Course:SSED317/Firstnationsed
The Stereotyping of First Nations' People
by Renata Kirkwood
Stereotyping in Film
"For a subject worked and reworked so often in novels, motion pictures, and television, American Indians are...the least understood and the most misunderstood Americans of us all". John F. Kennedy, 1963
Hollywood has done much to shape the way in which North America views First Nations people. In earlier films "Indians" have been depicted as savage warriors: the bad guys fighting the cowboys and carrying off their women. The effect of film on the public's perception of First Nations' has been major, even now if one is asked to close their eyes and imagine an "Indian" most will see a half naked man in war paint, perhaps atop a horse, feathers on his head and bow and arrow in hand. For First Nations, this image is far from something they can identify with. In an Interview with CBS News, Sherman Alexie remembered that on the reservation, he and others would play cowboys and Indians because they were American, too, he says. Watching Westerns, he would root for John Wayne, he adds "I distinctly remember doing that because I didn't recognize those Indians; I wasn't those Indians; I wasn't running around in a loincloth. I wasn't vicious. I wasn't some sociopath with war paint."(CBSNews.com, 3/20/01)
More recent films have done little to quell the stereotype. First Nations continue to be shown as either good or bad in reference to the Caucasian characters [1]. They lack individuality or autonomy; they are always the "other". If not portrayed as the savage, the "Indian" is then cast as the tragic character, the romanticized creature who is one with nature and like many of the earth's species, doomed to extinction: the disappearing Indian.
The "Indian" has not disappeared, yet no new depictions of First Nations people are being shown to rival or replace the stigma of the age-old cowboy movies. This blatant omission is not only damaging to the way the non-aboriginal public views First Nations people but the way in which First Nations youth view themselves. It is not difficult to imagine how a child's self esteem may suffer when he or she see their people portrayed the way Hollywood has chosen to do so. In a nation where it is unacceptable to show such blatant bigotry towards Afro-Americans, Jews and others the First Nations people continue to be portrayed with ignorance.
Stereotyping in Toys
Toys continue to propagate the stereotype of the "Indian". They are a subtle means of keeping the stereotype alive and all too often not given the attention they should. What may be viewed as a harmless toy can have severe implications on the formation of a child's ideas about a people. Indeed it is believed that most children have formed their racial attitudes by the age of nine[2], thus it is imperative that toys are examined for the subtle racism they may be promoting.
The Playmobil set is a great example as it creates "Indian" culture with the feather headdress, a tee pee, horse and canoe. In fact there does not exist one Aboriginal tribe that embodies all these elements, the scene is a mixture of a number of various First Nations' groups. Thus again a very diverse population is ignorantly being generalized into one dominant stereotype. Not only is this offensive in terms of its generalization but in the the fact that this generalized image is taken from an era when First Nations people were viewed as savages by the non-aboriginal population. The context from where this image comes from is one of racism and intolerance and now this stereotype is being passed on to the next generation of children in the unassuming form of a toy.
The "Indian" Stereotype in Sports: logos and Mascots
The use of First Nations images or names as logos and/or mascots is offensive and inappropriate. In a study on college sports team names, Dr. David P. Rider found that the most common names were: Eagles, Tigers, Cougars, Wildcats, Bears, Warriors, Chiefs, Braves, and Indians to name a few. One pattern Rider noticed was that all the names were "vicous" animals of prey and that the only humans referenced were "Indians". In addition, all the animals mentioned were creatures that have significantly dropped in numbers over the past century - some on the brink of extinction.[3]. It was interesting to note that First Nations people would be considered in this roundup of names and the implication that their "savagery" made a good name for a sports team that rivaled the savagery of a bear or tiger.
There is again the issue of context, the names "Braves" and "Redskins" originate from an era of oppression and racism; no matter what the reasoning or intention now there remains a direct link to a racist past. Kieth M. Woods discourages the use of all such names and imagery as "The harm here is not that all Native American nicknames are insults on the order of Washington's Redskins. It's that nearly all of them freeze Native Americans in an all-encompassing, one-dimensional pose: the raging, spear-wielding, bareback-riding, cowboy-killing, woo-woo-wooing warriors this country has caricatured, demonized, and tried mightily to exterminate." [4]. Indeed teams often embellish this imagery with stereotypical antics such as the "tomahawk chop". Moreover the image used is that of an exaggerated caricature which is not only a gross generalizations of a highly diverse peoples but something that would be deemed offensive by most people regardless of ethnicity.
It is interesting to note that the same depiction of another minority group would not be acceptable. Furthermore in the case of First Nations imagery, it is not only a people who are being insulted but their religion. The feathered headdress and the painted face for example hold religious connotations for First Nations people, to have these aspects of their cultures desecrated by their blatant misrepresentation is appalling. Would a priest mascot be acceptable to the public? How about a rabbi?
