FramingYourPerspective:

NativeAmericanIndiansThroughtheArts

ReanneLacosta
AngelaGuerrero
HonorsHumanities
November1,2015

Lacosta2
ReanneLacosta
AngelaGuerrero
HonorsHumanities
November1,2015

FramingYourPerspective:
NativeAmericanIndiansThroughtheArts
SacagaweaisbestknownforherheroicroleinLewisandClarksexpedition.
TheWorld
Book
,anonlineencyclopedia,tellsthestoryofthe
ShoshoneIndianwomanwhoguidedboth
MeriwetherLewisandWilliamClarkonanexplorationoftheNorthwesternUnitedStatesfrom
theyear1805to1806.Alongsideherhusband,shewastaskedwithhelpingthetravelers
communicateamongthetribesoftheland.
SacagaweaisasignificantpartofourAmericanhistory.SheisseenontheUnitedStates
dollarcoin,onthecoversofnumerousbooks,stampsandofcourseinseveralmovies.Oneofthe
mostpopularmoviesis
NightattheMuseum
.Thismovieconsistsofastarstuddedcast
including,BenStiller,DickVanDyke,MickeyRooneyandthelateRobinWilliams.Inaddition
tothoselegends,MizuoPeck,whoplaystheroleofSacagaweaherself.Herportrayaloftherole
couldhavegoneoneoftwoways:misleadingandinaccuratetothestrongwomanSacagawea
was,orauthenticandsincere.Asapersonalsoofcolor,Peckexplainedhowshewantedto
achievethesecondofthetwooptionswhenshestates,
IwantedtoportraySacajaweawiththe
braveryandstrengthIbelieveshehad
(Peck).MizuoPeckdidagreatdealofexplorationinto
thelifeofSacagaweaandgainedasignificantamountofknowledgebeforesheplayedthisrole.

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Shetells
BookTrib
abouttheresearchshedidtoportraythecharactercorrectly,including
watchingKenBurnsdocumentaries,visitingmuseumsandreadingbooks.Peckknewthather
rolewouldcreateadeepimpactonhowpeopleviewedSacagaweafromthatdayforward.Peck
statesthatshe,
hope[s]peopleareintriguedandinspiredtofindoutmoreabouther.
Moviesanddifferentformsofarthavepowertoimpactthemasses.Artshavetheability
tobringbackmemoriesandemotions,whethertheyaregoodorbad.Itcanbeinterpretedin
differentwaysforeachindividual,andhasacertainamountofsignificancebasedonwhoyou
ask.
Weallhavedifferentperspectivesandtheartscaneasilyimpactthoseviews.Theworld
isfullofsevenbillionpeople,fromalldifferentbackgrounds.Peoplecananalyzethesameexact
pieceofart,andyetcanallseeandfeelsomethingdifferent.Thisisbecausenotwopeoplehave
livedthesamelifenotwopeoplehavelivedthroughthesameexactexperiencesandnotwo
peoplehavethesameexactmentality.Artalwaysleaveroomforinterpretation,butsometimes
itshardtofind.Moreimportantly,theartscanshapethewaysocietyportraysamarginalized
community.Sincethesetypesofcollectivesaresooverlooked,itseasyfortheirvoicestobe
conqueredbythepowerofart.
NativeAmericanIndiansareagreatexampleofoneoftheseneglected,marginalized
communities.ThroughoutAmericanhistory,fromColonialtomoderntimes,examplesofhow
NativeAmericanIndianshavebeenportrayedinthemedia.Weseethatwhenanonauthentic,
nonNativevoicesdepictNativeAmericansandtheircultureusingdifferentartforms,theyare
falselyshownasaredskin,overlysternormeekandpassiveanditbecomeseasierforsociety

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tostereotypethem.WeneedmoreworkbyNativeAmericanstoappearinmainstreammedia,
insteadofbeingoverlookedbynonNatives.
ItstimetoreframeourperspectiveandrecognizealloftheobstaclesNativeAmericans
haveovercome.Theircommunityhasbeenoverlookedandtakenadvantageofrepeatedly
throughouthistoryanditstimetorecognizethemforalloftheiramazingachievements,
courageousness,andrichculture.

CapturingMindsets:PerspectivesinPrintArt
Tome,paintingisoneofthemostfreeformsofart.Anartisthastheabilitytoexpress
whattheyenvisionwiththepublic.Itsachanceforanartisttotakeallthattheyhavebundledup
insideofthemandshareitwithothers.Somepiecesoftengetpraiseandrecognitions,while
otherscreatecontroversy.
InearlyColonialtimes,theNativeAmericansandthecolonistshadaverydynamic
relationship.

