An effort has been made to bring awareness to Indigenous stereotypes, and to educate people on the history and culture of Indigenous tribes. However, this negative mindset is still occurring whether we realize it or not. Mayoral candidate, Don Woodstock, commented on how he believed Indigneous men were almost exclusively responsible for the violet incidents that happen to Indigenous women. Woodstock believes that Indigenous men lack respect, have a violent nature, and should be held responsible for the women who have been murdered or gone missing. There is no factual evidence in what Woodstock is saying, and his claims are deeply rooted in the stereotypes that have plagued Indigenous people throughout history. His statement came across as very thoughtless and brings to question whether someone with this mindset should be a candidate for Mayor and a possible leader.
Reading this article reminded me of the recent disucussions we have had in class about stereotypes and the poem "How to Write the Geat American Indian Novel" by Sherman Alexie. He clearly highlights all the steretypes that are associated with Indigenous people. One of them being a reference to how Indigenous people are associated with violent acts like murder, suicide, and rape. The comments made by Woodstock are a clear example of how stereotypeing is still an issue, and more work needs to be done to try and eliminate the preconceived notions that still exist towards Indigenous people.
Work Cited:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-indigenous-groups-pushback-don-woodstock-winnipeg-mayoral-race-1.6594158