If the corporate sports world is not the place for such an archaic acceptance of racism, then neither should colleges or universities. What should be an enlightened place of learning and education becomes yet another vehicle for bigotry. Dr. David P Riders notes that "nowhere are such negative appraisals of minority groups more blatant than in the mascots and Indian names of sports teams that proliferate in the American education system. While other minority groups in America must endure negative stereotypes, Indians are the only minority group that has those stereotypes advertised in government-funded public schools. Indian mascots help to promote and perpetuate the dehumanizing stereotypes that developed among European colonizers centuries ago. As such, they are harmful to both Indians and nonIndians. Indians endure the psychological damage of seeing cartoon-like caricatures of themselves embodied in the mascots, perhaps the ultimate in dehumanizing victims. It is no coincidence that Indians have the highest suicide rate, school drop-out rate, and unemployment rate of any group in the United States."[5]. Yet regardless of protests, complaints and lobbies to put an end to the propagation of these harmful stereotypes, little has been done. For a people who have already suffered so many injustices, in the year 2008 they continue to be treated with intolerance, racism and oppression.
"Stereotyping" Activity for Students
Have students draw whatever comes to their mind when they hear the word "Indian". Give them only a couple minutes to ensure that it is only their initial association to the word that they draw. Have some students share their images and lead into a discussion as to why they drew what they did. Most often the image will be of a person with a feather in their hair or some other stereotype. Be sure to explain why the stereotype exists. The exercise is a great example of the power of the media.
Useful Websites about the Stereotyping of First Nations
Beyond Stereotypes [6] this website is part of a lesson on First Nations issues, this sections contains some interesting questions you could use with students to look at media and stereotypes
American Indian Stereotypes: 500 Years of Hate Crimes [7] a comprehensive essay, informative: gives a history of stereotyping and why it is prevalent today
Media Awareness Network [8] fabulous site, includes a section for teacher and students, lots of resources, lesson plans and even games, all pertain to media awareness but there is a big section on aboriginals
Okanagan-Mainland regional Network [9] lost of lesson plans and resources!!!
Blue Corn Comics [10] a nice batch of well-cited information on Aboriginal Stereotyping, includes all areas and many documents written by First Nations people regarding these issues - the general website includes comics written by First Nations, forums regarding current events and entertainment - would be a great resource for students to explore
First Nations’ Education
by Marcus Krieger
Current First Nations' Education
The impacts of education have a profound impact on peoples of First Nations descent. First Nations peoples have a much younger population compared to the non-Aboriginal population in Canada with more than half of the people living on reservations under the age of twenty-five [11]. The current education system in Canada fails to meet the needs of First Nations. The high school drop-out rate is higher and the high school completion rate is lower for First Nations peoples compared to the non-Aboriginal Canadian population. The drop‐out rate for Aboriginals before completion of grade nine is about twenty per cent and forty per cent before completion of grade twelve [12]. One‐third of Aboriginals on reserves in Canada will complete high school [13] compared to ninety-one percent of non-Aboriginals [14]. Off reserves the completion rate is significantly higher, but still below the rate of non-Aboriginals; thirty-five percent of all Aboriginal people compared to seventeen per cent for non‐Aboriginals aged 25‐44 have not completed high school [15]. The shortcomings of the education system has profound societal consequences.
Consequences
First Nations at Risk in Society
The lack of success in current education implementation seems a manifestation of society as a whole. Current society fails to meet the needs of First Nations peoples. Unemployment rates for all Aboriginal groups continue to be at least double the rate of the non-Aboriginal population [16]. Registered Indians have the highest unemployment rate of any Aboriginal group, at twenty-seven percent[17]. First Nations also have a disproportionately high rate of incarceration making up approximately seventeen percent of inmates while representing less than four percent of the population.
Life Expectancy
Life expectancy for First Nations peoples is lower than for the average Canadian. In 2000, life expectancy at birth for the Registered Indian population was estimated at 68.9 years for males and 76.6 years for females. This reflects differences of 7.4 years and 5.2 years, respectively, from the Canadian population's life expectancies [18]. These differences reflect diverse factors such as poor living conditions, higher rates of smoking, suicide, and disease.
Suicide is now among the leading causes of death among First Nations youth, with the rate estimated to be five to six times higher than that of non-Aboriginal youth [19]. In 2000, suicide amongst Aboriginal youth (aged 10 to 19 years) accounted for twenty-two percent of all deaths [20].
