"The Cursed Prince" is a gripping tale crafted by the talented author Derpexion. The story revolves around a young prince who finds himself entangled in a web of dark magic and ancient curses. From the very beginning, the readers are drawn into a world rich with mystery and danger. The protagonist, Prince Ethan, is a charming and noble character who is suddenly burdened with a terrible curse. This curse has been cast upon his family for generations, and it has brought nothing but misery and despair. Determined to break free from this curse, Ethan embarks on a perilous journey to find a way to lift the spell.
Determined to break free from this curse, Ethan embarks on a perilous journey to find a way to lift the spell. As the story unfolds, readers are introduced to a diverse cast of characters, each with their own unique abilities and motivations. From wise elderly witches to cunning and treacherous sorcerers, the prince encounters allies and enemies alike.
Joyful protests and funny rituals with Reservation Dogs' Dallas Goldtooth
In the pilot episode of the FX series "Reservation Dogs," we meet a character who seems familiar, like we've seen him a hundred times before.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "RESERVATION DOGS")
DALLAS GOLDTOOTH: (As Spirit) Oh, young warrior. Looks as though you've tasted the white man's lead.
Most people expect a super stoic Native American on horseback with feathers.
HUNTE: That's Dallas Goldtooth.
GOLDTOOTH: I mean, I do show up on horseback in feathers.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "RESERVATION DOGS")
D'PHARAOH WOON-A-TAI: (As Bear Smallhill) Are you Crazy Horse or Sitting.
GOLDTOOTH: (As Spirit) No, no, no. I'm not one of those awesome guys. No. I'm more of your unknown warrior.
HUNTE: Beyond that, all expectations are upended. Officially, his name is William Knifeman, but most people know him as Spirit.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "RESERVATION DOGS")
GOLDTOOTH: (As Spirit) I was at the Battle of Little Bighorn. That's right. I didn't kill anybody, but I fought bravely. Well, I didn't actually fight. I actually didn't even get into the fight itself. I came over that hill real rugged, like, (vocalizing). I saw Custer like that.
HUNTE: He's a spirit helper that curses and has no qualms about dropping penis jokes in the middle of delivering wise, sage wisdom.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "RESERVATION DOGS")
GOLDTOOTH: (As Spirit) What are you going to do? What are you going to fight for? Ahh. Nah, I'm just ****ing with you. But for real, though. Listen to what I said. Marinate on it. I hope. Let's go.
HUNTE: You're listening to IT'S BEEN A MINUTE from NPR. I'm Tracie Hunte. Today's guest is the actor, writer and organizer Dallas Goldtooth. He, of course, plays Spirit on "Reservation Dogs." Its second season is airing on FX and Hulu. He's also a writer on the show. Dallas goes way back with the show's creator, Sterlin Harjo. They were both part of the Native American sketch comedy group the 1491s. That humor is in the DNA of "Reservation Dogs."
But acting and comedy are only part of it. Dallas has long been an organizer for climate justice and Indigenous rights, and he's been a key collaborator in movements against major oil pipelines on Native lands. I talked to Dallas about merging his passions, bringing comedy to activism and vice versa. But first, I wanted to know more about his character on "Reservation Dogs" and how he turns Native American tropes on their head.
GOLDTOOTH: We are forced to confront, as Native storytellers, this, like, long history, this lineage of how Native people have been portrayed in media.
HUNTE: Yeah. Right.
GOLDTOOTH: Right? And you ask most common Americans, regular old person living in Iowa, what does a Native American person look like? Typically, they'll draw a picture of somebody on horseback. It's feathers and living in a teepee.
GOLDTOOTH: Not necessarily somebody wearing Nikes and going to, you know, McDonalds.
GOLDTOOTH: And so "Reservation Dogs" is trying to tell its own story, but at the same time, we're also trying to confront and dismantle those portrayals. And Spirit is basically how we do that directly.
HUNTE: Yeah. What kind of feedback have you gotten from viewers, family, friends?
GOLDTOOTH: People love Spirit. I did not - I mean, I had a blast portraying this character, but I did not really expect how much joy people would find out of this character. And I think that the reason for it is that we're poking fun at how non-Natives see us, but at the same time, Spirit is poking fun at ourselves, of how we portray ourselves sometimes as Native people.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "RESERVATION DOGS")
WOON-A-TAI: (As Bear Smallhill) I'm not going to be here forever, so.
GOLDTOOTH: (As Spirit) The moment we're born, we're going to die.
