Okay so as much as football uses stereotypes in their symbols (I believe, Vikings-Fan-Sam, that I recently fondant-painted a face sort of like this but of a stereotype of a viking instead of a Native American onto a cake for you...) the placement of these flags is both sad and hysterical. After all of that discussion about "survivance" in the museum, I can't help but think this is not what they were imagining when they wrote about re-making and pushing for continuation of their culture. Of course the more acceptable version of Native Americans is portrayed within the museum, as a representation of a society and a culture. But I might venture to say that the more accepted version of Native Americans by present day American society is full of stereotypes such as the one above, and we need only a Halloween store to see that exemplified. You would have a lot of difficulty finding a, say, Puritan costume, but there are "Indian" costumes galore with various stereotypical portrayals included.
I agree with what you are saying. The using of a mascot is another forum where Native American culture is belittled. Some people think that they are honoring the culture of the "brave warrior". No its demeaning. And its sad. I just wish we can move from it.
ReplyDeleteI do not think "hysterical" is appropriate with describing the photo. I think its sad and illustrates how we think of the indigenous cultures in this country. They are dying and we are eulogizing before they are even dead. Indian Nations try to revitilize themselves every year but how is that going? the Bureau is never taken seriously. And it should. Why? Out of respect, post colonial guilt, self interest, and empathy.
I think perhaps that linguistics are the only things between us agreeing. By hysterical, unlike the more common definition, I didn't mean funny but the more literal 'of, pertaining to, or characterized by hysteria' or a variety of other definitions that precede 'to laugh very hard' in a dictionary. I agree, though, that the photo is both sad and inflammatory.
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