiding rez" in the check. There were "casino rez" examples—which could be moved to Native American Casino. But the biggest category, at least put together since they were similar, were the "political rez" or general low-quality Native American reservations—or, as Synchronicity put it, "rez as an underserved rural backwater". In these examples, the poor quality of the Native American or Canadian reservations is emphasized, with the environment being a terrible place to live, characters often wanting to leave, and works often using the setting to comment on the governmental historical and current treatment of its Native American population. This is definitely a tropeworthy concept, and one that (AFAIK) lacks a current trope.

Possible solution: I propose (as recommended by Synchronicity) reworking The Rez into a new trope about the aforementioned neglected indigenous reservations (Neglected Reservation? Neglected Native Reservation? Just some name ideas) and moving the other examples to more applicable tropes. The "neglected rez" is, as mentioned, absolutely a thing, and would be a more worthwhile phenomenon to document than just "reservation exists".

What does everyone else think? Any other ideas or suggestions?

1. UsefulNotes.The Several States (in header): Native American Reservations Pothole just refers to a Native American reservation existing.
2. Literature.House Made Of Dawn: Jemez Pueblo aka "Walatowa" in New Mexico, where Abel grew up, and where he eventually has a spiritual rebirth. Just a Native American reservation.
3. Film.Rhymes For Young Ghouls: The entire film is set on a Canadian reservation. Just a Native Canadian reservation.
4. EskimosArentReal.Real Life As the Trope Namer indicates, there are people out there who don't believe that the Eskimos (a.k.a. the Inuit and Yupik peoples of North America and Siberia) exist. Some people don't believe that American Indians in general still exist (despite the existence of reservations and casinos, along with millions of Indians living independently)^note The former is generally due to assuming that the Eskimos seen in cartoons as children were made up for the cartoons, while the latter is generally because of the assumption that the Native Americans have all been wiped out. This kind of thing doesn't help◊. Unfortunate Implications abound for both, though of completely different types.. As written, just a reference to indigenous reservations.
5. Film.Skins: The reservation depicted is fictional but based on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Reservation exists.
6. Series.Mohawk Girls: The story is mostly set in the Kanahwake Mohawk Territory within Quebec, where the Mohawk band of the same name lives, and explores the lives of several residents, plus Anna, a newcomer whose father was also from there. It doesn't fit into most stereotypes, with the Mohawk culture, contemporary life, politics and other issues which they face explored heavily. Reservation exists.
7. Recap.Paradise PDS 01 E 09 Parent Trap: Dusty goes to an Indian Reservation. Reservation exists.
8. Series.The Rez: The series's name came from the slang term "The Rez", a popular term among Indigenous folks for reservations and Band land. As written, just a reference to a reservation.
9. Literature.A Yellow Raft In Blue Water: One of the main settings for all three stories. Rayona's and Christine's stories alternates between that and Seattle. Reservation exists.
10. Characters.Canadas Drag Race Season 1: Hails from Canada’s most westerly major city, Vancouver, but she grew up on the Skuppah Indian Reserve. Reservation exists.
11. Old Cop, Young Cop: Tony Hillerman's Leaphorn & Chee mysteries set on the Navajo reservation feature the Navajo Tribal Police officers Joe Leaphorn (older, world-weary, atheistic) and Jim Chee (younger, more idealistic, a practicing shaman). Reservation exists pothole.
12. Series.Resident Alien: Patience is within driving distance of a Ute reservation where many of Asta and Dan's extended family and tribe live. Notable in largely averting the standard varieties of the trope. Reservation exists.
13. Film.Stroszek: The ending takes place on a reservation. Reservation exists.

1. Literature.Unwind: In UnSouled, Connor, Lev, Grace, and eventually Camus spend most of the book on a "Casino Rez", which has gotten very wealthy over the years and is now practically independent. They hunt for their food and live in luxurious homes that are carved into the walls of a gorge. Casino rez.
2. The Casino:
   • (in description): Other American locales where you'll likely find a casino include Atlantic City, New Jersey, as well as The Rez (for which see the Native American Casino trope).
   • The action of Guns, Girls and Gambling starts at The Chief's casino on The Rez, when the Apache war mask is stolen from his office. Both are examples of a casino rez.
3. Multiple Government Polity: Jurisdictions under Native American tribal law also have legal autonomy from the rest of the country. For example, some Native nations profit greatly from casinos because they're the only places in a given region that allow gambling (though this doesn't necessarily benefit the average person living on The Rez). As written, references a casino rez.
4. Film.Hell Or High Water: The brothers launder their money at an Indian casino in Oklahoma. There are some political overtones, but that's in keeping with the rest of the film. Casino rez.
5. Film.Guns Girls And Gambling: Much of the action takes place on the Apache reservation where The Chief runs the Native American Casino with the sole purpose of taking money off white people.Casino rez.

