Aboriginal Stereoptype

Stereotypes come about from ignorance, stupidity, and insensitivity. Two characters, Joe and Red are so unbelievably racist that they hallucinate a “Big Indian” and try to get rid of him. Therefore, they prove themselves to be racist by believing preconceptions without any other information about the group of minority. Stereotypes are always going to be around, especially if two people like Joe and Red think they can get away with their behaviour. People will be continuing to take a step backwards if the false information about a culture is going to affect their judgement. In the short story, “A Seat In The Garden,” Thomas King attests to the fact that Joe and Red are held hostage by their own prejudices and stereotypes of Indigenous people.

The contextual cultural experiences of most Native Americans has led to the normalization of drinking especially among age groups and related events such as among peers and when preaching. Nevertheless, the stereotype of the “drunken Indian” has also had an impact on the consumption levels in this cultural group (U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2011). A study of the Navajo Indians led to the conclusion that stereotype can lead members of the group to consider excessive drinking as a normal part of the cultural practices of a particular cultural group. Indeed, the Native American population has been influenced by such stereotypes which traverse the history of the Indians, for example, in as far as consumption of alcohol is concerned (U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2011).

The impact of colonization on First Nations peoples in Canada is unsurpassable, regarding every aspect of Aboriginal life and well-being. Throughout Canadian history, the government has been aiming to assimilate and annihilate Aboriginal people by way of racist policies, ethnocentric institutions, discriminatory laws and destructive capitalist behaviours. Because of this, Aboriginal people have suffered many losses, both physically and culturally. One of the main perpetrators of enacting this loss is the education system. The education system in Canada has and continues to threaten the relationship First Nations peoples have with the land. The connection First Nations peoples have with the land is crucial to their cultures, traditions, ceremonies and beliefs. Colonization and colonialism jeopardize this relationship and that is what this essay will address.

The injustice of stereotypes begins with depictions of diverse groups as uniform. For Indigenous Australian stereotypes, there are prevailing negative views of laziness, welfare abuse, substance abuse, and criminality (Perkins, 2014). Initial negative stereotypes of Indigenous Australians were based on social-Darwinist theories (Harrison & Sellwood, 2016). However, contemporary stereotypes might be attributed to ignorance of Australia’s past paternalistic colonialism on contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Stereotypes negatively impact the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This is clear in constructing identity, and the expectations others have of Indigenous Australians.

The other main theme the film focused on was the stereotyping of aboriginal peoples. I felt the film did an excellent job in addressing this issue. At the beginning it stated, “half of urban Canadians say they have little or no contact with Aboriginal people, but when they do its often negative” (CBC 8th Fire). By opening their argument by describing the current day stereotypes from people of all ethnicities, it allowed them to prove that the stereotypes of the native peoples are static and unchanged since the time of colonization. “Nearly 400 years of colonial contact has plunged many Aboriginal peoples into disarray and despair” (Fleras 170), because the attitudes of Canada’s towards the First Nation’s people have never changed. At the time of colonization, the natives received many negatives

The lack of accurate representation of Native Americans in our everyday lives has left members of society without more than a stereotype to draw from when thinking about characteristics of Native Americans. Native Americans have “relative invisibility” in mainstream media and this lets the few inaccurate portrayals, such as a sports team’s mascot, have an overwhelming amount of power in forming stereotypes (Fryberg, Markus, Oyserman, Stone, 2008, pg. 208). Many members of society have a very narrow view of what they understand a Native American to look, dress, and act. These ideas mostly come from what they see in media through the caricatures used as mascots, childhood cartoons, and similar

In Michael Dorris’s essay “Crazy Horse Malt Liquor”, he is trying to raise awareness of Native Americans stereotypes. The article begins by stating that Americans honor Indians in odd ways, and continues by saying Native Americans have become popular in culture. Dorris then continues by explaining how the Hornell Brewing Company use the imagery of Crazy Horse, a native leader, to sell their brand of liquor. Next Dorris speaks about the modern day social illness that the Native American population suffers. Dorris talks about how the U.S. government took the land of the Native then speaks about how people play warrior and still continue these stereotypes.

