Native American Stereotypes Essay

When someone hears the word Native American there are several images that comes to people’s mind. Whether it is an Indian from the Arctic living in a snow igloo or an Indian from Pocahontas, we all have a stereotypical view of what they look like. Not only do we have a view of what they look like but the way they act compared to other people. As time goes on some of these views change based on shows we see on the television or in movies and it can have a negative effect on Native Americans.
What is a stereotype? A stereotype is a fixed view or perception about a group of people that all share the same characteristic. Some of the stereotypes of Indians is the way they dress as it is portrayed in the media. Some of the common looks include having long hair which could be in a braid, a headdress consisting of feathers, leather pants, leather vests, moccasins, jewelry, and face paint. Society has been
We as a society need to understand that even though their culture may be different than ours it does not mean that it’s a bad thing, something also known as culture relativism. They may dress differently or speak a different language but that is part of their culture. Some of the different views that society has about Native Americans is not true, specifically the way that they may act as we have seen portrayed in movies. There may have been some people in their tribe that might have acted like a savage but it is frowned upon. Several different tribes had a certain belief about the way they should act, which is to treat others with respect, especially their elders. Some did not believe in fighting and only fought to defend themselves. In the beginning I did not know a lot about their culture or their history. Now I am able to understand more about their culture and who they really are and not to give into what I see in our society that portrays them in a negative