Housing
In 2001, almost half of homes on First Nations reserves were considered inadequate [21]. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) reports show that over fifteen percent were in need of major repairs, and over five percent were no longer habitable or had been declared unsafe or unfit for human habitation [22]. Housing density on reservations is twice that of the general population [23]. Nearly one in four First Nations adults live in overcrowded, substandard and rapidly deteriorating housing units [24]. Health Canada states that as of May 2003, twelve percent of First Nations communities had to boil their drinking water and approximately one quarter of water treatment systems on reservations pose a high risk to human health [25].
Health Issues
First Nations peoples experience higher rates of many diseases and risk factors than the non Aboriginal Canadian population. The First Nations smoking rate was reported to be sixty-two percent which is significantly higher than the twenty-four percent of the Canadian population aged 15 years and older who are smokers [26]. The prevalence of diabetes among First Nations is at least three times the national average, with high rates across all age groups [27]. Tuberculosis rates for First Nations populations on-reserve are 8 to 10 times higher than those for the Canadian population [28]. Aboriginal peoples make up only five percent of the total population in Canada but represent sixteen percent of new HIV infections. HIV/AIDS cases among Aboriginal peoples have increased steadily over the past decade [29].
Statistics relating to First Nations in Canada [30], [31]
Current research in Native American history
Keeping current with Aboriginal history research and addressing stereotypes in social studies classrooms
Charles C. Mann’s book 1491 examines current research to recreate the Americas before Columbus. He addresses key issues weakly represented in current Social Studies curriculum such as aboriginal population estimates, technologies and degree of ‘civility’. His website has a link to articles and excerpts from his book[32]
More material from Charles C. Mann: [33]
Population estimates
More links to population estimate debates: [34]
Useful Websites:
By Lisa Lai
There are a surprisingly amount of websites about First Nations people, especially for the purpose of educating about First Nations issues. There are many lesson plans and educational resources for teachers. One word of caution, however, is to be careful of what lesson plans you use, as some lesson plans are quite superficial and may perpetuate more stereotypes. (please see below on Lesson Plans on First Nations Education). Another interesting point to note is that there seems to be more lesson plans at the elementary leve than at the secondary level for teachers to use. Most of the lesson plans at the elementary level are often quite superficial, introducing students to First Nations culture and contribution. However,not much is said about First Nations issues today such as land claims and self government. Part of the reason why there may not be much secondary lesson plans for high school teacher can be due to the fact that the high school social studies textbooks do not usually deal with First Nations issues such as land claims and self government. On the contrary, First Nations enjoy the same status as women in some male dominated textbooks, as "First Nations supplemental" approach. In other words, First Nations are discussed in relation to their contribution and interaction with the white settlers. Included here are mostly BC and Canadian resources; howeve, there are also many online resources about Native Americans for those interested in the United States. Attempt has been made to give a more balanced perspective on these chosen resources. There are government websites, websites by First Nations groups who advocate for their own rights/issues, websites from educational institutions such as York University, museum/archival websites with photographic materials, First Nations and film (National Film Board of Canada), BCTF website, an Inuit website, and sites about First Nations culture, music, and sports heritage, and National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation website. Lastly, many of the lesson plans provided in the Lesson Plans on First Nations Education section are by no means the best lesson plans on First Nations. However, it is illustrative of the kind of biases/flaws that are often find in many First Nations lesson plans. As such, it is included here more to raise an awareness that better lesson plans that are more balanced need to be developed in the future by educators.
Aboriginal Canada Portal Contains resources for teachers and lesson plans [36]
"What I Learned in Class Today: Aboriginal Issues in the Classroom"
Website developed by 2 UBC undergraduate students in the First Nations Studies Program Contains useful videos, interviews, discussion modules, and workshop resources [37]
Library and Archives Canada has an online Aboriginal Photographic Portraits Exhibit [38]
Aboriginal Teaching Resources [39]
Aboriginal Multi-media Society [40]
Aboriginal Resources and Services (Library Archives Canada) [41]
BC First Nations History [42]
BC Treaty : Understanding the Treaty Process [43]
BCTF Aboriginal Teaching Resources (British Columbia Teacher's Federation) [44] (scroll down to the bottom for resources)
First Nations Education Services [45] (Prince Rupert School District) Connecting Traditions
First Nations Educational Resources [46]
Forests For the Future An ecological knowledge research project including curriculum materials that facilitate the sharing of information and understanding of the issues related to forestry and natural resources. [47]
Native Drums (Carleton University)[48] First Nations music explored through games, images, videos, interviews, and teacher resource kits.
