Western Films and Native American Males

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Western Films andNative AmericanMales

• Sarah Staples/ Katie Houlihan
• October 24, 2006

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Native American Roles

• Noble
• Brave
• Helper
• Bloodthirsty

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Noble Savage

• Portrayed as an excellent storyteller
• Takes in Jack (Dustin Hoffman) after his family
  is murdered by the bloodthirsty Paw nee
• General
• Preserves the traditions of the tribe
• gives advice
• spiritual/medicine man

Chief Dan George
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The Brave

• Warrior
• Hunter
• Defender of the tribe

This character defends the tribe, goes on the
Buffalo Hunt which saves the tribe. He is
also the best warrior in the tribe.
Kevin Costner becomes a brave in Dances with
Wolves but this appropriation of Native Identity
is not necessarily an accurate depiction of
native people. By the end of the film he has
assumed a complete Native American identity.
http//video.google.com/videoplay?docid-387792068
807922095qbuffalohunt
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Helper Vs. BloodthirstyThe Last of the Mohicans
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Helper Vs Bloodthirsty

• The helper aids the white western heroes in
  battle
• Depicted as aloner not belonging fully to
  either group
• This character is found in many older westerns

• The bloodthirsty Native American role kills
  white families on the frontier
• Kidnaps white women
• Rapes women
• No morals, ethics and isruthless

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Settings for Native Americans

• Far out and desolate areas of the frontier
• Reservations

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Themes

• Native Americans kill, scalp and destroy white
  people on the frontier
• Kidnap white women
• Uncivilized and stuck in the primitive way of
  life
• Vanishing population
• last of the mohicans

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Value Assumptions

• Value mother earth
• Dont believe in Christian Gods
• Not educated often depicted with broken English
  a lot of ums
• Do not value modern expansion of the west

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Familiar Resolutions

• The West expands
• Native Americans vanish
• White people live on despite the rough frontier