FNS 198 From Disney's Pocahontas to the NFL: Stereotypes

Topics in Indian Country

Cultural identity & language revitalization

"Many Natives who attended boarding schools lost their sense of self through enforced shaming of their cultural identity. Today, many tribes in the United States are reviving their traditions and cultures.  Central to this cultural renaissance is the importance of language and ceremony. " (Running Strong)

Environment & conservation

"Tribes look to their land and natural resources to provide and support essential elements of Native life and culture—from subsistence hunting, fishing, and gathering, to sources of economic development and tribal sacred places" (NCAI).

Healthcare

"Lower life expectancy and the disproportionate disease burden [among American Indian and Alaska Native people] exist perhaps because of inadequate education, disproportionate poverty, discrimination in the delivery of health services, and cultural differences" (IHS).

Language revitalization

"Native language revitalization is a critical priority for tribes because language goes to the heart of tribal identity. A language is not simply a collection of words; nor is one language interchangeable with another. In many ways, language is culture" (NCAI).

Film, art, literature, dance & music

"Negative Indian stereotypes – especially those perpetuated by sports mascots – affect the reputation and self-image of every single Native person and foster ongoing discrimination against tribal citizens" (NCAI).

Powwows

Powwows are "a gathering of Native people for the purpose of singing, dancing, celebration, and socialization. It consists of ceremonies, dance competitions, and social dancing" (UNL).

Racism & poverty

"Native Americans fall at the bottom of assessments of education, health status, and income, and at the top of assessments of crime victimization and incarceration [...] patterns emerge across the eras as tribes are reinscribed as inferior, limited, and defined by their race to justify limiting tribal independence and controlling Indian people" (Berger, 2009).

Religious freedom

"Because many Native traditions did not fit prevalent Protestant Christian definitions of 'religion,' the practices and beliefs of Native communities often have not received protection under the First Amendment" (Pluralism Project).

Stereotypes & institutional mascots

"Rather than honoring Native peoples, these caricatures and stereotypes are harmful, perpetuate negative stereotypes of America’s first peoples, and contribute to a disregard for the personhood of Native peoples" (NCAI).

Tribal sovereignty & reservations

"The governmental status of tribal nations is at the heart of nearly every issue that touches Indian Country. Self-government is essential if tribal communities are to continue to protect their unique cultures and identities (NCAI).