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Stereotypes of Native Americans
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This article discusses the various stereotypes of Native Americans present in Western societies. American Indians are indigenous peoples native to the supercontinent of America prior to European settlement, and are also often referred to as Native Americans (in the US) or First Nations (in Canada). This article primarily discusses stereotypes present in Canadian and American culture, but the same or similar stereotypes are present in many other Western societies as well. Stereotypical representations of people of Native American heritage are often manifested in a society's media, literature, theatre and other creative expressions, but often have very real repercussions for American Indians in daily interactions and in current events.
The Media Awareness Network of Canada (MNet) has prepared a number of statements about the portrayals of American Indians, First Nations of Canada and Alaskan Natives in the media:
- Westerns and documentaries have tended to portray Natives as stereotypes: the wise elder, the aggressive drunk, the Indian princess, the loyal sidekick, obese and impoverished. These images have become known across North America.
- Native Americans have been stereotyped as nature lovers or devoted environmentalists who believe that all people must respect it. This is shown in TV, comics, and even games. An example of this is Nightwolf from Mortal Kombat.
- Hollywood's portrayal of the American West essentially used Native tribes as a malignant presence to be wiped out or reined in, or depicted as a form of local "wildlife".
- Portrayals of Native characters as primitive, criminal, violent, rapists, deceptive, lower intellect, or as passive and full of childlike obedience, extended to TV, movies, novels, radio talk shows and comics.
- In the 1980s and 1990s, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) made efforts to improve the portrayals of Aboriginal people in its television dramas. Spirit Bay, The Beachcombers, North of 60 and The Rez used Native actors to portray their own people, living real lives and earning believable livelihoods in identifiable parts of the country.
- U.S. television has been slower to respond to criticisms of native American stereotyping, although there have been a few efforts to change the situation.
- Stereotyped issues include simplistic characterizations, romanticization of Native culture and stereotyping by omission—showing American Indians in a historical rather than modern context.[1]
- Native Americans are perceived as rich per gaming revenues. Not all tribes own tribal gaming operations/establishments and many tribal groups have issues on not everyone of their tribal ancestry can't obtain paychecks if they can't prove their tribal membership roll.
- The claim that Native Americans cannot grow facial hair is a common misconception and stereotype. Some tribes have possessed genetic traits to grow mustaches or after intermarriage with white Europeans over five centuries, most Native Americans today can grow beards. [2][3][4]
A Florida area Native American, 1700s.
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See also
References
- ^ Media Awareness Network. "Common Portrayals of Aboriginal People"
- ^ "Amerindian Pictures Painted by Those Who Were There". Hutchison Research Center. Retrieved on 2008-05-08.
- ^ "Frequently Asked Questions - Page 2". WWW Virtual Library - American Indians, Index of Native American Resources on the Internet. Retrieved on 2008-05-08.
- ^ "Iroquois History". Jordan S. Dill. Retrieved on 2008-05-08.
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Ethnic stereotypes in Western popular culture |
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