Indigenous representation in film

1950 Movie "The Savage" depicting a common portrayal of Indigenous peoples as needing to be tamed and colonized from their 'savage' ways

Indigenous representation in North American film and television has included a long history of generalization and stereotyping, notably in Westerns. Indigenous peoples have been portrayed in film and television as drunk, lazy, exotic, violent and savage. Indigenous roles in North American film and television have traditionally portrayed Indigenous peoples as one of these traits.

There has been a more recent effort to represent Indigenous characters as more nuanced, however, there is still a long way to go in order to completely rid North Americans of ingrained Indigenous stereotypes portrayed by the media.

History of Indigenous Representation in Film

Cowboys vs. Indians

Representation for Indigenous people in film and television has been one of scarcity. Even in the early 20th century with the permeance of Westerns, Indigenous peoples were rarely the actors in said films. Indigenous peoples in Westerns are depicted by Italians or Caucasian men in red face. ^[1] Beyond the depiction of Indigenous peoples by Caucasian actors, Indigenous people in Westerns are depicted as savages who must be controlled and brought to order and colonized by the brute force of the heroic cowboys. Westerns depict Indigenous people as savages and as a threat to European colonialism ^[2]. Western films were able to paint a picture of Indigenous people as needing to be controlled, leading to a justification for reserve land, which would remove Native culture and civilize Indigenous peoples into the majority ^[3].

Romanticization of Indigenous Peoples

The late 20th century saw a move away from Westerns with depictions of Indigenous peoples as being in the way of the European civilizing project, and instead shifted to a more romantic view of Indigenous peoples ^[1] ^[4]. Movies such as Pocahontas and The Indian in the Cupboard demonstrate more of a focus on Indigenous narratives, however, show Indigenous peoples as spiritual beings without much knowledge and are focused less on day-to-day, complex inner-workings of Indigenous life. Romanticized media presents Indigenous peoples as not being modern, or as being a part of history ^[5].

Stereotyping - Common Forms of Misrepresentation

Tiger Lily from Peter Pan, another example of the "Indian Princess" stereotype

Many stereotypes of Indigenous peoples follow similar narratives and also generalize between males and females. Indigenous males are typically depicted ironically either as lazy drunks or noble warriors. Indigenous females are heavily eroticized ^[6] Overall, Indigenous characters in the media generally lack depth and an intersectional portrayal.

Indian Princess

One of the main ways in which young Indigenous women have been depicted on the screen is through the stereotype of the Indian Princess. Such as in Pocahontas, the stereotype of the Indigenous princess resonates in film and depicts Indigenous women as inherently passive and weak. Pocahontas is premised on a Native beauty who decides to stray from her family to assist the heroic Europeans in their civilizing project ^[1].

Native Warrior

The Native Warrior represents a threat to society as a whole, typically brandishing a spear with feathers in his hair as he rides by on a horse. It is the duty of the white man to help make the Indigenous warrior civilized. A more modern conception of the Native Warrior is seen in the Twilight series, where Jacob Black is depicted as a dark and mysterious werewolf who must be controlled and tamed from harming the white woman ^[1].

Both of these stereotypes ignore traditional Indigenous conceptions and values regarding gender and family structures. These stereotypes depict Indigenous peoples as static, romanticized and as homogenous people.

Stereotyping by omission and tokenism

Indigenous roles in film and television are regularly relegated to the background in side-kick roles or omitted entirely, leading to a lack of complexity in Indigenous characters. Although there have been recent efforts to include Indigenous voices and stories in the media, there is still a significant lack of these voices, one journalist roughly estimating 99.9% of First Nations movies globally are made by non-Indigenous people ^[7]. Furthermore, there has been criticism given to Indigenous narratives being spoken by non-Indigenous peoples as this can lead to tokenism and appropriation of Indigenous narratives.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Jackie in "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" in discussion with her parents on why she is disguising her Lakota heritage

The Netflix television show Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt features an Indigenous character, Jackie Lynn "Jacqueline" White, played by Caucasian actress Jane Krakowski. Jackie Lynn White begins the show by outwardly despising her Indigenous heritage and going so far as to dye her hair blonde and wear blue contact lenses to disguise her identity. Jackie leads the life of a socialite in New York City but returns home at many times throughout the show to visit her Lakota parents, eventually desiring to reclaim her heritage. Jackie realizes the privilege she has been given by being a socialite and appearing Caucasian and begins using her status for Indigenous activism. Notably, she get's her boyfriend's family to change the name of the Washington Redskins to the Gun-Takers.

The show has received both positive and negative feedback for it's Indigenous narrative, some citing the positive elements of Jackie's character in showing a more complex identity of an Indigenous character as Jackie deals with the assimilative effects of colonialism but is able to reclaim her identity ^[8]. Others point out that the narrative is written by Caucasian woman Tina Fey, and reaffirms many Indigenous stereotypes ^[9].

Indian Horse

The film Indian Horse adapted from the novel of the same name by Richard Wagamese debuted in theatres in 2018. The film follows the story of the youngest of the Indian Horse family, Saul, who is forcibly relocated to a residential school. In residential school Saul struggles with his identity as he is sexually abused and stripped of his heritage. In this struggle for identity, Saul begins to play ice hockey at the suggestion of one of the priests, Father Gaston. Saul hones his ice hockey skills and begins playing for an all-Indigenous team the Moose, before being offered a place on the Toronto Maple Leafs. Indian Horse depicts Saul's struggle with his past sexual abuse and alcohol addiction as a result of his attendance at residential school.

The film has had notable reception for a film focused solely on a first-person Indigenous narrative and featuring numerous Indigenous characters. The film has generally been reviewed positively by Indigenous peoples. However, the film has received some criticism as two of the directors are Caucasian women and has thus been said to be an inaccurate reflection of the effects of colonialism ^[7]

Challenging Stereotypes of Indigenous Peoples in Film in the 21st Century

Reel Injun

Reel Injun (2010) is a film created by Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond that analyzes the often fraught relationship between Hollywood and the representation of Indigenous peoples. Diamond conducts numerous interviews and demonstrates how "the myth of “the Injun” has influenced our understanding and misunderstanding of Aboriginal people" ^[1]. Diamond delves into the creation and continuance of many of the stereotypes discussed above such as the Noble savage and drunken Indian and how these stereotypes influence peoples perception of Indigenous peoples.

The film has won numerous awards and features a handful of Indigenous actors and musicians.

Aboriginal Peoples Television Network logo

APTN

The Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN), launched in 1999, is the "first national Aboriginal broadcaster in the world, with programming by, for and about Aboriginal Peoples, to share with all Canadians as well as viewers around the world" ^[10]. APTN has sought to be a provider of Indigenous television that presents more diverse views of Indigenous peoples and featuring shows that have many or all Indigenous actors.

APTN broadcasts a variety of shows that depict the daily lives of Indigenous peoples in North America without romanticizing or glorifying Indigenous identities. One such example is Mohawk Girls, which follows the lives of three friends on the Kahnawake reserve in Quebec. The show deals with Mohawk identity, such as the inclusion of the character Anna who is of mixed Mohawk descent, and joins the reserve community in the first season and must navigate her friendship with the other Mohawk women

Summary/ Conclusion

Historically speaking, Indigenous representation in film and television has been fraught with stereotypes and inconsistencies, which have permeated into the national conscious, leading to a generalized and homogenous view of Indigenous peoples. Recent efforts have been made to eradicate these stereotypes, but many still permeate in film and television.