Malcolm Rivera
Native Americans have historically been portrayed in films through the lens of white filmmakers, often perpetuating stereotypes and misrepresentations of their culture and history. However, with Indigenous filmmakers now stepping behind the camera, they are reclaiming their narratives and sharing authentic experiences. This evolution has led to a diverse range of films, from horror and thrillers to documentaries and classics, offering a more complex and accurate portrayal of Indigenous peoples' lives.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Stereotypes | The "Hollywood Indian" stereotype, sometimes a white person in redface, has been common in American Indian films. |
| Portrayal of Native Americans | Native Americans have been portrayed as cruel, drunkards, unintelligent, belligerent, or as the "noble Indian". |
| Filmmakers | Indigenous filmmakers are increasingly telling their own stories, breaking stereotypes, and conveying the complex nature of Indigenous lives. |
| Genres | American Indian films span a range of genres, including horror, thrillers, documentaries, classics, and indie flicks. |
| Subject Matter | Films can cover a wide range of subject matters, including political leadership, literary arts, musical performance, language protection efforts, and women's rights. |
| Awards | Indigenous talents have been recognized with Academy Awards, and their works are being distributed by major streaming platforms. |
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What You'll Learn
Native American creators behind the camera
Native Americans have made significant contributions to the film industry, both in front of and behind the camera. While Native Americans have often been stereotyped, depicted as caricatures, or represented as victims of extreme violence in the history of Hollywood, there has been a proliferation of authentic Indigenous stories in recent years, leading to improved representation.
One of the earliest Native American directors was Nanticoke filmmaker James Young Deer, who was hired by Pathé in 1910 to produce accurate Native American silent films with positive portrayals. Deer, an actor, writer, and director, was involved in the production of over 150 movies, including "A Cheyenne Brave" (1910) and "White Fawn's Devotion: A Play Acted by a Tribe of Red Indians in America."
Another notable Native American director is Sterlin Harjo, a Seminole Nation of Oklahoma citizen. He co-created the critically acclaimed series "Reservation Dogs" with Taika Waititi, which has inspired a new generation of Native creators. The series follows four Native American teenagers growing up on a reservation in rural Oklahoma and has been praised for its authentic portrayal of Indigenous perspectives and experiences.
In addition to Sterlin Harjo, there are several other Native American filmmakers making waves in Hollywood. Karissa Valencia, a Chumash citizen, is the creator of the Netflix show "Spirit Rangers" and the first Indigenous female showrunner on the platform. Sandy Sunrising Osawa is another Indigenous filmmaker who directed the short film "Curios," which explores how others see American Indians and how an American Indian filmmaker sees Indigenous people living contemporary lives.
Native Americans are also making an impact behind the camera in various crew roles. Devery Jacobs, who stars in "Reservation Dogs", is also working on a film about Native American hidden figures. Shelly Niro is a director known for investigating the authenticity, cultural identity, and the articulation of the modern Native American experience in cinematic language and pop culture.
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Stereotypes and misrepresentation
The portrayal of Native Americans in film has often been criticised for perpetuating stereotypes and misrepresenting their culture and history. From the 1870s to the 1910s, Wild West shows like Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show popularised a romanticised fiction about the conflict between cowboys and Indians. This led to a widespread misrepresentation of Native Americans, despite the involvement of Native American actors. Some Native actors chose to portray the shows' chiefs as belligerent, while others portrayed their roles with humble dignity, possibly creating the "double stereotype" of the bloodthirsty savage and noble Indian.
In the early years of film, from 1908 to 1912, films such as The Red Man and the Child, The Indian Runner's Romance, and The Red Man's View depicted Native Americans as either drunkards, cruel, or unintelligent, or as sympathetic figures, but often in a one-dimensional way that perpetuated the idea that "the only good Native is one that helps white settlers". Films such as A Cry from the Wilderness, A Leap for Life, and The Indian Land Grab depicted successful interracial marriages between Native Americans and whites, but these were the exception rather than the norm.
In the 1910s, one-fifth of American films were Westerns, and Nanticoke film director James Young Deer was hired by Pathé to produce accurate Native American silent films with positive portrayals. However, other films released during this time, such as D. W. Griffith's A Pueblo Legend and The Massacre, continued to portray Native Americans in a negative light, with recurring scenes of white mothers struggling to protect their infants while Native American mothers were killed offscreen.
In the 1970s, Revisionist Westerns like Little Big Man and Soldier Blue began to portray Native Americans as victims and white people as the aggressive intruders. However, films such as Pocahontas, Dances with Wolves, and The Last of the Mohicans have been criticised for offering prominent depictions of Native Americans while leaving out, obscuring, or misrepresenting important aspects of their history and culture.
In recent years, Indigenous filmmakers have gained recognition as major players in the American movie industry, with Academy Awards given to long-time actors like Wes Studi and screenwriters and directors like Taika Waititi. Indigenous talents are now telling their own stories, challenging stereotypes, and bringing authentic experiences to the screen. Notable films include Blood Quantum, Trickster, Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World, and Akicita: The Battle of Standing Rock.
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Portrayals of conflict with cowboys
The conflict between cowboys and Native Americans has been a popular theme in American cinema, with Western films often portraying this rivalry. However, the reality of the early interactions between cowboys and Native Americans was more nuanced, and these conflicts were not as prevalent as depicted. The westward expansion after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 brought settlers into contact with Native American tribes, but these encounters were generally peaceful, with some trepidation.
The Wild West narrative often pits the white man against marginalised communities, perpetuating the idea of the white saviour and the cruel, savage Native Americans. This caricature of indigenous communities as bloodthirsty and belligerent was popularised by Wild West shows like Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, which toured America and Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The shows presented romanticised fiction about the frontier, which some audiences misunderstood as historical fact. The shows led to widespread misrepresentation of Native Americans, despite the involvement of Native American actors who portrayed their roles with dignity.
