Princesses and Savages

The portrayals of Native Americans are not very common in Popular American Films. However when Native Americans are portrayed in movies or popular T.V. shows they are not represented fairly.  For example Women are represented as the princesses, or matriarchs.  Men are represented as savages, or as the wise elder men.  Two very well known examples that portray both of these stereotypes are Pocahontas and the different Native American characters represented on the popular movie Twilight.

Pocahontas represents the humble but feisty princess that of course every Native- American woman is like. Pocahontas is dressed in your “typical” Native American attire.  When she goes to England in the second movie she is seen as uncivilized and people look down on her as though she was not “good” enough.  

The two main characters in Twilight who portray Native Americans is Jacob black played by Taylor Lautner and Billy Black played by Gil Burmingham.  Jacob Black is your stereotypical Native American; he is portrayed as a savage, a teen who cannot control his anger and as a result he turns into a ware wolf.  He is Bella Swan’s second choice.  He is portrayed as the Sidekick when the vampires and the wolves team up but He is never seen as the Hero or as the main romantic interest of the movie.  On the other hand we have Billy Black.  He is the elderly man in the wheelchair who always has some wise advice to give.  He is seen mysterious and wise. 

These racial stereotypes being portrayed in the media just naturalize the notion that these stereotypes are real and accurate.  When society begins to believe these stereotypes we then begin to accept its normality and we don’t question it any further.

The Native-American population has decreased because of the Genocides that occurred years and years ago.  A lot of us do not know Native-Americans personally and we begin to learn about their culture, appearance, and about their stories through watching Television and films.  We think we know the truth but the real truth is we have just been learning what film and television producers want us to capture from their films and shows. We rely on the media to give us accurate information about certain groups but we just learn false information.  We have believed that these different characteristics are accurate and that they represent every Native American.