AmericanHistory,
awebsiteabouttheearlysettlers,showsthatalthoughthe
indigenouspeoplebenefitedfromthenewtechnologyandtradesthepilgrimsbrought,itstilldid
notmakeupforthespreadofdiseaseandtheextraordinaryamountofgreed.
Anotherstudyfrom
MountHolyokeCollegeexplainshowmosttreatieswereeventuallybrokenthroughtrickeryand
misleadingstatementsbetweenthesettlersandtheNativeAmericans.Thisinturnbroughtdeath
andheartachetothenewland.
TheNativeswerebetrayedanddeceivedbytheEuropeansettlers.
Theytookawaytheirlands,homesanddisrespectedtheirculture.
Feudsandwarsstartedrisingbetweenbothparties.
AmericanHistory
explainshowthe
settlershadanadvantagebyusingtechnologysuchas,
knives,axes,weaponsetcduringtimesof

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war.Theindigenouspeopleretaliatedwithfurtrapsandnaturalresources.Indianretribution
beganuprisingagainsttheEuropeanSettlersduetotheirdisregardofrespectingthelandandthe
nativepeople.
AmericanHistory
explainseverysignificantwarthattookplaceinVirginiainthe
year1622calledthePequotWarwhere347whiteswerekilled,includinganumberof
missionaries.ThePequotWarwasanotheruprisingthatfollowedin1637.Here,localtribes
triedtopreventsettlementoftheConnecticutRiverregion(AmericanHistory).Althoughthe
Nativesputupagoodfightanddidtheirbesttokeeptheirland,itwasntenough.T
hesettlers
advantageofusingdifferentweaponshelpedthemprevailovertheNatives.
ThenewpowertheColonistshadovertheNativeAmericanscreatedachainreaction
downhill.
MountHolyokeCollegeexplainshowt
heywereforcedofftheirlandsrepeatedly.
AndrewJackson,theseventhpresidentoftheUnitedStates,playedasignificantroleintheway
NativeAmericansweretreatedduringthistime.Jacksonwasseenasheroic,magneticand
charming,soitwaseasyforthesettlerstofollowhisleadingainingpower.
AmericasLibrary
revealshowhewasaviolentanddestructivemanandshowedhostilitytowardtheIndians.
HebelievedthattheNativeAmericansandthePilgrimscouldneverlivetogetherin
peace,hencetheIndianRemovalActof1830.AmericasLibraryexplainshowtheactwas
createdbecause,
ManywhiteswantedNativeAmericansremovedfromtheirtriballandsinthe
East.
TheCherokeeIndiansfoughtincourttooverturnthisactbutevenaftertheyfinally
succeeded,statessuchasGeorgia,ignoredtherulingandcontinuedtotaketheirland.
Americas
Library
tellsusthateventuallythemajorityofstatesjoinedtheleadofGeorgia,andfrom
1838
to1839
theTrailofTearswasinaction.AndrewJacksonrefusedtostandupfortherightsofthe
NativeAmericans,andasaresult,16,000Cherokeesandothertribeswhowererefusedtoleave

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theirhomes,wereroundedupbytheArmyandforcedtomovehundredsofmilesWest.Onthis
journey,fourthousandNativeAmericansdiedandPresidentJacksonsimplyturnedablindeye.
AsifoverthrowingandhurtingtheNativeAmericanswasntenough,somewritersand
artistwouldusetheirtalentstodepicttheNativeAmericansasuncivilizedandenemiesofa
whiteman.TheywouldwritenarrativesandpaintimagesoftheNativeAmericanscapturinga
whitewomandchildren,whichbecameverypopularthroughtheeighteenthandnineteenth
centuries.ThisthencreatedastereotypeoftheNativeAmericansbeingsviolentsavages.
CharlesF.Wimaranartistwhopainted,
TheAbductionofDanielBoone'sDaughterby
theIndians
.Fromthetitleofthecomposition,itisalreadyobviousthatthisisnotapositive
representationofNativeAmericansinthearts.Thepieceshowsayoungwomandressedin
white,torepresentherpurity,surroundedbythreeNativeAmericansonaboat.Theyhave
weaponsusedtoprotectthemselvesasonepullsforcefullyontheyounggirl.Theyalllook
distressedastheypulltheircanoeontotheshore,andcheckthewoodsfordanger.Abovethem,
theskylooksofamelancholyyellowwithadarkundertones.
IndiansoftheMidwest,
awebsite
createdbyTheNewberryLibrary,explainshowtheimageshowstheinaccurateportrayal,asthe
ShawneeandCherokeepeoplekidnapJemimaBoone,daughterofDanielBooneafamous
settler,in1784.InanattempttofrightenNativeAmericansfromtrespassingontothecolonists
territory.
KemperArtMuseumanalyzedthepaintingandexplainedhowitreinforcesnotionsof
NativeAmericansassavageandwhitesettlersascultivatedanddivinelyordainedanotionthat
helpedjustifywhitecolonizationoftheWest.ManyEuropeansbelievedthattheNative
Americansweredangerouspeopleandnottobetrusted,becausetheNativeAmericansfought