WOON-A-TAI: (As Bear Smallhill) No, I mean California.
GOLDTOOTH: (As Spirit) California? Oh, oh, oh. Yeah. That's where you going to go? You're gonna run away? Head off West, dreaming big.
We take ourselves way too serious at times, right? There's always that uncle who always wants to be the most Indian of Indians - right? - the one that has to be the supreme Native uncle. I think that's - like, the type of comedy I like to do is really a type of comedy where nothing really is sacred, that humor is a vehicle for us to offer social critique about - not only about the world but also how we interact with the world.
HUNTE: Yeah. I am curious, though, do you ever worry about, like, how non-Natives will interpret a character like Spirit, like, that they will see the stereotype and think that the stereotype is true or, like, anything like that?
GOLDTOOTH: Well, I guess what I - one unique aspect of this - is what I really enjoy - is that depending on who you are, you find joy in different ways because I've talked to folks who are, like, Latino and Black, and they're like, dude, we like it because you're making fun of how white people think about brown folks. Like, that's the joy we find out of it - is that you're pushing back against whiteness and its perceptions of how brown folks should be and specifically how Indigenous people should be. And there's, like, a joy in that - right? - of challenging white supremacy and how it shows up in that way. And then also, like, our own folks - it's challenging how we see ourselves. And so, yeah, I really - I think that folks get it.
HUNTE: Yeah. You know, I was watching "Reservation Dogs." And at some point I was like, wow, is every Native American actor in this show right now? (Laughter). And, I mean, obviously they're not. But it was like a parade of, oh, I know that guy. Oh, that's that guy in that thing - like all of that. And, you know, for someone who's non-Native like me, it was kind of like, oh, wow, the depth of Native talent out there is so deep and so vast, and we could be doing so much more for telling Native stories. What has that been like, working with this mostly Native cast?
GOLDTOOTH: You know, this is my first major, like, production, right? Before this.
GOLDTOOTH: . We were just making YouTube videos. And so I've been fortunate, right? I have a privilege of coming into this space, into the first TV production where the majority of the cast is Native. The - all the writers are Native. All the directors are Native. On the actual crew, there's Native folks who are, like, the camera operators and the people dressing the set. Like, I've been very, very fortunate, and I've had conversations with other actors like Gary Farmer and Wes Studi, who have been doing this for, like, 30, 40 years.
GOLDTOOTH: . Who just put in the work in not-so-friendly circumstances and.
GOLDTOOTH: . Environments. So I think all of us as all the writers in the room - we would actually sit there and say, all right. Oh, man, how can we pull in these, like, juggernauts? How can we write a part for so-and-so? How can we actually get somebody into this show and create a space for them? So like, it was very much intentional to acknowledge our elders.
HUNTE: Yeah. Yeah. You know, there are more opportunities. We're seeing these big projects like "Echo," "Prey," "Dark Winds." As someone who spent years developing characters with your comedy troupe, the 1491s - and Sterlin Harjo was in the 1491s, too, right?
HUNTE: Is there, like, a story or a character out there that you'd really like to put on the screen?
GOLDTOOTH: Oh, good question. You know what I would love to see? - is a parody farce story about, like, the greatest chiefs of all time, right? Like, a Monty Python, Mel Brooks kind of spectacular - spectacular?
GOLDTOOTH: Of all the greatest.
GOLDTOOTH: Extravaganza. There you go. It's like a Mel Brooks, Monty Python extravaganza of, like, all the great Indian stories but retold with our own type of humor. Like, a lot of these stories are the bedrock of the American myth and this idea of, you know, a westward expansion and manifest destiny and this romanticization of who we are as Native people.
GOLDTOOTH: And so I think there's a lot of opportunity to challenge those myths but also to honor the realities of our shared experience as Native peoples on this land in light of the struggle that we've been through. But I would love to tackle something like that.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
HUNTE: Coming up, where comedy and activism come together.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
HUNTE: You know, outside of acting, you've been heavily involved in activism basically your whole life. Your father is well-known activist Tom Goldtooth, who founded the Indigenous Environmental Network. And you've also worked with IEN. For some people, like, activist and comedian are very different. But I kind of get the sense that they overlap naturally for you. Does that feel true?
