This list has been compiled by many people participating in different
mailing groups: Native-L, NatChat, Nat-Edu, NativeLit-L, and others. I
would like to stress that the list is incomplete: we have not yet had
time to research a number of factual questions that we had or to confirm/
clarify the information in any way other than discussions among ourselves.
Further, because all of the information has been gathered from mostly
impromptu discussions, the list here may be very spotty, including some
stereotypes but missing others. If you see gaps, have suggestions to add,
or would like to correct mistakes, PLEASE CONTRIBUTE to our efforts by
sending a message to Jim Postema <postema@cobber.cord.edu> or the NatChat
discussion group <NatChat@gnosys.svle.ma.us>. Also, please feel free to
forward this to other appropriate discussion groups, or circulate this
list offline.
STEREOTYPED PRODUCTS or PRACTICES
Butterick Indian Costume sewing pattern
Disneyland--Pocohantas, Indian Villages, etc. Indian Village is a
target for tourists looking out of fort on Tom Sawyer's
Island, Disneyland, Anaheim, CA
Disney--Peter Pan's Indian Village
Native American Barbie Doll
Mattel Inc. (John Amerman, CEO)
333 Continental Blvd.
El Segundo, CA 90245
Pez Indian candy dispenser
Playmobil Indian Village and Figures (Germany--sold in US/Canada):
a chief sits in a rocking chair next to a birchbark canoe, a
totem pole, and a plains tepee decorated with Haida symbols
Super Naturals Eagle Eye Action figure--transformer-type toy that
changes from a chief to a soaring eagle
Thinkway Toys, Toronto, 50-piece set of warring cowboys and
Indians
VIDEO GAMES
"Street Fighter," with N.A.-looking character named Hawk
"Custer's Revenge" computer game--players take viewpoint of white
males competing for Indian maiden
COLLECTORS' PLATES, DOLLS or PICTURES,
advertised in _Parade_ Sunday magazine
The Danbury Mint
"Morning Song Cheyenne Bridal Doll," by Judy Belle, and
"White Feather, Princess of the Sioux doll, sold by
The Danbury Mint
47 Richards Ave.
Norwalk, CT 06857
"Eagle Spirit: A Crow War Pony," collectors' plate by Gregory
Perillo: "As dawn breaks over the Crow camp, Eagle Spirit is
restless. Today, he will live up to his name as he swiftly
carries the Chief of the Crow across the plains." Ironically,
after describing the expected demand for this plate, the ad
ends with the line, "Return your reservation today!"
The Danbury Mint
47 Richards Avenue
Norwalk, CT 06857
The Franklin Mint
"Pride of the Sioux" collectors' plates, by Paul Calle, depicting
"Chief High Pipe," who has learned the value of peace....
Franklin Mint
Franklin Center, PA 19091-0001
"Princess of Wisdom" Collector Plate, "the first ever collector
plate by award-winning Native American artist Marie Buch
fink.... Dressed in the beautiful ceremonial clothes of her
tribe, the lovely Sioux princess stands proud, accompanied by
her totem, the owl":
The Franklin Mint,
Franklin, PA 19091-0001
The Georgetown Collection
"Buffalo Child Doll," part of the "Children of the Great Spirit"
collection, by Carol Theroux--the ad for these does say her
dolls celebrate "her American Indian ancestry," but it also
describes the doll as saying "She will be a princess among her
people":
Georgetown Collection
866 Spring St.
PO Box 9730
Portland, ME 04104-5030
"Little Fawn's Papoose" doll, another design by Carol Theroux. This
seems a little less stereotypical than the Buffalo Child Doll:
"A child's giggles and whispers are heard. Like the tribe's own
storyteller, Little Fawn is weaving a wondrous tale for her
beloved bear." The tribe is unidentified, though the doll's
bear is in a cradleboard; it's not so much stereotypical as
terminally "cute." As such, it does play to romanticized images
of what it is to be Native American--but then again, I know
Native American women who love this sort of thing.
I'm including it here now mainly to get people's reactions
to it: what do you think of this?
Other Companies
"Navajo Little One: doll, by Ray Swanson, and
"Deliverance" plates,
sold by
The Hamilton Collection
4810 Executive Park Ct.
P.O. Box 44051
Jacksonville, FL 32231-4051
"Majestic Indian" full-color art prints, sold by
National TV Bargains
Dept. MJ-1234OB
1 Eversley Ave.
Norwalk, CT 06851
Native American Prints, "buy now while N.A. Culture is so
popular!"
Publishers Choice Gallery
Box 4171, Dept. BF60-PL
Huntington Station, N 11746
"Running with the Wind" decorator plate: "Wrapped in buffalo
skins, two Native American Indians lead a mare and her colt
across a snowy valley to their winter campground, feeling all
around them the presence of Sacred Dogs--their name for the
first horses, gifts from the Great Spirit many moons ago." An
interesting question: a flag over the ad says this plate was
"Nominated for NALED plate of the year"--what's that? Does
the "NA" of NALED perhaps stand for "Native American"??? Or
am I just being paranoid here? :-)
The Bradford Exchange
9345 Milwaukee Avenue
Niles, IL 60714-1393
ORGANIZATIONAL STEREOTYPES
Indian Guides--boys' groups (do these still exist?)
Camp Fire Girls?--originally founded on NA stereotypes?
White Buffalo Society? (someone included this in a post to
me--what does this group do?)
WHAT CAN WE ADD HERE?
If you know of any product or organizational practice that is inherently
derived from stereotypes of Native Americans, and that you would like to
add to our list, please send that information to Jim Postema at
<postema@cobber.cord.edu> or to NatChat <natchat@gnosys.svle.ma.us>.
Similarly, if you see mistakes or have questions about the list, or just
want to know more about the project, you could post messages to those same
addresses. Thanks!
Jim Postema and many others
postema@cobber.cord.edu
P.S. The next installment of this project will be a list of people who
have either contributed directly to the information we have or who have
indicated their support for our research.