Marvel Television’s “Echo” is the first show dubbed in the Choctaw language, and that dub is now streaming on Disney+.
“Echo” debuted on Disney+ in January of this year, and the five-episode series follows Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) as she’s pursued by Wilson Fisk’s criminal empire.
When the journey brings her home to Oklahoma, Maya must confront her own family and legacy. The gritty, grounded series is a self-contained story that follows Maya’s pursuit of power and revenge. But at the heart of the show is a burgeoning antihero with roots in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, U.S.A.
CULTURAL SPECIFICITY
To ensure that cultural specificity and authenticity carried through every aspect of the series, filmmakers reached out to the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, working closely with key members such as Chief Gary Batton, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Dr. Ian Thompson, and Executive Director of Cultural Services Seth Fairchild.
“Accurate portrayal of Choctaw history and culture was hugely important to everyone on the show — which is why Marvel Television was thrilled to have the team come back to create a Choctaw dub of Echo,” the company said.
Teri Billy, Assistant Director of the Chahta Anumpa Aiikhvna, School of Choctaw Language, consulted on “Echo” during production and returned to lead the translation and dubbing effort.
UNDERSTANDING TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY
“’Echo’ was never about outsiders coming in and telling a story,” Billy says about the series. “They sincerely asked for our input about Choctaw culture and language, and it really shaped the end product. It will be especially inspiring for our tribal members to see a production like this translated into our language, which enhances understanding of tribal sovereignty.”
Cox, born and raised in the Menominee Indian Reservation in Wisconsin, U.S.A., is part Mohican — and, as a deaf and single amputee, she was excited to tell more of Maya’s story in an authentic, respectful way.
“I was able to connect with her rage and her sadness because she grew up with a lot of trauma in her life,” she says of playing Maya, a burgeoning antihero.