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backfortheirland.These
captivityimagesandnarratives
showthatthethecolonistsdidnt
understandtheNativeAmericanswayoflife,andwerenotwillingtoacceptthattheylived
differently.
ItsnowourjobaspresentdayAmericanstonotrepeattheactionsofthecolonists
.Weneedtounderstandthatwearealldifferentandeveryindividualandgrouphasitsown
opinionsandvalues.Thissimplymeansthateveryonebelievesdifferentthings:andthatshould
beacceptedbyothers.

FootstepsofaStranger:PerspectivesinMovies
Filmisonetheformsofartthatcanhavethemostsubstantialimpactonhowsociety
viewscertaintopics.Thisismainlybecausefilmsareadvertisedacertainwayandhavebig
namesattachedtothem.Popularactorswithpopularwritingcombined,canmakeanyaudience
believewhattheyaredepicting.
Therearemanyexamplesofthefilmindustryusingwhateverangletheycantotargetthe
audience.SophieGilbert,from
TheAtlanticMagazine
,explainshowtheDisneystudiochairman,
JeffreyKatzenberg,pushedforanotherromancefilmfollowingthesuccessofBeautyandthe
Beast.Ontheotherhand,directors,MikeGabrielandEricGoldberg,wantedtopursueastory
thathaditsoriginsinearlyAmericanhistory(Gilbert).Thisendedintheresultofmakingthe
film,
Pocahontas
.
ThismusicalromanticdramafollowseighteenyearoldPocahontas,anadventurous,
confident,independent,NativeAmericanIndianduringthetimeoftheJamestownsettlement.
ThedaughterofChiefPowhatan,hasherworldflippedupsidedownassheencountersan

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Englishsettler,CaptainJohnSmith.Althoughtheystartoffapprehensiveofoneanother,their
relationshipblossomsintoaforbiddenromance.
Forthefirsttime,DisneydecidedtobasetheirleadingcharacteroffarealPowhatan
woman,butsincetheyneededtofulfillthewishesofthreeveryimportantpeopletothemovie,
theytooksomehistoricaldetours.Indeed,PocahontaswasinfactthedaughterofChief
Powhatan,howeverthemaindifferencebetweenthemovieandhistoryvariesgreatly.Inreality
shewasayounggirlaroundtheageoftenyearsold,noteighteenasdepictedinthemovie.After
historianshaddiscoveredthis,itwasquicklyrealizedthatmanyoftheeventsthathappenedin
thefilm,wouldhavebeenpossibleinreallife.
Inthefilm,thelovebetweenPocahontasandJohnSmithismuchliketheloveoftwo
famousstarcrossedlovers,RomeoandJuliet.EvenafterChiefPowhatanprohibitsPocahontas
fromencounteringherselfwithanyofthesettlers,shestillcontinuestoseeJohnSmithinsecret.
Astheirrelationshipdevelops,PocahontasshowsJohnSmiththewayofherpeople.During
thesong,ColorsoftheWind,thecourageousgirlteachesthemannottotakethingsfor
granted,especiallythethingsgiventousfromtheEarth.
Inreality,arelationshipliketheonebeingrepresentedinthemoviecouldnotbepossible
betweenatenyearoldandagrownadult.AlthoughnothingisforcertainandPocahontascould
haveindeedtaughtJohnSmithappreciatetheland,theiraffectioncouldbenomorethana
friendship.ThisshowsanexampleoftheGoodIndianstereotypebyhelpingthecolonist.
Duringtheprerevolutionarytime,astereotypewasgiventoNativeAmericanswho
helpedthepilgrimsliveandmakeuseoftheland.Somesaythisstereotypewastousedasa