In this research paper, I will be explaining how western colonialism and racism destroyed the reputation of aboriginal peoples in Canada. The reason why I chose this topic because it shows the strong relationship to anthropology and after taking aboriginal studies 30, it also shows that I have a clear understanding about the history of aboriginal peoples in Canada, the struggles they have been through over the past decade and the challenges they still face today in modern day society. I’ll be addressing these issues in a couple of paragraphs on the discrimination and the inequalities of these “minorities” and how they had to assimilate into European culture, leaving their way of life behind them.

First Nation Peoples within Canada have been facing many injustices in their homeland since the dawn of colonization. The most unraveling point to First Nation assimilation was the formation of the consequential Indian Act and residential schools resulting in a stir of adversity. As racist ideologies within Canada developed, upheaval against such treatment was undertaken as First Nation communities fought back against government land claims and eradication of treaty rights. In attempt to make amends, proper compensations from the injustices within residential schools have been released and the key for the future is allowing First Nation self-government. Ideals with the intent of ultimate assimilation have been standardized unto First Nation

Discrimination of Aboriginal culture and way of life has also been a pressing issue during the years between 1945 and 2010. Canada, as nation that promotes equality, has done a terrible job demonstrating it. False stereotypes and perceptions of Native American people are very common in society today and back then. It is most common in the media because it is seen by almost everyone and has a considerable influence on peoples perspective on an idea, whether their aboriginal or not. Media reaches everywhere, from movies to the new and from advertisement to literature, it gets coverage. In the media aboriginals only ever get minor roles with a lack of identity in their characters, but when they are recognized, they are seen as

The representation of Indigenous Australians in fiction and nonfiction texts are influenced by a range of factors. In the contemporary world of multicultural Australia, there has been a variety of ways groups of people are represented in texts. The Indigenous population is often portrayed in ways that strengthen harmful stereotypes. However, there are also a variety of positive outlooks and portrayals expressing their strength and achievements. In texts studied in year 8 English, the representation of Indigenous Australians in Crow country are characterized as outcasts and reflect cultural distinction. Newspaper articles regarding “Adam Goodes” demonstrates how preconceived thoughts from many Australians destroys sporting stars outlook upon

Thomas King’s The Inconvenient Indian tells the story of Indigenous people in Canada and the United States, it challenges the narrative on how Indigenous history is taught and explains why Indigenous people continue to feel frustrated. King’s seeks to educate the reader as he provides a detailed accounts of the horrific massacres Indigenous people endured, yet he simultaneously inserts humorous moments which balances out the depressing content and enhances his story. The books highlights the neglect and assimilation that Indigenous were subjected to and how their survival was seen as an inconvenience to western culture. King directs his message at a Euro-centric audience to offer an accurate explanation of Indigenous culture and

I have developed a sound introduction to the and broad influences that shape the negative stereotype of Indigenous people and that the perception. An individual’s culture and values and beliefs influence negative perceptions then further reinforced by weak political debate and curriculum development. Therefore, it is essential to be educated on local Indigenous groups when developing inclusive curriculum.

Residential schools have created a ripple effect causing loss of culture and identity. It has been heartbreaking to discover the stories of

The “drunken Indian” stereotype is a twisted perversion of the sad truth that many Indigenous peoples in Canada, and all over the world, struggle with substance abuse problems and alcoholism, as seen numerous times plaguing the family of the protagonist of In Search of April Raintree, written by author Beatrice Culleton Mosionier. Countless believe alcoholism amongst Indigenous peoples is genetic, that it is in their blood - their nature, but this logic is hackneyed and highly inaccurate. For starters, Canada’s Indigenous population was not introduced to alcohol and its effects until colonization. Years later, lacking proper and sufficient help to aid in healing the scars left from trauma, many turned to substances. Nowadays, the scientific community recognizes that alcoholism is something learned, not something one is born with. Alcoholism amongst Indigenous peoples is not a genetic predisposition, but rather a cultural influence taught over hundreds of years.