Ashley Chen Sohrab Shalileh Steven DeJong
CRM4310C
Final Assignment
Professor Deborah Landry
University of Ottawa
December 15, 2013
CRM4310C
Final Assignment
Professor Deborah Landry
University of Ottawa
December 15, 2013
Historical Context
Aboriginal identity has been an issue ever since European settlers first set foot on North America: “For Native people, individual identity is always being negotiated in relation to collective identity, and in the face of an external, colonizing society” (Lawrence 2003, p. 4). Early European colonials purposely constructed Native Americans as the different and foreign ‘others’ in order to justify and further its imperial forces on the people they were trying to control (Castro-Gomez 1998, p. 29). For instance, early settlers created the fearful myth that Native Americans are “ruthless and faithless” savages of an inferior race in order to justify horrific acts of hatred and genocide on other human beings (Merskin 1998, p. 334).
In a post-modern and capitalist society, Aboriginal identity continues to be shaped by White colonial agendas in the form of racist and misleading portrayals in popular culture. Colonial control continues to be exerted on Aboriginals in present times as non-Native institutions and corporations use Native imagery in marketing and media portrayals, often without consent and/or diligent research (Black 2002, p. 609). First conquered through slave labour and land sales, Native identity is now being conquered and controlled through cultural imperialism (Black 2002, p. 609). For instance, popular culture portrayals often lump vastly different groups of Aboriginals together into a specific ‘package of traits’, dehumanizing real people and cultures by replacing them with non-specific images, usually that of savagery, warriors, and barbarians (Black 2002, p. 609).
The use of Native American imagery to sell a specific product dates back as early as the late 1700s, as cigar stores used images of ‘American Indians’ on the cigar box (O’Barr 2013). By the late 1800s,”images of Native Americans had become commonplace in American advertising” while relying on stereotypical representations, such as images of ‘exotic’ attire like feather headdresses and fringed buckskins (O’Barr 2013).
In a post-modern and capitalist society, Aboriginal identity continues to be shaped by White colonial agendas in the form of racist and misleading portrayals in popular culture. Colonial control continues to be exerted on Aboriginals in present times as non-Native institutions and corporations use Native imagery in marketing and media portrayals, often without consent and/or diligent research (Black 2002, p. 609). First conquered through slave labour and land sales, Native identity is now being conquered and controlled through cultural imperialism (Black 2002, p. 609). For instance, popular culture portrayals often lump vastly different groups of Aboriginals together into a specific ‘package of traits’, dehumanizing real people and cultures by replacing them with non-specific images, usually that of savagery, warriors, and barbarians (Black 2002, p. 609).
The use of Native American imagery to sell a specific product dates back as early as the late 1700s, as cigar stores used images of ‘American Indians’ on the cigar box (O’Barr 2013). By the late 1800s,”images of Native Americans had become commonplace in American advertising” while relying on stereotypical representations, such as images of ‘exotic’ attire like feather headdresses and fringed buckskins (O’Barr 2013).
The Importance of Examining Commodification of Aboriginal Cultures
In
a post-modern and capitalist society, money reigns supreme in our culture of
commodity, as individuals now must face an "uncomfortably invasive reach
of advertisers into the spaces of everyday life" (Ono & Buescher 2001,
p. 24). Human identities and cultures are fragmented and packaged in the cut-throat
world of multinational commodity exchanges, and products now must scream out to
consumers in both social and psychological spaces (Ono & Buescher 2001, p.
30). In order to sell consumer goods, advertisers promise consumers that they can obtain
idealized utopias by purchasing and owning their products (Ono & Buescher 2001, pp. 34-35).
As a result, advertisers often exploit existing cultures to sell idealized lifestyles to consumers while ignoring the lived realities and experiences of these groups of people from which their culture is being exploited (Ono & Buescher 2001, p. 36). For instance, imagery of Native American traditions and cultures often has “nothing to do with the real lives of Native Americans…their sole purpose was to incorporate colorful, exotic imagery” (O’Barr 2013). Falsely representing millions of people’s identity through mythic stereotypes and tropes in popular culture and marketed products acts as another hegemonic device, which reconfigures Native experiences according to White Euramerican narratives (Black 2002, p. 606).
Already ravaged physically through colonization by European settlers, Aboriginals must face the social colonization of their culture. Amsterdam emphasizes that “cultural sovereignty is essential to political sovereignty” (2013, p. 54), especially as modern colonial representations only depict Indigenous persons as “the vanishing race, shackling them to the imagined topography of the idealized past” (2013, p. 58). Only being represented in idealized pasts pose real problems for Aboriginal Peoples, as their ‘authenticity’ as Indigenous Peoples is dismissed as being ‘fakes’ if they are seen to “possess any aspect of apparent modernity” (Lawrence 2003, p. 23).
As a result, advertisers often exploit existing cultures to sell idealized lifestyles to consumers while ignoring the lived realities and experiences of these groups of people from which their culture is being exploited (Ono & Buescher 2001, p. 36). For instance, imagery of Native American traditions and cultures often has “nothing to do with the real lives of Native Americans…their sole purpose was to incorporate colorful, exotic imagery” (O’Barr 2013). Falsely representing millions of people’s identity through mythic stereotypes and tropes in popular culture and marketed products acts as another hegemonic device, which reconfigures Native experiences according to White Euramerican narratives (Black 2002, p. 606).
Already ravaged physically through colonization by European settlers, Aboriginals must face the social colonization of their culture. Amsterdam emphasizes that “cultural sovereignty is essential to political sovereignty” (2013, p. 54), especially as modern colonial representations only depict Indigenous persons as “the vanishing race, shackling them to the imagined topography of the idealized past” (2013, p. 58). Only being represented in idealized pasts pose real problems for Aboriginal Peoples, as their ‘authenticity’ as Indigenous Peoples is dismissed as being ‘fakes’ if they are seen to “possess any aspect of apparent modernity” (Lawrence 2003, p. 23).