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marketingproductbycolonists.TheyclaimedtohaveusedtheNativeAmericansastouristsites
toattractincomingsettlerstothelandwheretheNativeswouldputonshows.
Inspiteofthismisinterpretation,DisneywasnotthefirsttotellthestoryofPocahontas
likeso.ItwasfoundthatJohnSmith,himself,alteredhisvisittoJamestownandhisencounter
withPocahontas.
TheWorldBookOnline
explainshowwhenSmithfirstreturnedtoEngland
fromhisvisittotheAmericas,hisstorywentlikeso:JohnSmithwascapturedbythenatives,
butPowhatanwelcomedhimkindlyandaskedhimmanyquestions.Nevertheless,afterthe
deathofPocahontas,Smithsstorywasthenaltered,claimingthatshe
hadpleadedforhislife
whenherfatherwantedtokillhim
(WorldBookOnline).
SinceDisneythendecidedtofollowthelaterofJohnSmithaccounts,theyreceivedan
accumulationofbacklash.Thisiswhyitsimportanttoalwaysdoknowmultiplesidesofthe
storybeforebelievingthefirstthingyousee.Aswestudyhistory,wedoexactlythat.By
learningaboutmultipleperspectivesthroughouthistory,wecanmakebetterassumptionsabout
peopleandtheircommunities.

KilltheTruth,ToSavetheConvenience:PerspectivesinBooks
Booksareawayforareadertobesomeoneelseforachange.Whenwereadabook,its
ourturntoputourselvesintheshoesofthecharacterwearereadingabout.Booksalsohavethe
powertochangeyourperspectiveonvarioustopicsandsituations.Whenwegothrougha
character'sexperienceseventhoughweknowacharacter'sperspective,wearenotobligatedto
beinagreement.Mostofthetime,authorsdoagreatjobofmakingyoufeelthewaytheywant
youtofeel,butthatdoesntnecessarilymeanyouhavetofollowthat.

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ShermanAlexie,amemberofthe
SpokaneandCoeurd'Alenetribes,
doesaperfectjob
ofputtingusintheshoesofofArnoldSpiritJuniorinthebook,
TheAbsolutelyTrueDiaryofa
PartTimeIndian
.Thestoryfollowsayoung,wittyartistwhogoesthroughamajordecisionin
hislife:hiseducationorhisheritage?JuniorswholelifehastakenplaceattheSpokaneIndian
Reservation,includinghisculture,hisfamily,hisfriendsandhiseducation.Juniorbeingthe
intelligentyoungboyheis,noticesthattheeducationhesreceivingisntwhataboywithhis
aspirationsdeserves,sohedecidestotakeastand.Eventhoughitsahardthingtodo,Junior
decidestoleavetheschoolonthereservationtoattendaschooloutsideofthereservationnamed,
ReardanHighSchool.Hesoonfindsoutthathestheonlystudentofcolorathisunfamiliar
school.Arnoldgoesthroughnewadventuresathisnewschool,includingfirstloveandnew
friends,butwiththatcomesproblemsbackathome.ThisiswhereJuniorbeginstofeellikea
ParttimeIndian,anoutcastonthereservation,ortherezasJuniorcallsit,andastudentat
Reardan.Heacceptsthatheisnowmultitribalandexploresnewadventures.
ThemomentbeforeArnolddecidestoswitchschools,hegetsintoaconversationwith
Mr.P,awhite,mathteacheronthereservation.ThetwotalkaboutJunioropportunitiesoutside
ofthereservation.Mr.PexplainstoJuniorhowpeopleonthereservationhavelosthope,except
forhim,andheneedstotakethathopetosomewherewhereitwillcount.AfterJuniorasksmore
abouthope,Mr.PbeginstotellhimaboutAmericanizationschools.
ThisthenbringsourattentionbacktoanimportanttimeNativeAmericanIndianhistory.
TheUnitedStateswasimpactedwhenthefederalgovernmentattemptedtoAmericanize
NativeAmericans,byregisteringtheiryouthintoboardingschools.Mr.Pdescribesthemto
Junior,whereteacherswouldphysicallyharmtheIndianoutofthestudentsbytakingawaytheir

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songsandstoriesandlanguageanddancing,insistingtheydroptheirIndiannames,forbadethe
speakingofnativelanguages,andcutofftheirlonghair.CaptainRichardH.Prattwentasfaras
saying,
KilltheIndianinhim,andsavetheman
(HistoryMatters).Mr.Pexplainshow
[They]weren'ttryingtokillIndianpeople.[They]weretryingtokillIndianculture.
Asaresult,
NativeAmericanshavegonethroughsomuchpainandmisfortuneas
authorityattemptedtoAmericanizethem.ButlikeJunior,theyfoundhopeandarestillproud
oftheirculture.Eventhoughpeopletriedtochangethem,theydidntletthatstopthemfrom
beingtruetothemselves.Uncommontopopularbelief,NativeAmericansarestillpresentinour
societyasdoctors,teachers,lawyers,actors,storytellers,andeveryrolepossible.
Wecantbaseouropiniononawholecommunityuntilweknowtheirhistory.Before
youdecidetomisappropriateaculture,youneedunderstandtheirstruggles.Inthisbook,weget
toseethroughthepointofviewofaNativeAmerican,writtenbyaNativeAmerican.Booksand
otherartcompositionslikesoneedtobecelebratedmoreinthemedia.ShermanAlexieisnt
afraidtosugarcoatthetruthofhowdifficultitistoliveinacommunitythatsbeenbrought
downsomanytimes,yetheandJuniorstillbreakouttobecomesuccessful.