1. Series.Longmire: A major setting, and Walt's history with the police there make up a major source of conflict in the show. Seems to be a political rez.
2. YMMV.Yellowstone: This also extends to the Broken Rock tribe itself in later seasons. Due to a combination of factors (The Fixer, Angela, repeatedly dropping Anvilicious rants about the plight of Native Americans, Rainwater becoming more of an altruistic/heroic figure due to aiding the Duttons several times, the scenes at The Rez generally focusing on slice-of-life encounters instead of the terrible squalor seen in Season 1), the comments about whether the land belongs to them can become grating to some viewers. It doesn't help that they're nearly pushed out of the narrative as a political entity once Market Equities shows up and builds a pipeline over the site they planned to build a casino on. Political rez as defined.
3. Strange Cop in a Strange Land: Wind River: Jane is a young white FBI agent stationed out in Las Vegas. Being sent out to The Rez in freezing Wyoming is a brutally eye opening experience on how neglected they are. Political rez.
4. Black Like Me: Morgan Spurlock's 30 Days had a few episodes where he tried to live 30 days on: minimum wage, in a medium security prison, and in an indian reservation. The rest of the series consisted of having people live within a group they looked down upon, such as: a homophobic Good Ol' Boy from the Midwest staying with a resident in Castro Street; an Islamophobic Christian man living as a Muslim; a nativist Cuban immigrant from Arizona staying with an illegal immigrant Mexican family in East L.A. Also others who were encouraged to look at the other side of the argument, like: an anti gun activist living with gun enthusiasts; an avid hunter working with a an animal rights group; an abortion clinic doctor working with a pro-life organization; and several other examples. As portayed, a political rez.
5. Characters.Yellowstone: Enemy Civil War: Initiates this against Rainwater in Season 5 after realizing that the latter's waffling on various development projects (and the controversy and drama it's caused within The Rez) has left the tribe no better off than when it started. From context. a political rez.
6. Film.Dance Me Outside: The political type, although as the page entry says, life on the Rez is portrayed semi-comedically. Political rez—and just barely enough context.
7. WretchedHive.Video Games: The Wapiti Indian Reservation is one of these by design, with the U.S. government sticking the tribe on land they cannot farm, cut off from decent hunting territory, no way to find gainful employment, and now they'll be moved to an even worse place because oil has been discovered under it. More than that, the local army commander is hideously abusing the Wapiti, tacitly ordering assault, rape, arson, murder and withholding medicine from the sick, all to provoke the tribe into a rebellion he can crush so he can look good. Political rez.
8. Film.Wind River: The Wind River Indian Reservation is the primary setting for the film. It falls under the political variety, with the extreme poverty, lawlessness, and absence of proper law enforcement. Political rez.
9. YMMV.Key Largo: James Temple's closing lament about how Americans seem to hurt Native Americans "even when we try to help them" stings more today with awareness of the growing poverty on many federal Indian Reservations. References political rez.
10. RedDeadRedemption2.Tropes A To L: Corrupt Corporate Executive: Leviticus Cornwall is a railroad, oil, and sugar baron who didn't get that way by being nice. He thinks nothing of siccing his Private Military Contractors and Pinkerton Detectives on anyone who gets in his way. Oil is discovered under The Rez? Bribe the government to move the natives again so you can stake claim. Implied poltical rez overtones.

1. Laconic.Reservation Dogs: Four native teens commit crimes to raise enough money to leave The Rez for California. Reservation implied to be of poor quality.
2. Creator.Jodi Picoult: Mentioned in Harvesting the Heart, when Nicholas volunteers medical services at a Hopi reservation. Reservation implied to be of poor quality.
3. Film.Ulzanas Raid (in description): In 1880, a renegade Chiricahua war chief named Ulzana (Joaquin Martinez) orchestrates a daring escape from San Carlos and begins a Roaring Rampage of Revenge against the European-American settlers who stole his people's land. Reservation implied to be of poor quality.
4. Grief-Induced Split: Wind River: Cory and his wife divorce after the death of their daughter, Emily. He encourages his ex-wife and son to stay on The Rez, but she wants to leave as soon as possible. Pothole implies poor quality of reservation.
5. ComicBook.Shamans Tears: The first story arc involves a case taking Joshua back to the Sioux reservation where he was born and raised, and eventually ran away from. He does not have fond memories of the place. Poor-quality reservation implied.
6. Characters.X Men Brotherhood Of Mutants: He hails from one, and wanted nothing more than to leave it as soon as possible. Unfortunately from him, the tribal elders sent Puma to bring him back. Implied low quality of reservation.