GOLDTOOTH: It's - to be honest, it's something I've struggled with, right? I think first and foremost, I self-identify as an organizer of which I have been an activist in certain circumstances. But, like, an activist is somebody that you can depend on to show up. An organizer is somebody that invests their time and labor to create change and create the situation for community to build power, right? I firmly believe this world needs more organizers rather than activists. And nothing against activism and activists, but I think that what I am committed to is seeing tribal nations assert their self-determination and sovereignty. And as somebody that is dedicated to see other communities be liberated physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, I try to bring that into all aspects of my work, labor and in art. And so I do see a connection in my comedy as one way for us to challenge our perceptions of the world around us and to provide opportunity for us to imagine a world in which we are free to be as we want to be. And to - and we are free to radically imagine a future in which we find joy.
HUNTE: Yeah. When you were talking earlier about, like, bringing joy into activism, I was reminded of this Emma Golden (ph) quote. She was a political activist in like the 19 - early 1900s in America. And she has this quote where she says, "If I can't dance, I don't want to be in your revolution."
HUNTE: Why do you think activists feel the need to be perceived as so serious? You've managed to bring a lot of joy into it. Like, you joked on MSNBC about charging tourists $10 to take photos with a real, live Native American - yourself.
GOLDTOOTH: I forgot about that.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "AM JOY")
GOLDTOOTH: I got a couple tourists taking pictures of me, you know, and I charge them $10, you know? I got to get something out of it, you know?
Dang. I say some silly - some stupid stuff sometimes.
HUNTE: Sometimes. And it's great.
HUNTE: And it's great, and it makes people laugh, so it's perfect. But why do you think activists want to be perceived as being serious?
GOLDTOOTH: Well, I don't think that activists want to be. And I don't want to, like.
GOLDTOOTH: I don't want to take away from folks' righteous anger, right?
HUNTE: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely.
GOLDTOOTH: Like, sometimes, rage is justified. Anger is justified because we are dealing with a system that is predicated upon the oppression of many for the benefit of a few.
GOLDTOOTH: And so I don't want to take that away. But I also see that what colonization does to us, how it actually affects us in the body - it takes away our ability to use our complete self to respond to the world around us.
HUNTE: Right. Yeah.
GOLDTOOTH: Right? And I feel like the ability to laugh, like - right? - the freedom to laugh is one of the first things that gets cut.
GOLDTOOTH: it's one of the first things that the colonizing mentality takes from us - is the ability to not only feel joy but to express joy.
GOLDTOOTH: And so as such, I feel like it's essential for us to bring joy into the work that we are doing, to allow ourselves to feel it and to express joy. And for a lot of folks, it's hard to do because, like, we have a perceived identity - in order to be an activist, in order to be an organizer, you have to be angry all the time.
GOLDTOOTH: And I feel like that in of itself is a causation of colonization, right?
GOLDTOOTH: Like, anger is a natural part of our emotions. But, like, we have to allow ourselves to access other parts of our emotional spectrum.
HUNTE: Yeah. You know, this feels very related to your characters unseen - on screen, sorry. You're trying to push against all this stoic and mystical imagery of the Native American. You know, there's a scene in the second season that you co-wrote where two older guys are near a stream trying to break a curse.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "RESERVATION DOGS")
GOLDTOOTH: (As Spirit) Creator. I pray you take pity upon these kids. They did something they ain't proud of.
HUNTE: But the whole time they're actually arguing about sleeping with the same woman.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "RESERVATION DOGS")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As character) You should not sleep with your buddy's old lady while they're broke up 'cause there's a good chance they will get back together again like we did.
HUNTE: You know, it's not that holy, but, you know, you're there as Spirit.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "RESERVATION DOGS")
GOLDTOOTH: (As Spirit) Oh, warrior. (Vocalizing).
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #2: (As character) What's he waving at?
GOLDTOOTH: (As Spirit) You tell them. You tell the little (expletive) there that this most sacredness of ceremonies is complete.
HUNTE: So you poke fun at the serious work of organizing and the stereotypical seriousness of ritual. What else do you think is too serious?
GOLDTOOTH: That's a great way you phrase it. I like that. The seriousness of ritual, right? That's a great phrase. I'm taking that. I'm taking it. I'm going to use that one.
HUNTE: Fine. Yeah.
GOLDTOOTH: I just want to give a little backstory. That actual scene is straight from a sketch that the 1491s, that we used to do for years.
