I came across an article titled "5 Common Indigenous Stereotypes In Film and Television" that caught my attention after our discussion in class about the ways that Indigenous people are often portayed in movies. These portrayals often have negative connotations as the Indigenous actor or actress is forced to fulfill a minor role that typically reinforces common racial stereotypes, such as being the sad "Indian" or purely a "sexual object". Furthermore, this article highlights how music can also inflence the way that we view Indigenous people, as it points to Gwen Stefani's 2012 music video called "Looking Hot" in which she dresses up in traditional Native American clothing and dances around a tepee. It is videos such as these that send disturbing racist messages to viewers and thereby give white males motivation to act on their sexual urges. This is evidenced by the fact that "Indigenous women suffer from high rates of sexual assaults, often perpretated by non-Indigneous men" (ThoughtCo). Another idea that the article mentions is how many Indigneous movies are based on reservations and the wilderness, yet nearly 60% of Indigneous people live in cities in the U.S (ThoughtCo). Once again, this negatively reinforces the perspective that many of us have about Indigenous people's lifestyle and culture.

As Thomas King refers to in "The Truth About Stories" this is one of many instances where Indigenous people are not given the oppurtunity to tell their own stories or express their thoughts. Instead, this lack of self-representation is causing people apart of the dominant culture to perpetuate common Indigenous stereotypes. While modern movies like "Indian Horse" and "The Grizzlies" have portrayed Indigenous people in a more postive manner, Canadian and American media have progress to make before the narrative begins to shift.

Works Cited:
King, Thomas. The Truth About Stories: A Native Narrative. House of Anansi, 2003.
ThoughtCo. 5 Common Indigenous Sterotypes in Film and Television. 6 January, 2021. https://www.thoughtco.com/native-american-stereotypes-in-film-television-2834655 Accessed 16 Sept. 2022.