Considering Native American Stereotypes in the  21st Century

Native American imagery has been commonplace in advertising since the late 1800’s. Incorporating an almost exclusively Plains Indian repertoire (a region that represents only 5% of the Native population), war bonnets, face paint, teepees and pinto ponies were, and remain, stock elements in the representation and reduction of 567 distinct nations into a generic hodgepodge.  

More recently, the appeal of the Plains Indian motif has lost traction in advertising, but it is far from exhausted. Popular culture, fashion, and the music industry refuse to disengage, actively mixing, matching, and trivializing cultural

components in outrageously inappropriate ways. This practice of “playing Indian” extends from celebrity parties to music festivals. 

Pervasive in the 1940’s and 50’s, the stereotypes of rampant alcoholism, poverty and laziness have largely been relegated to the past. Unfortunately, fresh stereotypes have sprouted from their ashes. First Nations individuals today are more likely to be framed as Spiritual Teachers, Rich Indians, Tax Free Indians, Militants, Pseudo-Indians, and Smugglers.

While these overly simplified images are often negative, even positive stereotypes can be grossly inaccurate. Today, Indigenous people are expected to serve as “keepers of primordial wisdom,” sport traditional attire, be one with the natural world, and speak their languages. Those who lack these romantically appealing attributes are often regarded as inauthentic impostors.