Documentary

Indigenous people are often misrepresented and stereotyped in movies and films. This misrepresentation has negative effects on their identity and how they are perceived. Common stereotypes include Indigenous women as beautiful maidens, Indigenous people as bloodthirsty warriors, and Indigenous men as magical medicine men. These stereotypes distort history and perpetuate harmful messages. They also impact Indigenous women's self-worth and contribute to the sexualization of Indigenous women. Indigenous cultures are often portrayed as homogeneous, ignoring their diversity. To combat these stereotypes, more movies should be produced and directed by Indigenous people, and audiences should be educated about authentic Indigenous experiences. There are many different ways that Indigenous people are wrongfully portrayed and misrepresented in modern movies and film. This misrepresentation and use of stereotypes has negatively impacted not only the identity of Indigenous people, but how the world perceives them. Stereotypes are defined as widely circulated oversimplifications of a group of people. They are unfair and untrue beliefs that many people have about other people or things with a particular characteristic. Certain racial groups are often linked to specific stereotypes. There is a history of many stereotypes occurring in mainstream media and Hollywood movies and films. In these movies and films, we witness common stereotypes such as the dumb blonde, the high school jock, and the villain from a foreign country, to name a few. The representation of Indigenous people in movies and film is often scarce and they are not present on screen at all. When Indigenous people do appear on screen in movies, there has been a long history of generalization and stereotyping. This misrepresentation began with Wild West shows that exist before films and movies on screen. These performances showed scenes of battle and conflict between Indigenous peoples and the cowboys on the American frontier. These Indigenous characters were always one-dimensional and this portrayal continues today on film and in movies. Indigenous characters are often only considered stock characters with very little individuality and diversity. Some of the most common traits that are seen in Indigenous characters are traits such as drunk, lazy, exotic, violent, and savage. These traits exist amongst several very common stereotypes of Indigenous characters. We will outline three of the most commonly viewed stereotypes that represent Indigenous people in film and movies. They are the characters of beautiful maidens, bloodthirsty warriors, and magical medicine men. One of the most persuasive stereotypes of Indigenous people that exist in movies is that of Indigenous women as beautiful maidens or princesses. Often in this role, a young and beautiful Indigenous woman of high status with her tribe abandons her family and her culture to engage in a romantic love affair with a white man. This character often loses her cultural identity to become more civilized and is praised for helping the white protagonist in the film. An example of this type of role and stereotype can be found in the Disney cartoon Pocahontas. Not only does this movie portray the characterization of Pocahontas as overly sexualized, but the story itself is historically inaccurate. The true story of Pocahontas is very grim and brutal because in reality, she was married off to an older white man at the age of 18. She was a victim of European colonization and racism, which is not at all addressed in the film. Another common stereotype that is witnessed in Hollywood movies and film is that of Indigenous people as bloodthirsty warriors and savages. We see this depiction in the way that they're addressed and in the way that they act. These characters are often wielding tomahawks, threatening and attacking white people and their families. They're often portrayed as a threat to civilized white society, and they must be overcome and controlled. Indigenous characters are often engaged in barbaric behavior such as scalping their victim and sexually assaulting white women. An example of a film in which Indigenous men are categorized as uncivilized and savage warriors is The Last of the Mohawkins. This movie does not at all illustrate their true historic nature. Lastly, another common Indigenous stereotype that exists in movies and films is that of the Indigenous man as a magical medicine man. These types of characters are often portrayed as having magical powers, and the only function of these characters is to guide the white characters in the right direction. In the movie The Lone Ranger, the character of Tonto is depicted as being an unintelligent and mystical magical Indian. His behavior is silly, unpredictable, and bizarre. His costume is not representative of an Indigenous person, and all of this together presents an Indigenous character to the audience who is not meant to be taken seriously. The stereotypical portrayal and misrepresentation of Indigenous people within movies and films have many harmful impacts that are important to identify and explore. The representations of women have very significant consequences in the real world. Statistically, Indigenous women suffer higher rates of sexual assault, and most of the time, non-Indigenous men are their perpetrators. Indigenous women are often sexualized based on the clothing and costumes that they are wearing in films, and this creates dangerous and toxic images of women for young people. Not only are they portrayed as a standard of beauty that can be unattainable for young girls, but they are portrayed as sexual objects for men. Another dangerous message that is perpetuated by these female stereotypes is that Indigenous women should give up their culture and past in the pursuit of white society. It is also worth noting that Indigenous women presented as princesses misrepresent Indigenous culture as there is no hierarchy of this type that exists within Indigenous cultures. The stereotype of Indigenous people as brutal and savage warriors distorts the history of who these people were and are today. Although warfare and conflict did exist between First Nations tribes, for the most part, Indigenous people were peaceful and only attacked others when they were threatened or provoked. Many Indigenous people have no history as warriors instead, they are tribes of fishermen, hunters, and gatherers. The warrior distorts our perception of who they were and does not consider the many facets of their traditional lives. It undermines the complexities of their community life, their spirituality, and their culture. When Indigenous people are portrayed as magical medicine men that are not to be taken seriously, this undermines the wealth of healing, knowledge, and traditional use of herbs and plants as medicine that is part of the Indigenous history. Children are especially vulnerable to stereotypes that they are exposed to through cartoons and children's movies. When Indigenous children witness these harmful stereotypes where Indigenous people in movies are treated as less than human, it can have a lasting impact on their self-worth and identities. They grow up believing that they are somehow inferior, which is a result negatively affecting their success as students, their social lives, and their futures. It is also important to note that in most mainstream movies, Indigenous cultures are grouped as one homogeneous group. This generalization does not reflect the diversity that exists between different groups and cultures. As viewers, we are led to believe that all Indigenous people are the same, with the same set of beliefs, language, dress, and culture. All in all, it is safe to say that negative stereotypes of Indigenous people found in movies and films distort history and our understanding of Indigenous culture. There are many different ways that Indigenous people are wrongfully portrayed and misrepresented in modern movies and film. This misrepresentation and use of stereotypes has negatively impacted not only the identity of Indigenous people, but how the world perceives them. Moving forward, many steps can be taken to prevent the negative stereotypes and generalization of Indigenous peoples in movies and film. More movies that are produced and directed by Indigenous people will help to authenticate Indigenous experiences, roles, and characters. Strategies must be created within the world of film production so that Indigenous people can take their image and tell their own stories. Audiences need to be correctly informed about authentic Indigenous experiences and the diversity that exists amongst their cultures. As the awareness of these harmful stereotypes and negative generalizations grow, the movie industry will come to change for the better and Indigenous people will receive the respect and recognition that they deserve.