Popular representations of Aboriginals which focus on an idealized past (for instance: notions of “honour, respect, and dignity within the noble, courageous, and fierce Native” (Black 2002, p. 607)) results in individuals refusing to accept anything but this misconceived notion, including the fact that Aboriginals exist today and continue to suffer from real struggles. Because genocide and other dark realities are difficult to sell, these lived realities in Native American history are sanitized for marketing purposes, and ‘unpleasantries’ are dropped to suitably fit consumer ‘palates’ (Ono & Buescher 2001, p. 35). Thus current issues faced by real and existing Aboriginals are dismissed by individuals because according to commonly accepted representations, “images of dead Indians are the only ‘real Indians’” (Amsterdam 2013, p. 64).
Our Case Study
Our case study examined uses of Aboriginal tropes and imagery in popular culture, specifically in products that are targeted at non-Aboriginal consumers. My (Ashley’s) particular interest in this issue stemmed from my observations of the cultural appropriation of my own Asian culture. I had become all too used to seeing stereotypical representations of ‘geeky’ Asians in popular television shows, or the heavy use of ‘the demure Geisha’ to describe Asian women. Before I began my studies in university I was less aware of the impact cultural appropriation had on me, and as I grow older it becomes apparent that many people shape how they view me based on representations reinforced by popular culture. I am however optimistic that portrayals of Asians in North American media are making strides to defy false racial stereotypes (to name a few stereotype-defying Asian protagonists in recent works, Glenn Rhee of The Walking Dead is an athletic and risk-taking main character in the zombie-fighting television series; Harold Lee and Kumar Patel are crass and cannabis-smoking troublemakers in the comedy trilogy Harold and Kumar).
My (Sohrab's) interest in this topic is also closely related to Ashley's. I had also become accustomed to stereotypical depictions of Middle Eastern men and constantly had jokes and serious questions directed towards me that were related to generalizations about my culture. Some people also seemed to stare at me in awe when they would hear me speak English with no accent. While this issue struck a chord with me personally, I believe that this issue related to Aboriginals in Canada is important. This topic was raised as an option for this final evaluation and we agreed to focus on this issue. I had no idea what a significant problem this is and how people have become numb to it because commodifications of cultures are everywhere and most people do not think twice about it. Thankfully, we are all critical students and we are able to discuss this issue and hopefully this website can inform others about this issue.
Unfortunately this recent advancement in popular culture portrayals of racialized groups is not the case for Aboriginal Peoples. With few exceptions, portrayals of Native Americans can most often be referenced to representations in 1960s Western movies and television series where ‘daring cowboys’ engage in gunfights against ‘barbaric Injuns’ (Gittings 1998). My initial interest in the commodification of Aboriginal culture stems from this problem. As member of a racialized group I have faced being misrepresented in popular media; however I could not imagine the injustice Aboriginal peoples face, whose culture remains either very misrepresented and is absent of accurate popular depictions.
My (Sohrab's) interest in this topic is also closely related to Ashley's. I had also become accustomed to stereotypical depictions of Middle Eastern men and constantly had jokes and serious questions directed towards me that were related to generalizations about my culture. Some people also seemed to stare at me in awe when they would hear me speak English with no accent. While this issue struck a chord with me personally, I believe that this issue related to Aboriginals in Canada is important. This topic was raised as an option for this final evaluation and we agreed to focus on this issue. I had no idea what a significant problem this is and how people have become numb to it because commodifications of cultures are everywhere and most people do not think twice about it. Thankfully, we are all critical students and we are able to discuss this issue and hopefully this website can inform others about this issue.
Unfortunately this recent advancement in popular culture portrayals of racialized groups is not the case for Aboriginal Peoples. With few exceptions, portrayals of Native Americans can most often be referenced to representations in 1960s Western movies and television series where ‘daring cowboys’ engage in gunfights against ‘barbaric Injuns’ (Gittings 1998). My initial interest in the commodification of Aboriginal culture stems from this problem. As member of a racialized group I have faced being misrepresented in popular media; however I could not imagine the injustice Aboriginal peoples face, whose culture remains either very misrepresented and is absent of accurate popular depictions.
Warning: Racially offensive video above.
Our findings indicate that Aboriginal imagery, usually falsely represented, has been and continues to be exploited to sell an idealized and sanitized fantasy to consumers. Aboriginal tourism satisfies the need for tourists to witness an ‘authentic’ Native American experience, including the consumption of ‘authentic’ Native American souvenirs. Their culture is exploited and reduced to a fashion commodity by the use of Native motifs in consumer goods that are not made nor endorsed by Aboriginal peoples. This cultural exploitation results in a new form of colonization, as the continued oppression of Aboriginal peoples forces their identity to be defined and created by non-Aboriginals who act in the best interests of profit over accurate portrayals of real people.
However there are ways in which Aboriginal peoples choose to combat racial stereotypes perpetuated by cultural appropriation. By incorporating Aboriginal imagery and motifs in their creative work, Aboriginal artists are choosing to resist the colonizing effects of cultural appropriation by embracing all of Native American histories, including its past and current struggles.
However there are ways in which Aboriginal peoples choose to combat racial stereotypes perpetuated by cultural appropriation. By incorporating Aboriginal imagery and motifs in their creative work, Aboriginal artists are choosing to resist the colonizing effects of cultural appropriation by embracing all of Native American histories, including its past and current struggles.