Wise American Indian chief from the movie Drums Across the River

This article discusses the various stereotypes of Native Americans present in Western societies. American Indians are indigenous peoples native to the continent of America prior to European settlement, and are also often referred to as Native Americans. This article primarily discusses Native American stereotypes present in 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. Image File history File links Dying_Indian_man_Drums_Across_the_River_1954_film. ... Image File history File links Dying_Indian_man_Drums_Across_the_River_1954_film. ... Leonardo da Vincis Vitruvian Man, for many a symbol of the changes of the Western culture during the Renaissance Western culture or Western civilization is a term used to refer to the cultures of the people of European origin and their descendants. ... Olmec script These glyphs written in Epi-Olmec script, the earliest examples of writing in the Americas, give a calendar date of 7. ... World map showing the Americas CIA political map of the Americas The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World consisting of the continents of North America[1], Central America and South America with their associated islands and regions. ... Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States, including parts of Alaska. ... A 19th century childrens book informs its readers that the Dutch are a very industrious race, and that Chinese children are very obedient to their parents. ... Old book bindings at the Merton College library. ... Serge Sudeikins poster for the Bat Theatre (1922). ... Highlights The so-called iTunes Law, which Apple has called state-sponsored piracy, is approved by the French Parliament (coat of arms pictured). ...

The Media Awareness Network of Canada (MNet) has prepared a number of statements about the portrayals of American Indian 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. These images have become ingrained in the consciousness of all North Americans.
• Hollywood's portrayal of the American West essentially used Native tribes as a malignant presence to be wiped out or reined in.
• Portrayals of Native characters as primitive, violent and deceptive, or as passive and full of childlike obedience, extended to TV, novels 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 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]

See also

• Noble savage
• Indian giver
• Ethnic stereotype
• Ethnic stereotypes in American media
• Ethnic stereotypes in popular culture
• Ethnic stereotypes in pornography
• Stereotype threat
• Racial profiling

A section of Benjamin Wests The Death of General Wolfe; Wests depiction of this Native American has been considered an idealization in the tradition of the Noble savage (Fryd, 75) In the 18th century culture of Primitivism the noble savage, uncorrupted by the influences of civilization was considered... Indian giver is an American English expression used for any individual who gives something and then either takes it back or wants to take it back. ... An ethnic stereotype is a generalized representation of an ethnic group, composed of what are thought to be typical characteristics of members of the group. ... Ethnic stereotypes in the American media are oversimplified depictions of various ethnic groups in the United States. ... Ethnic stereotypes in popular culture, involve a stereotypical representation of the typical characteristics of a members of an ethnic group in music, literature, print media, film and the performing arts that is often false or over-simplified. ... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ... The effect of Stereotype threat. ... Racial profiling, also known as ethnic profiling, is the inclusion of racial or ethnic characteristics in determining whether a person is considered likely to commit a particular type of crime (see Offender Profiling). ...

References

1. ^ Media Awareness Network. "Common Portrayals of Aboriginal People"