8
NOVEMBER 15, 2017
S moke S ignals
Indigenous game developer under fire
By Danielle Frost
Smoke Signals staff writer
To say that Elizabeth LaPensée’s
new video game has caused a stir is
a bit of an understatement.
The 33-year-old former Grand
Ronde-area resident and indige-
nous game developer is under fire
from the oil industry as well as
state legislators in Minnesota, who
claim her latest creation, “Thun-
derbird Strike,” is encouraging
eco-terrorism.
In the 2-D, side-scrolling game,
players can control
a thunderbird — a
symbol in several
indigenous cultures
— that destroys a
snake, which is sym-
bolic for the oil in-
dustry’s pipelines.
However, LaP-
ensée said that the
thunderbirds also
can use their light-
ning strikes to heal
animals and people in the game,
and each move has an equal num-
ber of points.
“I am passing on stories from
my community with this game,”
LaPensée said. “If anyone plays
the game, they will see it advocates
for healing of the land. I think (the
backlash) comes from a lack of
understanding the game. In some
ways, people are looking for a target
and I unintentionally provided one
for them. The term ‘eco-terrorism’
is a bit scary to me. I am not an
eco-terrorist at all.”
She launched “Thunderbird
Strike,” at the ImagineNATIVE fes-
tival in Toronto, Canada, in mid-Oc-
tober. According to the organization’s
website, it is the world's largest pre-
senter of indigenous screen content.
The game was awarded Best Digital
Media, which LaPensée said is the
highest honor in her field.
LaPensée said that feedback on
the game was overall positive, with
one Tribe referring to it as “humor-
ous and historically accurate.”
“The idea was to playtest the
game with people, and then make it
as great as possible,” she said. “You
listen to your players, then iterate
the design based on feedback.”
“Thunderbird Strike” will be
available as an app for both An-
droid and iPhone in December.
The game was funded in part
with a $3,710 Artist Fellowship
grant from the Arrowhead Re-
gional Arts Council of Minnesota.
One of the criticisms LaPensée is
facing is that she lives in Michigan
now, but obtained a grant from
Minnesota.
“I moved here for an incredible
work opportunity, and substan-
tially completed the project before
leaving the state,” she said. “I be-
lieve in myself and the integrity of
this project, and am still working
on projects in Minnesota.”
LaPensée is an assistant pro-
fessor of Media and Information,
as well as Writing, Rhetoric and
American Cultures at Michigan
State University.
During her 10 years in the Grand
Ronde area, LaPensée, who iden-
tifies as Anishinaabe, Métis and
For more than 10 years, she has
Isaac Murdoch,
offered workshops to partners in-
and whose image
cluding the United Indian Students
is part of the inspi-
in Higher Education Youth Day in
ration behind the
Portland; Aboriginal Youth Science
video game.
Exchange Camp in Sault Ste. Ma-
“(Her) heart
rie, Ontario; Urban Native Youth
shows us that love
Association in Vancouver, British
is at the center of
Columbia; Native Girls Code for
healing and tend-
Gen7 in Seattle, Wash.; Electa
ing to the waters,”
Quinney Institute for American
it states.
Indian Education in Milwaukee,
The other art-
Wis.; and Salish Kootenai College
ist who inspired
in Polson, Mont.
LaPensée’s cre-
Contributed photos
“I grew up designing and I was a
ation is Métis
gamer,” she said. “But I never saw
Former Willamina resident
artist and scholar
myself depicted in anything. I knew
Dylan Miner, who
Elizabeth LaPensée, left, has
if I wanted to play a game with
has created art in
created an indigenous video
accurate representation, I would
support of banning
game called “Thunderbird
have to design it myself.”
pipelines on indig-
Strike” that is being criticized
Although LaPensée has moved
enous lands.
by the dominant culture as
across the country, she still visits
“This game is
promoting eco-terrorism
Grand Ronde and considers the
really focused on
because a thunderbird
area a big part of her life.
restoration,” she
destroys a snake, which is
“Everyone who has helped contrib-
said.
ute to who I am today, that means
symbolic of oil pipelines.
In addition to
a lot to me,” she said. “I honor all
“Thunderbird
of those who were fundamental for
Strike,”
LaPensée
has
developed
Irish, was active in the local com-
both myself and my children.”
several
video
games,
board
games,
munity, taking cultural classes and
To learn more about the game,
comics,
singing
games,
animations,
participating in events along with
visit
www.thunderbirdstrike.com.
artwork and stories.
her children.
“While I was in Grand Ronde, my
son made a drum there with a Tribal
Elder,” she said. “That will always
be a part of my children and myself.”
Two years ago, after her Willami-
na home was destroyed by wildfire,
she and her two children, then 4
and 7, moved to Minnesota.
“I lost everything but my laptop,
car and some clothes,” she said. “We
lived on the road for a few months,
and I decided that was the time to
take a chance because I didn’t real-
ly have to bring anything, and see
if I could find work in Minnesota.”
LaPensée said her identity as
an indigenous woman has gotten
lost in the media storm of the past
few weeks.
“I created this game because I
am an indigenous mother raising
my children, and we are passing
on these Thunderbird stories in
Photos by Michelle Alaimo
the hope that the water will be well
Gov.
Kate
Brown
ceremonially
signs
Senate
Bill
80
at
the Oregon State
enough for our children and future
Capitol building in Salem on Tuesday, Nov. 7. Tribal Elders and Marine
generations to thrive.”
The game’s website states that
Corps veterans Reyn Leno, behind Brown on the left, and Steve Bobb
in some Thunderbird stories, it has
Sr., to the right of Leno, were in attendance for the signing. Bobb
been said that for generations the
testified before the Senate for the bill and both Bobb and Leno testified
thunderers brought forth rain and
before the House during the public hearings for the bill. SB 80 directs
fires that renewed the lands and
the state Director of Veterans Affairs to provide aid and assistance to
the waters for plants, animals and
federally recognized Indian Tribes in Oregon with regard to programs of
fish. However, the unsatisfiable
service for Native American veterans and accreditation of federal Tribal
greed of another people brought
veterans representatives.
about such vast changes to the
lands and waters that the people
Tribal Elder
cried out for the return of the Thun-
and Marine
derbird people and their searing
Corps
lightning.
veteran
Under the “act” tab of the game’s
website, there is a description
Reyn Leno,
about the effect of oil pipelines on
left, talks
waterways.
with Gov.
“The Great Lakes need protec-
Kate Brown
tion to ensure the well-being of all
before she
of us,” it states. “Line 5, built by
signed
Enbridge in 1953, was designed to
Senate Bill
last only until 2003. Every day, the
80 at the
pipeline puts the Great Lakes at
Oregon
risk by transferring 540,000 barrels
of Alberta tar sands and Bakken
State Capitol
crude oil.”
building.
It also encourages users to share
the message of Thunderbird Wom-
an, drawn by Anishinaabe artist
SB 80 signing