Stereotyping of Native Americans

Native Americans have long been the subject of educators, particularly at Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, the study of Native Americans has been stereotypical and has contributed to children not understanding about diverse cultures.

This section provides teachers with ways that Native Americans are stereotyped. It also gives ideas on how to teach more effectively about native Americans.

Many children hear the words "Indian" or "Native American" and picture a stereotypical image:

• Someone wearing feathers
• Someone living in a tipi
• Someone who makes a "whooping" sound
• Someone to associate with Thanksgiving and the pilgrims

These images do not present children with an accurate portrayal of Native people. Their diversity would take years to study and, even then would not be covered entirely. For this reason, it is important that teachers study about Native Americans in a way that allows children to see the diversity and uniqueness of the individual tribes.

The following checklist was developed by the Council on Interracial Books for Children. It is included to provide teachers with some helpful suggestions when teaching about Native Americans.

• Indians are often equated with "things". Alphabet cards say, "A is for apple, B is for ball..... I is for Indian." Pick a different word so Indian people are not associated with things.
• Native Americans are often spoken of in "past" tense. There are about 800,000 Native people in the U.S. today, yet many books and filmstrips still have titles such as, How The Indians Lived.
• Native Americans are often referred to as, "them" and non-Indians as "us". Actually Native people are the original Americans and are more American or "us" than anyone else.
• When studying Native Americans focus on the various tribes, "Hopi, Apache or the Sioux". Lumping all Native Americans together does not allow children to see the diversity. There are separate nations and Native groups with different names, languages, and cultures.
• Many children think Native Americans look like movie Indians. Since Indians come from different nations and have often inter-married with other nationalities, they often do not fit into the "western" stereotype so often associated with them.
• Challenge television stereotypes of Native Americans. Discuss with children the meaning of stereotypes and help them understand that Native Americans were no more savage than others who fought to defend their land.
• Watch out for portraits of Native groups as having few words ("ugh, how"). Be sensitive to statements such as "You act like a bunch of wild Indians," or "Sit like Indians".
• Many students think a few Europeans defeated thousands of Indians in battle. Historians say the number killed in battle was small; what really defeated Native Americans were the diseases brought from Europe for which they had no immunity.
• Recognize that Native Americans are unique from other ethnic groups in that they were dispossessed of their lands. Native Americans have a legal right through treaties, although often ignored, to the land they still have.
• Not all Native American children are acquainted with their heritage. Native children often know far more things about T.V. programs than they do about their own culture. In many cases, due to past U.S. Government policy, many Native Americans were not allowed to acknowledge their own culture or beliefs and today's Native child may not always be good resource people for your class.
• It is important for students to know that Native ways of life have meaning today. Native arts have long been the subject of interest and respect.
• Most important in today's world is the Native American philosophy of life. . . respect for land, every form of life and for living in harmony with nature.

Stereotyping Activity

(Developed by the Council on Interracial Books for Children, 1841 Broadway, New York, New York)