An unusual phrase, “stoodis,” can be heard throughout Netflix’s Rez Ball, and the term has an interesting origin in Native American culture. Since Rez Ball was inspired by a true story, it deals with a lot of very realistic parts of Navajo culture and life. From the darker realities of life on a reservation to lighter, more hopeful parts like the importance of high school basketball to the Navajo community, almost everything in Rez Ball connects to the real world. Likewise, one of its most confusing lines is also rooted in reality.
The characters in Rez Ball use some interesting terms and phrases, many of which aren’t very well-known. Those terms range from culturally-specific insults the Chuska Warriors lob at each other and opponents on the court to references to aspects of life on the Navajo reservation, like “sheep camp.” One of the most frequently used, however, was the phrase “stoodis.” It was used several times throughout Rez Ball, and it’s even one of the final words of the movie, yet its meaning wasn’t explained in the film. “Stoodis” is even more culturally important – and widely used – than Rez Ball made it out to be.
The Chuska Warriors Say “Stoodis” In Rez Ball: Meaning & Origin Explained
“Stoodis” Is A Slang Term For “Let’s Do This”
“Stoodis” has a relatively simple meaning in both Rez Ball and in real life. “Stoodis” is just a slang term that serves as shorthand for the phrase “let’s do this.” The Chuska Warriors use “stoodis” in much the same way throughout Rez Ball. Jimmy says it to Bryson just before entering the arena at the beginning of the state championship, and he says it again to Gloria after she challenges him to a pickup game at the end of Rez Ball, along with a few other instances of the phrase. Though it has a simple definition, the origin of “stoodis” runs deeper.
As a phrase, “stoodis” seems to be common among people from Oklahoma, whose accents often merge “let’s do this” into a single word, but it has even more popularity among Native American youths. Indigenous teenagers in both the United States and Canada have been using “stoodis” for years, but it seems to have gained popularity from a meme using another popular phrase, “skoden,” which means “let’s go, then,” (via CBC). Since it gained popularity through the internet, both “stoodis” and “skoden” aren’t unique to a single tribe, but are used by younger members of tribes across North America.
“Stoodis” Is Also Used In Reservation Dogs, Which Was Written By Rez Ball’s Writer
Sterlin Harjo Included The Slang Term In Two Notable Projects
“Stoodis” can also be heard in another notable project that focuses on Native American teenagers: Reservation Dogs. Sterlin Harjo wrote both Reservation Dogs and Rez Ball, which helps explain why the phrase appears in both the show and the movie. Harjo is also a member of the Seminole tribe from Oklahoma, which makes his use of “stoodis” even more natural. It even makes sense that the kids in Reservation Dogs and Rez Ball both use the term, even though they’re members of the Muscogee and Navajo tribes, respectively, since “stoodis” has found use in several different tribes.
Rez Ball‘s use of the term “stoodis” adds quite a bit of authenticity to its story and characters, and it helps the film paint an accurate portrayal of life on a reservation. Even though people from Oklahoma use the same terms, both “stoodis” and “skoden” have taken on a life of their own among Indigenous peoples. The phrases appear in memes and songs, and now movies and shows, made by Native American people. “Stoodis” is a perfectly fitting addition to Rez Ball, a movie that is so deeply tied to Native American culture.
Source: CBC