1. Fanfic.Kaleidoscopic Grangers: The example present in Birds of a Feather is a combination Political and phlebotonium-hiding Rez - because of the Statute of Secrecy, the Brecon Beacons Wizarding Sanctuary^note Which isn't actually directly named in Birds of a Feather yet, only that Tegyd is Welsh and lives on a reservation, however it can be traced down due to the location being mentioned in Kaleidoscopic Grangers as being the location of the Caerphilly Catapults' stadium, which Tegyd also mentions is a general dumping ground for a few things, and indeed people, the wizarding world can't allow to be public. Notably the aforementioned stadium, as well as a Welsh dragon sanctuary, and the village of Pen ôl y Ddraig, where Tegyd lives with her father's caprid centaur herd, and which she describes as being the "ass end of nowhere."^note The name of the town translates to "The arse end of a dragon" in Welsh. Quidditch fans are noted to thoroughly disrespect the residents of the reservation, who tend to be nonhumans because they're not allowed in public. Tegyd has mentioned that the Sanctuary lacks electrical infrastructure, and that it's notably cold in winter. Combo of two types of rez.
2. Film.The Crow Wicked Prayer: The Raven Aztecs live on a political reservation that is in transition to a casino reservation. Political rez becoming a casino rez—a mix of the two.
3. Film.CSA The Confederate States Of America: On his deathbed, Jefferson Davis begged Congress to repeal The Christian Reform Act (which would have resulted in the deportation of American's Jewish Population). It is because of this that a small number of Jews were allowed to remain in the CSA (on a Reservation in Long Island). Not even an indigenous reservation—misuse.
4. Creator.Tony Hillerman: Usually a combination of the Political Rez and the Magical Rez. The two sometimes collide. Combination of two kinds of rez.
5. Literature.Deaths End: Sophon makes an offer to humanity. Out of respect, the Trisolarans promise they won't be wiped out when the fleet arrives; instead, Australia and 1/3rd of Mars will be turned into reservations where they can live after the Trisolarans take over, and they even offer to help build more habitats on Mars and in space so the two can species can still live together in peace. The catch is that they'll have no more weapons or heavy industry, and the move to Australia needs to be done within a year. Any humans still outside Australia by then will be considered invaders and killed on sight. The comparisons are not lost on anyone. Not an indigenous reservation specifically. Misuse.

1. Music.Paul Revere And The Raiders: "Indian Reservation" is a classic "political rez" song. Low context.
2. Franchise.Star Trek: Whole planets of it. Commented-out ZCE.
3. Magical Native American: The novel and manga further flesh out his backstory: he studied aerospace engineering but couldn't find a job related to his field on The Rez. The manga also contradicts his anime backstory by making him out to be a rather violent individual who got into fights a lot which bit him hard when he got stabbed in the chest, necessitating his artificial heart. Another difference from the anime is that he's not a JAM copy, but he is murdered by the JAM on the Banshee-IV aircraft because they can perceive the mechanical parts of his body while being unaware of his flesh. Unclear—context seems to say it's a political rez, but not in enough detail to list.
4. Literature.People Of The Whale: Dark River Reservation is this. Commented-out ZCE.
5. Quotes.Necessarily Evil:

1. Funny.Power Rangers GPX: Also this exchange:

   Ritchie: "By the way, have you had cheese curds yet?"

   Sean: "Of COURSE she's had cheese curds, Metoxen! And cheesecake, and cheese fries, and cheeseburgers, and fondue, it's amazing she hasn't had a heart attack from all the cholesterol!"

   Later,

   Ritchie: "I'm gonna get some string cheese."

   Sean: "Aren't you gonna have a heart attack from all that cheese?"

   Ritchie: "Anything's better than alcohol or diabetes! I plan on bucking the trend on The Rez!" Unclear from context.

2. VideoGame.Final Fantasy VII: Cosmo Canyon! Commented-out ZCE.
3. Recap.Bob Chipman Film Reviews Number To B: Blood Quantum: invoked Discussed it in both his review and in the Big Picture episode "Brains", which he later rereleased together as a tribute to the film's writer/director Jeff Barnaby after his untimely death in 2022. He called it "a 'greatest hits' of zombie movies" that was still eminently watchable due to how well it played those hits, even before getting into the unique twist it put on the genre. The cast, composed mostly of unknown Canadian First Nations actors, were all excellent, while the twist — that the tribal residents of a small First Nations reservation are the only ones immune to The Virus — was mined for some solid and interesting commentary on race relations without being preachy, especially given the history of the relationship between Natives, Whites, and disease outbreaks. It wasn't just a somber arthouse film, though, as it was also interested in kicking loads of zombie ass, and on that front, it delivered "top-tier, no-bullshit, blood-splattering, gut-munching, gore-spewing, chainsaw-shotgun-samurai-sword-battleaxe-whatever-the-hell-else-they-got horror mayhem". It had great scares, plenty of gore, excellent effects work, a slew of well-developed and badass characters, and a plot that went to interesting places, as though the filmmakers felt that they'd never get a chance to make a movie like this again. He gave it a 9 out of 10 and called it one of the best films of the year, one that was up there with Train to Busan as one of the best zombie films of the 21st century. He also used the film as a jumping-off point to criticize the expectations that people have for "message movies", that they have to be somber and serious art films rather than crowd-pleasing blockbusters or B-movies. This attitude, he feels, paradoxically ensures that the issues that message movies try to raise don't see wider discussion, because mainstream audiences are only ever exposed to them in films that they don't plan on seeing. Unclear on if the reservation is poor-quality or not from context.

1. DarthWiki.Crappy Trope Definitions Tropes Joke page.
2. UsefulNotes.North America Index.
3. ImageSource.Live Action Films M To Z Index.