NMAI_AmericansAttachmentJ.8ii.pdf

July 2014

Americans audience test July 2014/p. 1

Americans Audience testing: Images of non-Natives as Indians

Q: Do you see a general theme in these pictures?

(Letters below represent respondants, in the order they came up to the display. Words are as close as possible to actual words they used.)

A. These pictures honor Indians, like the Washington Redskins name does. I think they should be honored.

B. These pictures show objectification of Indian culture, and racism.

C. They show names of Indian tribes and outfits of Indians.

D. They show appropriation of culture. This is not based in respect; it’s not an exchange between equals. These symbols were taken, not given. I have lots of feelings about it.

E. They are very topical, with the Redskins using racial slurs. Very controversial.

F. They show people in feathers, warriors. White people dressed as Indians. None of these people are Indians.

G. They are people trying to recall Native American heritage.

H. They show the influence of American Indian culture, mostly positive. They show people trying to understand and appreciate it.

I. They remind me of the Washington Redskins controversy. I think it’s silly. The name is not offensive. I’m Irish, and I don’t take offense at slurs on Irish people.

J. They show Native American names and images used to sell things.

K. I notice headdresses. It’s American Indian symbolism used in brands.

L. I see a lot of stereotypes.

M. I’m reminded of the concern of some people that names and symbols are misused, but I hope we don’t get too politically correct about it. It’s sometimes laudatory.

N. I see normal play from childhood. I remember playing cowboys and Indians. (After studying them.) These are very stereotyped, not true reflections of Indians. They are white culture’s interpretation of others.

Comments on individual photos:

1. Boston Tea Party

B. I don’t know what this shows—is it heroic invaders?

E. What’s going on here? Oh, Boston Tea Party, people dressed as Native Americans.

I’m curious to know why.

F. Boston Tea Party, people dressed as Indians because they wanted to fight.

I. That’s the Boston Tea Party. I don’t know if the Indians helped us then. I think so; we were friends with Indians then.

M. That’s the Boston Tea Party, where they dressed as Indians to disguise themselves, to make the English think they were ferocious.

2. Improved Order of Red Men

C. Europeans dressed as Indians—conquerors celebrating the win of European cultures.

It may show respect for Indian culture, late 19 th century.

E. Wild West Shows, desire to see the exotic.

Americans audience test July 2014/p. 2

J. Interesting because it’s old. I wonder who the white guy is, and which tribe this shows.

(After hearing explanation:) I suppose they took that name because Squanto giving help to white settlers might be the model for good works. My local team was named the

Chippewa, and the tribe was okay with that. They asked.

M. I don’t know what this is, maybe a men’s group dressing up as Indians.

N. Looks like fraternity boys, or a lodge.

3. Jeep Cherokee

B. I can’t imagine a car called the “Grand Jews.”

J. Why is a car named Cherokee? People galloping in on horseback, I suppose. It perpetuates stereotypes. Like how women are portrayed—no nuance. Indians are either warlike or nature-loving people.

K. It’s just about selling cars. They probably did a marketing study.

L. Isn’t Cherokee a tribe? I don’t know why a car is named that.

N. The name means power and dominance.

5. Pocahottie

A. This is about fashion.

E. Some sort of fashion. Makes me think of what we think of Native Americans.

Challenges you to think it through.

F. Tacky Halloween costume.

H. Lovely to look at, but not a positive image of Indians.

I. This doesn’t offend me, I think it’s beautiful.

J. Reminds me of the Disney Pocahontas. It’s a stereotype.

L. I see a lady in Native American costume—don’t know why. She’s trying to look sexy.

N. Shows a 1960s hippie. It’s just bad advertising.

7. Boy Scouts

B. My Dad and brother were into the Boy Scouts. They are emulating Indian ability to survive.

E. This recalls when we were all doing cowboys and Indians.

H. These are Boy Scouts trying to identify with the culture, gaining an insight, like Civil

War re-enactors.

8. Apache helicopter

A. They are trying to emulate the military tactics of the Indians—stealthy.

I. They used those in Viet Nam; the name means vicious fighters, scalping people.

(Laughs.) I watch a lot of movies.