YourOwnResearch:ChangingYourPerspective
Theartscanshapethewaysocietyportraysamarginalizedcommunity,suchasNative
AmericanIndians,beitbepositiveornegative.Eitherway,weshouldn'tletstereotypesinthe
artsshapeourentireperspectiveonaraceorculture,todefineasingleperson.Itsimportantto
findmultipleperspectivesfrommultiplepointsofview,yetitsmoreimportantthattheseother
perspectivesberecognizedandcelebrated.

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TheartshaveshapedthewayweviewtheNativeAmericans,fromthenoblesavageand
thegoodIndian,tothecivilizedsavage,butweknowthatinreallife,notallNativeAmerican
Indiansactlikeoneoftheselectedcharacters.
CarlaRaeHolland,fromthe Haudenosauneetribe,explainsthatalthoughthepopulation
ofherancestryhasdecreasedopposedtointheprecolonialtime,NativeAmericanshavenot
disappearedfromthemedia.Thisindigenouscommunitycontinuestosharetheirbeautiful
cultureandneedtobeacknowledgedfortheirgreatwisdom.Theyarestillasstrongasever,
seekingtofindavoice.CarlaRaesaiditherselfwhenshestated:Wehaveapowerfulvoice
thatmanyinthemainstreamofsocietywouldliketodrownout,butdeservestobeheard,like
anyoneelse(Holland).Wecantmakeassumptionsofthesecommunitiesbasedonwhatis
beingtoldtousbythearts.NativeAmericanIndiansandothermarginalizedcommunities
Deservetobeheard(Holland).
Althoughwecantchangewhathashappenedinhistory,weareinchargeofourown
futuresandthefuturesofthegenerationssucceedingus.It'snowourjobtodosomeresearch.
Weneedtoseekoutnewfriendshipsandrelationshipstohelpusbettershapeourmindsets,
differentfromthemindsetsalreadyshapedforusthroughthearts.Wecantaketheknowledge
weacquiretobroadenourownperspectives,andwecanlearntoappreciateothers.Fromthere,
wewillbeabletomakelastingchange.

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Bibliography
Fenster,JordanN."5QuestionsforMizuoPeck,SacagaweaofNightattheMuseum."
BookTrib
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18Nov.2015.
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http://booktrib.com/2014/12/5questionsformizuopecksacagaweaofnightatthemuseum/
>.

"LanguageinPoliticsandInternationalRelations."
EarlyColonial
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http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~fitzg20m/language/Early%20Colonial%20%20Indian%20Relatio
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"ColonialIndianRelations."
AmericanHistory
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http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/outlines/history1994/earlyamerica/colonialindianrelations.php
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AndrewJackson.
AmericasLibrary
.TheLibraryofCongress.25Oct2015.
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http://www.americaslibrary.gov/aa/jackson/aa_jackson_subj.html
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"ArtworkDetail:TheAbductionofDanielBoone'sDaughterbytheIndians."
MildredLane
KemperArtMuseum
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http://www.kemperartmuseum.wustl.edu/collection/explore/artwork/1479
>.

"Stereotypes|IndiansoftheMidwest."
IndiansoftheMidwestRSS
.01Oct.2015.
<
http://publications.newberry.or,g/indiansofthemidwest/indianimagery/stereotypes/
>.

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Gilbert,Sophie."Revisiting
Pocahontas
at20."
TheAtlantic
.14Nov.2015.
<
http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/06/revisitingpocahontas/396626/
>.

Townsend,Camilla."Pocahontas."
WorldBookOnline.
24Oct.2015.
<
http://www.worldbookonline.com.sdplproxy.sandiego.gov/pl/infofinder/article?id=ar435960&s
t=pocahontas
>.

Alexie,Sherman,andEllenForney.
TheAbsolutelyTrueDiaryofaParttimeIndian
.NewYork:
Little,Brown,2007.

Holland,CarlaRae.PersonalInterview.7October2015.