GOLDTOOTH: We did - 1491s, our all-Native comedy troupe. All of us are in the writers' room. Sterlin Harjo's one of the members. And we had this sketch that - it's a bunch of Native men in a sweat lodge, which is a ceremony. And in the sketch, that exchange happens where there's two men who - one guy's ex is now dating the other one, and they passively aggressively offer prayers. And they don't want to talk to each other, so they talk to the creator instead. And they have an argument. And we felt it was like, this is a perfect moment to bring that sketch into the show. And its purpose exactly what you said - it was to challenge, like, the seriousness of ritual and to, like, poke fun at ourselves as Native men when we take ourselves way too serious. And you actually could take away the word Native. Sometimes as men, how we take ourselves way too serious at times.
GOLDTOOTH: And our own dysfunction as men, our toxicity as men sometimes is so damn hilarious. Like, we are so dysfunctional. It is like, when you step back, do you see what you guys are doing? Like, do you see how you are behaving? Like, we're just children. That's all you are. And so that's kind of the inspiration for that scene.
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HUNTE: Coming up, what his father, a legendary organizer, thinks of his acting.
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HUNTE: You know, pulling back after all this direct action with clear impacts, like stopping the Keystone XL pipeline, I wonder how you're feeling about the impact of your acting work. You know, what kind of impact are you looking for in your work?
GOLDTOOTH: Oh, I don't know. That's a - I've been really struggling with this lately because the acting work - I've been getting more acting jobs, and I'm trying to get into writing.
GOLDTOOTH: And a part of me is trying to justify it, right? Like, OK, I can - I'm making a change. I'm making a difference in doing this work. But I also - I still have that perception that activism has to be done in a certain way, right? I have this perception that change can only come from a certain route.
GOLDTOOTH: And I see the acting work and the TV work as, like, almost lesser than. And I'm trying to deal with that. I guess the part of me that does justify the work that I'm doing now with storytelling comes from the core understanding that really, you cannot have a successful social movement - you cannot have a successful civil rights movie - you can't have a successful outcome without a story-based strategy. Like, it's stories that move us. It is stories that provide hope for change. Every aspect of our society, every aspect of our economy and the world we live in is based on stories. It's fabrications. What's money?
GOLDTOOTH: Money is fabricated. We put power into it, right?
GOLDTOOTH: And right now, the story that we live in, the story of extraction and capitalism and colonization is the bedrock of our country and of the world economy. And what we're trying to offer is an alternative to that story. Indigenous peoples, Black, brown, poor white folks - we've have been working tirelessly to challenge that story. And I feel like my part in, like, making fun of it and making fun of how we how we see ourselves is just a little bit of dismantling that.
HUNTE: Yeah. Can you talk about a memorable story that you used in organizing?
GOLDTOOTH: Back in the middle of the Keystone XL pipeline fight, which was a fight against a tar sands pipeline that was going to pass through traditional Lakota Dakota territories through so-called South Dakota. We brought both Native and Non-Native landowners, front-line folks to Washington, D.C. We set up a bunch of teepees on the National Mall. It was pretty awesome. During that time, we brought horseback riders - we had over 35 or so horseback riders - into Washington, D.C. on horseback - Native and non-Native - brought them to the doorstep of then-President Barack Obama, his house. And we had the most die-hard Republican ranchers of western Nebraska sitting down with Native folks - who predominately vote Democrat, who are, like, more - obviously very progressive - and find commonality and find common ground in the protection of water. And it was that struggle to protect the sacredness of water that really brought them together. And I see that as a pivotal moment where we really built collective power and flexed our muscle. And, you know, a year later, President Obama canceled or rejected the permit for that pipeline. And we won.
HUNTE: Yeah. I'm curious - your dad is, like, this legendary organizer. What does he think of your acting?
GOLDTOOTH: My dad supports my acting and my artistic expression to the fullest. Well, let me start over. My brother, Migizi Pensoneau - he's one of the producers of "Reservation Dogs." He's my stepbrother. We grew up with each other. And we always wanted to tell stories. And we would film, like, backyard movies in my dad's shed.
GOLDTOOTH: And the entire purpose was just to make my dad and my family and our aunties and uncles laugh. That was - that's what our goal was.
GOLDTOOTH: And I'm so lucky that we've gone from videos in my dad's shed to being on Hulu and, like, making stories on, like - with the millions of dollars of production value behind it.
GOLDTOOTH: My dad sees the power of story, understands the power of the arts and really supports me. And I am so grateful for that support and really appreciate the way he allows me to be an organizer but then also take the time to create and create story. So I'm so grateful for him.
HUNTE: Yeah. So what's your plan, you know, going forward? You know, looking at Twitter, there's hype for the shows that you work on but also frustration with newly planned pipelines. Are you going to continue to do the activism and the art? Like, how are you feeling going into the future?