J. I’m not a fan of the culture wars. They probably used the name because the Apache were a warlike tribe.

K. I grew up around the Ojibways, a warrior culture—that’s how I envision them.

M. People who flew Apaches thought they were great machines. The name gives them a fighting image. No one shows Indians grinding corn. Well, maybe the Land o’ Lakes butter does.

N. This is commercial assigning of names, meaning warrior and aggression.

Americans audience test July 2014/p. 3

9. Boys playing

G. They’re playing archery as Native Americans. Maybe the kids aren’t letting one boy play.

M. My son played cowboys and Indians. He went to a camp with headdresses and toy tomahawks.

N. This reminds me of Girl Scouts and Campfire Girls. I belonged to Girl Scouts.

10. Kindergarten Thanksgiving

A. The Indians saved our butts at Thanksgiving. It’s a shame the way they’re trying to change history, the stories we grew up with.

D. Reminds me of all the facts being told the wrong way. It’s more complicated than kids can understand—things are not what they seem. How do we change this? It happens because of naivete and ignorance. People think they’re doing the right thing.

It’s the Western mentality: you can just take.

E. Pilgrims in Yankeeland and friendly Native Americans.

F. About celebrating heritage, an important piece of the past.

G. About Thanksgiving turkey.

I. Pilgrims and Indians at Thanksgiving. My kids do this. We’d have starved to death if not for the Indians. Like it says on the statue of George Washington and the Oneida.

J. I think of the Squanto story. I don’t remember learning this in school in Michigan.

K. White kids dressed up as Indians, celebrating an Indian holiday. Or Thanksgiving.

There’s only one Indian child in the picture.

L. Kids celebrating Thanksgiving. Or Boy Scouts. It’s about when they ate with the

Pilgrims. We used to make feathers of paper in school. It was to go back in history, to teach us a lesson about how people lived.

M. Images of Thanksgiving are not bad—the Indians were helpful. Children need to learn that.

N. This is children’s play, like Girl Scouts. I don’t remember dressing up like this.

11. Atlanta Braves fans

C. About American football.

F. Braves attacking, hacking opponents—we grew up saying this. My team was the

Bulldogs, we said the same. I don’t watch the news about the Redskins.

H. This is not as negative as the Cleveland Indians.

L. I don’t remember the name of this team, but I know about the Redskins controversy.

N. I remember my local team. I haven’t heard anything recently about changing the name. I’ve heard of the Redskins, but they’re not my team.

12. Boy Scouts

K. Reminds me of the Florida State mascot, the warrior riding in at the beginning of the game.

M. If these are true Indians, then this is okay.

13. Pharrell Williams

B. This has no place in fashion.

Americans audience test July 2014/p. 4

D. Native fashion is used when you’re not being serious. You’re not respected when wearing it.

I. Looks interesting. The headdress is cool, maybe Aztec. I’m interested in headdresses.

J. Visually striking.

K. That’s the Happy guy, but portrayed as a warrior.

L. Feathers are stereotypes, a pop culture symbol. I guess he likes Indians.

M. I like that the fashion industry is getting more inclusive.

N. I know Pharrell got negative feedback for this, not sure why. He didn’t choose the outfit.

14. Land o’ Lakes

C. What is that? I suppose the Indian is a symbol of nature and purity.

I. I see Pocahontas. They use the image because a pretty girl attracts customers.

J. I used to see that all the time—I never wondered why they put an Indian woman there.

An image of purity, the earth, maybe. The dairy industry just taking her image to sell things.

K. Reminds me of home, Minnesota. We could learn Ojibway language in high school where I grew up. Now there’s a lot of economic development there. That’s good.

L. I’ve seen this, but never noticed it was an Indian woman. What makes butter Native

American? Maybe they want Native Americans to buy it. Or because Indians are associated with corn.

M. Reminds me of when I was young, in Illinois. There was a protest against the mascot of the University of Illinois team. That’s a big topic here now, in DC.

Other comments volunteered:

E. It’s fascinating how many people think they’re descended from Indians. I remember I wanted to be a Pocahontas descendant, as everyone in Virginia does.

J. In college I did a paper about injustice to Native Americans and tribal sovereignty.

God is Red and Custer Died for Your Sins had a big impact on me. Also Akwesasne

Notes. It raised my consciousness.