Johnny Depp joins Native American tribe

New York: Johnny Depp has been made an honorary member of the Comanche tribe. Depp, who is in New Mexico, shooting the film adaptation of ‘The Lone Ranger,’ plays ‘Ranger’ sidekick Tonto in the movie. Comanche Nation tribal member LaDonna Harris said on Tuesday that the tribal chairman presented the actor with a proclamation at her Albuquerque home May 16, the New York Daily News reported. She said the Comanche adoption tradition implies that she now considers Depp her son. Harris said the 48-year-old seemed humbled. His spokeswoman, Jayne Ngo, confirmed that the actor participated in a ceremony, but she declined to provide further details. Harris said she had read in interviews that Depp identified himself as being part Native American, so she thought it would be fun to adopt him, a tradition she claims is common in Comanche culture. She said that she ran the idea past her adult children, and they agreed. Harris said that she reached out to the ‘Dark Shadows’ star through a friend who is working as a cultural adviser on the ‘Lone Ranger’ set. The Comanche Nation is based in Lawton, Okla. About half of its 15,000 members live in southwestern Oklahoma. ANI