Explained | Osage Indian Murders that inspired Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon

During the early 20th century, the Osage Nation, a Native American tribe living on an Oklahoma reservation, experienced a harrowing period filled with fear and violence. This turbulent era, known as the Osage Indian murders, serves as the backdrop for Martin Scorsese's highly anticipated film,Killers of the Flower Moon. Based on journalist David Grann's non-fiction book of the same name, the movie is scheduled to make its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday, presented in the Out of Competition category. Scorsese and Eric Roth have penned the screenplay.

With a budget of $200 million, the film boasts of an impressive cast, including frequent collaborators of Scorsese such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro. Joining them are Jesse Plemons, Lily Gladstone, Brendan Fraser, and John Lithgow, among other notable actors.

Here is an explainer of the whole saga. I have tried to tell the story while avoiding spoilers for the film even though many of these events are more than a century old.

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Osage Nation and Osage Indian murders

The Osage Nation refers to both the Native American tribe and the region in Oklahoma that served and still serves as their homeland. Just like other Native American peoples in the Americas Osage Nation had experienced a series of challenges and injustices. They had been relocated from their ancestral lands through a series of treaties with the United States government.

But their fate took a significant turn in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the discovery of massive oil reserves beneath their lands. They had retained ownership of the mineral rights to their lands, and thus became wealthy almost overnight. They received royalties from the oil companies for the extraction of oil from their properties.

However, this sudden money also attracted a dark underbelly of greed, corruption, and exploitation. The Osage faced numerous challenges as unscrupulous individuals sought to take advantage of their riches. They were subjected to fraud, theft, and manipulation as outsiders tried to gain control over their wealth.

Then, in the early 1920s, a series of inexplicable disappearances and deaths plagued the Osage community. Members of the tribe began to die under suspicious circumstances, and fear and paranoia spread like wildfire. One by one, Osage men and women were found murdered, their deaths shrouded in mystery. The community became gripped by terror as loved ones vanished and the culprits remained elusive.

These murders became known as the Osage murders or the Reign of Terror.

Newly formed Bureau of Investigation steps in to investigate

The magnitude of the crimes prompted the newly formed Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which was called just BOI or Bureau of Investigation then, to intervene. This was FBI's first major case. Enter Tom White, a former Texas Ranger assigned to the case. White, accompanied by his team, delved into the intricate web of deceit that surrounded the Osage murders. They soon discovered a deeply sinister plot driven by one of the most common motivations imaginable: greed.

Behind the murders lay a conspiracy rooted in a system designed to systematically strip the Osage of their wealth. This web of corruption involved unscrupulous individuals who would stop at nothing to seize the vast fortunes that the tribe possessed. As the investigation deepened, it became clear that the murders were not isolated incidents but rather part of a carefully orchestrated campaign.

In their pursuit of justice, White and his team encountered countless obstacles. Witness intimidation, tampered evidence, and widespread corruption were just a few of the challenges they faced. Even J. Edgar Hoover, the first Director of FBI, was in a rush to close the case. But White remained firm. As the investigation continued, he unearthed a vast network of co-conspirators, including white settlers, oil tycoons, and even members of the Osage community itself. The scale of the conspiracy was staggering, and it became apparent that uncovering the truth would require unwavering determination and immense courage.

The investigation marked a turning point for the Bureau of Investigation, establishing its reputation as a capable and effective law enforcement agency. The success of the investigation helped solidify the FBI's authority and set the stage for its future involvement in high-profile criminal cases.

The case also had a broader impact on the legal landscape. The case exposed the need for federal intervention in cases where local authorities were compromised or incapable of delivering justice. It highlighted the importance of protecting the rights and safety of marginalised communities, such as the Osage people, and addressing systemic corruption within law enforcement.

Also Read:Martin Scorsese latest film Killers of the Flower Moon's final runtime is HUGE!

Killers of the Flower Moon, the movie

Killers of the Flower Moon,the movie that is, promises to be a riveting cinematic experience that will not only entertain but also educate and provoke thought. The synopsis of the movie reads, "In the 1920s, members of the Osage Native American tribe of Osage County, Oklahoma, are murdered after oil is found on their land, and the FBI decides to investigate."

After its Cannes premiere on May 20, Killers of the Flower Moon will release in select cinemas on October 6. It will then get a wider release on October 20. At one point, it will also be available for streaming on Apple TV+.

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