The rise of Western films in the early to mid-20th century coincided with a wave of racist segregation and anti-immigrant rhetoric. The rugged white male saviour narrative was embraced by white supremacist organisations. The cowboy, as a lone wolf figure, represented the ideal modern American man, embodying the paradox of American capitalist anarchism.
While there were conflicts involving Native Americans, they were rarely with cowboys. The Comanche Wars, for example, were primarily conflicts between the Comanche and Spanish, Mexican, and American militaries. The acquisition of horses by Native Americans in the early 18th century was a significant development, leading to the great horse culture of the Native Americans. Horses became integral to both Native American and cowboy cultures, providing a common ground between the two groups.
Films such as "Pocahontas" (1995) by Disney, portray conflict between European settlers and Native Americans, with the former group portrayed positively and the latter as savages. "The Red Man and the Child" (1908) and "A Mohawk's Way" (1910) depict Native Americans as allies to white settlers, but these representations are often one-dimensional and perpetuate stereotypes. "The Searchers" (1956) portrays a white man seeking revenge against a Native American tribe, reinforcing the age-old myth of the white man rescuing a white woman from Native Americans.
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Native Americans as victims
Native Americans have historically been misrepresented in films, with their stories often sidelined or misconstrued. From the 1870s to the 1910s, Wild West shows like Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show popularized the conflict between cowboys and Indians, touring America and Europe with romanticized fiction about the American frontier. These shows, along with early films, perpetuated stereotypes and one-dimensional depictions of Native Americans, such as the "bloodthirsty savage and noble Indian dichotomy."
In the early 20th century, films like The Red Man and the Child (1908), The Indian Runner's Romance (1909), and The Red Man's View (1909) featured sympathetic but helpless Native American characters, reinforcing the notion of a "helpless Indian race." Some films, like A Pueblo Legend and The Massacre (both 1912), romanticized the roles of whites in the Indian Wars, further victimizing Native Americans on screen.
The Revisionist Western, a subgenre that emerged in the 1960s, offered a darker and more cynical portrayal of the American frontier. Films like Little Big Man and Soldier Blue from the 1970s depicted Native Americans as victims and white people as aggressive intruders. During this period, the American Indian Movement (AIM) emerged, advocating for Native liberation and community empowerment.
Despite these shifts, Native Americans continue to confront systemic challenges and mass violence from the government. Films like Warrior Women explore the legacy of Native American activism and the challenges of balancing a movement with motherhood. The story of Madonna Thunder Hawk, an AIM leader, highlights the intergenerational transmission of activist legacies within families.
It is only recently, with the emergence of Indigenous filmmakers and storytellers, that authentic experiences and complex characters are being brought to the screen. Indigenous talents are now recognized as major players in the industry, with awards and streaming platforms amplifying their voices. This Indigenous renaissance brings hope for more accurate and nuanced representations of Native Americans in cinema, finally doing justice to their rich histories and contemporary experiences.
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Indigenous stories and characters
Native Americans have historically been portrayed in films through a stereotypical lens, often as "savages" or "noble Indians". These depictions were often one-dimensional and perpetuated the idea that the only good Native is one that helps white settlers. However, in recent years, Indigenous filmmakers have stepped in to tell their own stories, showcasing the authentic experiences of Indigenous people and breaking free from the stereotypes that have long been associated with them.
The involvement of Indigenous talent behind the camera, as producers, writers, and directors, has been pivotal in creating works of cinema that convey the complex nature of Indigenous lives. This shift has resulted in a range of films, from horror and thrillers to documentaries and classics, all of which offer a more nuanced portrayal of Indigenous stories and characters. For instance, the 2019 Academy Awards recognized long-time Indigenous actors like Wes Studi and screenwriters and directors like part-Maori Taika Waititi, bringing their talents to global audiences and ushering in what some have called an Indigenous renaissance.
Streaming platforms such as Netflix, Apple TV+, and CBC Gem have also played a significant role in this renaissance by providing a platform for Indigenous talent to reach a wider audience. This has resulted in a diverse range of films, including "Hunt for the Wilderpeople", "Jojo Rabbit", and "Dances with Wolves", which offer a more authentic portrayal of Indigenous people and their experiences.
In addition to contemporary stories, some films delve into the historical experiences of Indigenous people, such as "Warrior Women", which tells the story of Madonna Thunder Hawk, a leader in the American Indian Movement (AIM) during the 1970s. Other films, like "Black Robe", are set even further back, in the rugged 17th-century Canadian wilderness, and depict the interactions between Jesuit priests and the Huron and Algonquin Indians.
Through these films, Indigenous filmmakers are not only sharing their stories but also exploring themes of cultural identity, modern Native American experiences, and the impact of historical events on their communities.
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Frequently asked questions
An American Indian film is a film made by Indigenous filmmakers that captures authentic Indigenous experiences.
Some examples of American Indian films include "Black Robe," "Warrior Women," "Deep Time," "Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World," and "Smoke Signals."
Common themes in American Indian films include the impact of the fossil fuel business on the environment and Indigenous communities, the women's rights movement, political leadership, and language protection efforts.
In non-American Indian films, Native Americans have often been portrayed as either cruel savages or noble figures, perpetuating stereotypes that do not reflect the complex reality of Indigenous life.
American Indian films are challenging stereotypes by presenting diverse and authentic portrayals of Indigenous people, moving beyond the simplistic depictions of Native Americans as one-dimensional figures in non-Indigenous films.
