Indigenous Anthropology - Stereotypes

Indigenous Anthropology ANTH 2301 Stereotypes Native Americans have also started speaking out against negative preconceptions about them. The early Western clichés of Native Americans portrayed them as noble savages who lived in peace with nature and had no concept of time, money, or laws. These stereotypes were based on primitivist theories. The notion that Indigenous peoples were not completely civilised and did not deserve the same rights as White, Christian people was implied in this viewpoint. So, their land can be stolen from them. Writer Albert Memmi has characterised this stereotype as "a series of negations: they were not fully human, they were not civilised enough to have systems, they were not literate, and their languages and modes of thought were inadequate" (Smith 2021, 31). These misconceptions have been utilised to gradually deprive Native Americans of more and more throughout American history. Reservations were first claimed to be permanent residences, but when White settlers started to find these areas to be picturesque, the argument that Native Americans were not making proper use of the land was brought up once more. Some preconceptions date back to the early days of anthropological study. Scholars who embraced social evolutionary theories about human societies have perpetuated myths about Native Americans, including that they could not digest alcohol, were lazy and would not work, were not intelligent enough to become civilised, or were disappearing from the face of the earth because they did not have a civilised culture. Lewis Henry Morgan's theory of a hierarchy of civilizations provided the impetus for the notion that cultures and civilizations were in conflict with one another and that Native Americans were not because they were barbarians or savages. Although these theories have been thoroughly disproven, prejudices about Native Americans still exist and are still detrimental to them. The topic of Indian mascots has drawn a lot of attention lately. Private and professional sports clubs and organisations started naming their teams after Native American tribes or terms that were indicative of Native Americans in the early 20th century. The Chiefs, Indians, Braves, Reds, Redskins, and Warriors are some common team names. It's possible that some of these names were selected to pay tribute to the fortitude and tenacity of those who had withstood centuries of conflict with colonising peoples. Whatever the initial motivation, throughout time, supporters of several of these teams adopted customs that denigrated Native Americans. A lot of mascots were ferocious or comical caricatures. At a period when there was no credible Native American education provided in public schools, these mascots may have been the only introduction to Native Americans that many Americans received. In the 1980s, Charlene Teters, a University of Illinois student, spearheaded the first notable opposition to the usage of such mascots when she took on Chief Illiniwek, the school's mascot. Teters took issue with a number of elements of the chief's presentation, including as the headpiece, regalia, and dancing style—the latter of which was created by the kids who assumed the mascot position every year. For over 20 years, there was a movement against the university's mascot. However, a lot of supporters and former students argued that the mascot was chosen to honour the Illiniwek people. The institution eventually decided to discontinue the mascot in 2007. The main source of criticism for mascots is not the figure's usage but rather the actions of its supporters. Native American communities have taken offence with customs like painting oneself scarlet, donning in feathered robes and headdresses, and brandishing arms in a "tomahawk chop" salute to demonstrate team support. Additionally, names may have deeper connotations that fans are unaware of. For almost thirty years, there was controversy about the Washington Redskins' moniker and mascot. Many fans were unaware that Native American scalps gathered by White American militia members were referred to as "redskins" in areas like Oregon and California. The state government may receive these redskins, or scalps, in exchange for a reward. Throughout American history, militias hunting for redskins to collect these bounties have slaughtered hundreds of Native Americans and occasionally destroyed entire communities. The Washington Redskins abandoned the moniker in 2020 and adopted the name Washington Football Team, using it until a new moniker was decided upon. In a similar vein, the Cleveland Indians retired their "Chief Wahoo" mascot in 2019 and rebranded as the Cleveland Guardians in 2021. Tribal countries and academic institutions have occasionally worked together to create more respectful mascot designs. While Florida State University worked with the Seminole tribe to create its Appaloosa horse rider and spear iconography, the University of Utah worked with the Ute tribe to produce its mascot picture, which features a feather. In the ongoing political debate over mascots, some Native activists maintain that there should be no Indian mascots, while others contend that sovereign tribal nations, acting as sovereign governments, ought to have the authority to determine how organised sports organisations represent their people.