2.9 — “Tattoo”
Plot: A symbol which Chakotay finds during an away mission in the Delta Quadrant causes him to flash back to lessons his father taught him about the Sky Spirits, and to suspect that his tribe has extraterrestrial origins. Meanwhile, EMH gives himself (itself?) a virus in response to Kes’ suggestion that he learn to emphasize with the crew.
Thoughts: Apart from the EMH subplot, which was leavened by Robert Picardo’s droll performance, this episode tried my patience severely.
I don’t think that “Tattoo” is an episode that sets out to be disrespectful to Native Americans, yet I am left with the impression that disrespect has been rendered. I didn’t get the fragmentary story straight on first watching, but consulting the transcript indicates that Chakotay says that “Sky Spirits” led his ancestors, the Rubber People (which may refer to an Aztec tribe called the Omecs) to a sacred land in the rain forests of Central America where they would live for eternity, and taught them to honor the land. Chakotay’s father leads an expedition from the colony on the borders of Cardassian space back to Central America and finds the tribe still hidden living in primitive conditions and in a state of awe to encounter outsiders. They have no special powers but are so puissant in their mysticism that the universal translators fail to work on them, and yet Chakotay’s father can speak their language.
When I go back and read the transcript, especially the denouement where the alien recognizes Chakotay as an “inheritor,” it’s hard to put my finger on what is so triggering to me. Maybe it has something to do with the casting of a Mexican-American actor (Robert Beltran) to play the Native American Chakotay and the romanticization and othering of his ersatz, simplified cultural heritage. Maybe it’s the insistence of viewing Native Americans through the lens of the supposed wisdom they have to teach us, the dominant cultural oppressor, as if our perspective is the only one that counts. The Native Americans are so wise, their wisdom came from outer space! Maybe I’m just incredulous that these aliens would be found in the Delta Quadrant, of all places, and the first question asked of them would not be about how Voyager can similarly accomplish interstellar travel quickly over vast distances.
When I first watched, I thought the episode was telling us that the aliens had traveled to Chakotay’s colony as well as to Earth, but I can’t certify whether that point was confusing or whether I wasn’t paying sufficient attention.
A big deal is made about Chakotay reconnecting with his roots, which might be more compelling if he had lost touch with these roots earlier than the start of the episode. Prior to this, he has been seen carrying around a medicine bag and sharing his private rituals with Janeway and others on board, in addition to sporting his prominent facial tattoo. It seems like the writers believe they can project any kind of faith story on the canvas of the character without worrying about consistency.
I’m starting to wonder if my impatience with this story is idiosyncratic, however. Is the treatment of Chakotay’s cultural heritage actually more patronizing than the treatment of other characters’ heritage? Or do I just react this way?
I was also irritated by how the script keeps plucking illogical people into away missions while they are performing other important tasks, like Tuvok, Kes, and Janeway, as if the production team has entirely given up pretending there are more than eight people and one hologram aboard the ship.
1 out of 5 hawk attacks. Like Red Wing from Marvel comics. Get it?
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