'Reservation Dogs' Star D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai Brings MMIP to Emmy's

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By Elyse Wild

September 16, 2024

Woon-A-Tai (Oji-Cree) was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Bear Smallhill in FX on Hulu’s smash-hit series Reservation Dogs. He is the first Indigenous North American actor ever nominated in the award’s leading actor category. At the award ceremony, which was held on Sunday at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles, the 22-year-old cut a striking image in a black tuxedo and red handprint on his mouth.

Red handprints have become a symbol of the MMIP movement, a grassroots effort to bring long-awaited attention to the disproportionately high rates of Indigenous people who go missing or are murdered. Many Native cultures believe that red is the only color spirits can see.

According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, there are 5,712 unsolved MMIP cases in the United States; however, advocates say the number is likely much higher due to inconsistencies in datakeeping.

In the United States, the crisis prompted the 2021 formation of The Not Invisible Act Commission (NIAC). Last year, the 41-person body — composed of tribal leaders, Native community members and advocates, law enforcement,  family members of missing and murdered individuals, and survivors — submitted a 200+ page report with recommendations to Congress to address the ongoing crisis.

The reports detailed the multitude of factors that drive the MMIP crisis: underfunded law enforcement and victim’s services, federal apathy, jurisdictional confusion, and underwhelming media coverage. 

Woon-A-Tai spoke to The Canadian Press last week, saying he hopes his Emmy nomination inspires Indigenous youth.

“I don’t know what an Emmy Award will really do for stopping issues that we face on a daily basis,” said Woon-A-Tai. “It just gives us hope. It gives hope to a kid on a reservation that they could also be on that stage and do it too, and they can.”

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