GOLDTOOTH: That is the question of the moment. You're tapping into my dilemmas right now. Thank you.
GOLDTOOTH: I want to try to do my best to keep my feet planted in both - right? - but also be very mindful of my limitations. Because of, like, the acting stuff and the writing work - that I've had to step back further from the activism and organizing work. And other folks have had to pick up the work that I had to drop.
GOLDTOOTH: But at the same time, I am still a part of the movement to create systemic change by telling stories that challenge the way the world is, but also to offer opportunities for us to envision a better future.
GOLDTOOTH: And I will always be committed to supporting grassroots front-line communities. So that's the best I can do.
HUNTE: Thanks again to actor, organizer and activist Dallas Goldtooth. He stars in and writes for the series "Reservation Dogs," which is now in its second season on FX. This episode of IT'S BEEN A MINUTE was produced by Andrea Gutierrez. It was edited by Jessica Placzek, with support from Jessica Mendoza. Engineering support came from Kwesi Lee, and our executive producer is Veralyn Williams. Listeners, we'd love to hear from you. Follow us on Twitter at @NPRItsBeenAMin That's M-I-N. And you can also email us at [email protected]. That's [email protected]. All right. We're back on Friday. Take care everyone. I'm Tracie Hunte. Talk soon.
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According to a Native American legend, the dog freely chose to become a companion to man. This legend has the virtue of being romantic – and, in a way, true, at least according to some scientific theories.
These encounters add layers of complexity to the plot, keeping readers guessing about the true nature of the curse and its origins. Throughout the book, Derpexion's vivid descriptions and masterful storytelling bring the world of "The Cursed Prince" to life. The author creates a sense of urgency and suspense that keeps readers hooked until the very end. The pacing is skillfully balanced, with action-packed scenes interspersed with moments of introspection and character development. One of the aspects that sets "The Cursed Prince" apart is the underlying themes of love, sacrifice, and redemption. Prince Ethan's journey is not only a quest to break the curse that plagues his family but also an exploration of his own inner demons. As he faces numerous challenges and makes difficult choices, readers are taken on an emotional roller coaster that tugs at their heartstrings. In conclusion, "The Cursed Prince" is a captivating and enchanting tale that showcases Derpexion's writing prowess. With its engrossing plot, well-rounded characters, and underlying themes, it is a must-read for fantasy lovers. From start to finish, this novel will keep readers on the edge of their seats, eagerly turning the pages to uncover the fate of Prince Ethan and his cursed lineage..
Reviews for "The Cursed Bloodline: The Dark Legacy of the Prince by Derpexion"
1. Jane - ★☆☆☆☆
I really struggled to get through "The Cursed Prince" by Derpexion. The story was confusing and had several plot holes that were never explained. The characters were flat and lacked any depth, making it difficult to connect with them. The writing style was also quite unimpressive, with awkward sentence structures and repetitive phrases. Overall, I was thoroughly disappointed with this book and would not recommend it.
2. Michael - ★★☆☆☆
"The Cursed Prince" by Derpexion had an interesting premise but failed to deliver on its potential. The pacing was slow, with long stretches of mundane descriptions that didn't add anything to the story. The dialogue felt forced and unrealistic, making it hard to believe in the interactions between the characters. Additionally, the romance subplot felt forced and lacked chemistry. While the world-building had some potential, it was underdeveloped and left me wanting more. Overall, I found this book to be mediocre and wouldn't recommend it to others.
3. Sarah - ★★☆☆☆
I had high hopes for "The Cursed Prince" by Derpexion, but it fell short in several aspects. The plot was predictable, with cliched twists and turns that I saw coming from miles away. The writing style was mediocre, lacking the lyrical prose and vivid descriptions that can make a fantasy novel truly immersive. The characters were one-dimensional and felt like archetypes rather than fully fleshed out individuals. While the book had some redeeming qualities, such as its world-building, they weren't enough to make up for its overall shortcomings. I was left feeling disappointed and unsatisfied with this read.
4. Robert - ★☆☆☆☆
"The Cursed Prince" by Derpexion was a complete letdown. The writing was juvenile and lacked sophistication, making it difficult to take the story seriously. The plot felt contrived and poorly executed, with numerous unrealistic events and conveniences. The characters were shallow and uninteresting, lacking any depth or complexity. The dialogue was stilted and unnatural, further pulling me out of the story. Overall, this book was a waste of time, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone seeking a well-written and immersive fantasy novel.