The New Relationship (BC) [49]
National Film Board – Aboriginal Perspectives [50]
Our Homes Are Bleeding (Union of BC Indian Chiefs) [51] Learning strategies and lesson plans regarding the cut-off lands in BC (lands removed from Reserves/cut-off by road or rail development)
Inuit Culture [52]
National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation [53]
Coalition for the Advancement for Aboriginal Studies, York University [54]
All Partner's Group [55] From this website you can navigate to different pages regarding First Nations Education.
Aboriginal Sports Circle - Canada's National Voice for Aboriginal Sport [56]
"Against the Winds - American Indian Running Traditions" Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University [57]
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada: Aboriginal People Profiles [58]
Native Web [59]
Aboriginal Resources - BC Government
Aboriginal Education Enhancement Agreement (EA) [60]
Aboriginal Resources: UBC [61]
BC First Nations Studies 12 Teacher's Guide [62]
Shared Learnings Information on how to integrate Aboriginal themes into K-10 curriculum [63]
Lesson Plans on First Nations Education:
A lesson plan from the government of Canada about Fisheries Careers for First Nations. Critique: Potentially perpetuate the stereotype of First Nations in their traditional roles/careers instead of encouraging diverse career options [64]
This is an interesting lesson plan based on researching coverage of First Nations in the CBC archives website. Critique: Having students research First Nations issues using only one source is biased
[65]
This is a lesson plan about addressing minority representation in the media. Critique: Lumps First Nations with other minority groups without addressing their special concerns and place within Canadian society
[66]
Canadian History [67]
Historica [68]
Lesson about the importance of cedar bark tree to West Coast Aboriginal people. [69] Critique: Getting students to make cedar rose is a superficial way of getting students to think about native culture
Lesson plan about First Nations Athletes and their place in Canada [70]
Readings from Class
Barman Article Summary
One important article that focuses on the topics covered in our presentation was the Jean Barman article on Residential schools entitled Schooled for Inequality." Here is a brief summary of the article:
Summary of Barman Article, and quick facts about the residential school system:
Numbers:
By 1900 B.C possessed 14 residential and 28-day schools enrolling 675 and 893 students respectively. By 1920 the totals were 1115 children in 17 residential schools and 1197 children in 46-day schools, by 1940 it grew to 2035 children in 15 residential schools and 2025 in 65-day schools (p 60)
Barman divides the topic of the residential school system in B.C into 6 categories:
1. Assumption of Aboriginal Peoples’ Sameness By grouping all distinct Aboriginal groups together and ignoring any cultural differences it was easier to make assumptions about the “best” way to educate the existing aboriginal children. “ Into the mid-twentieth century federal policy toward Aboriginal peoples…refused to acknowledge their distinctiveness within geographical areas or as individuals… [this also] only served to label them as nuisances for refusing to conform into dependency. (P 60)
2. Time in the Classroom
Students spent increasing amounts of time doing menial labor jobs in class and were punished if they used their own language at any time.
3. Teachers and Teaching
The aboriginal school system was run with surprising efficiency between the government of Canada and various religious groups. Teachers were often religious leaders who resented their task:
“ We work so hard for you and we don’t get any pay at all for looking after you Indians” (P 62)
4. Underfunding Despite the volunteer labor available as a result of the schools, they were still drastically underfunded which led to increases in the manual labor required of the students and decreases in the amount of food given to students during the day.
5. The Aboriginal Response and Changing Times Families were encouraged to enroll their children in the residential school system so as to learn “the white man’s ways” of literacy and numeracy. However very little of this actually took place in school and students were strongly discouraged from discussing school content with their families. (p 68)
6. The Legacy Although the residential school system has been since dismantled, the effects ranging from extensive psychological damage to an overall loss of many native cultural traditions are still being felt today.
Some quick facts:
Children were taken from their parents and sent to Residential schools. Usually to Carcross, Whitehorse, Lower Post or Fraser Lake area
Children were sent away, usually for the complete school year, some longer, depending upon how far away from home they were sent
Parents had NO involvement in the education of their children.
Some parents choose to keep their children "out of school " and educate them in the ways of their ancestors.
All students were exposed to some form of abuse.
All students were taught that their language was not acceptable in society {and through extension, neither was their family's way of life}.
Native parents had to be "non-status" . Their children were allowed to attend the public school in their community.
Parents were TOLD , in many ways, that being Native was being "less of a person".
Students were taught the curriculum all other students were taught. Often Native people and their contributions to the growth of Canada was ignored.
Native students were not taught, or encouraged, to explore their cultural identity.
From text
Rains, F. V. (2006). The color of social studies: A post-social studies reality check. In E. W. Ross (Ed.), The social studies curriculum (3rd Ed., pp., 137-156). Albany: State University of New York Press.
Download
Links
[71] Part 1 of the official Canadian government apology for residential schools
[72] Part 2 of the official Canadian government apology for residential schools