The Meaning of Hate Indians in American Culture
Historically, Indians and white Americans have not been in the same lane. The hatred can be traced back to the American revolutionary wars. According to Calloway (1995), the declaration of independence accused King George III of unleashing “Merciless Indian Savages” against innocent men and women (pg1). As a result, the vicious images of pushed into action by a dictatorial sovereign fixed in recollection and fancied the Indians’ role in the Rebellion and vindicated their successive treatment. With the primary purpose of protecting their lands against the British colonies, the Indians accepted the need to form allies with the British to fight alongside other enemies, including the Americans. As a result, the British authority assured the Indians that they would protect their lands by the Royal Proclamation of 1763, which restricted the expansion of colonies beyond the Appalachian Mountains and isolated many territories for the Americans (Calloway, p.1). However, some Indians were neutral and did not want to engage in more conflicts. In 1778, the Fort Pitt Treaty was formed between the Americans and the Delawares, and both parties pledged for everlasting friendship and peace. But the Americans killed White Eyes and Cornstalk. They slaughtered noncombatant Moravian Delawares at the mission town of Gnadenhutten, inspiring the Ohio Indians to make a from allegiance with the British colonies. In an attempt to establish the historical impacts of the revolutionary war, this essay explores the meaning of hate in American culture and life.
First, American popular culture has been used to portray the hatred between the Americans and the native Indians. Most of the action movies diminish the native Indian cultures by portraying them as the most uncivilized individuals, and savages who live in forests and are normally elevated as the poorest people. An excellent example of movies portraying this kind of hate for the Indians is John Ford’s Action West Movies. In the film Stagecoach, the Indians are soldiers chasing a chariot of the full white people, including women and children. Even though the images portray the Indians as vicious and savages, the Americans seem to take control of the situation, by emerging victorious and take more Indians down. In the movie, it seems the Americans are enjoying the killings judging by the close-range camera movements and shots. The man in a black suit and pistol is smiling, showing that he finds pleasure in killing the Indians. Who seems to be a savage in this scenario? You will never establish a clear answer to this question because of the twists in the movie. In the chariot, there are scared women and a very young child, probably some months old. For the viewer, the Americans deserve sympathy and empathy, while the Indians are perceived as savages and villains.
American popular culture also seems to adopt the historical construction of othering. Othering is the perception and view that an individual’s religion or identity is fundamentally different from an alien one. Most of the American movie films are, therefore, othering the Indian identity and culture by using the Indian images to diminish their learning in different ways. For instance, they portray the Indians as isolated people who leave away from healthy civilization. They are also depicted as outdated because of their dressing styles and cultural practices. The use of animal skins and feathers also portray the Indians as uncivilized people.
According to Melville, the “Backwoodsman views the Indians the same way the jury perceive a murderer” (Calloway 2) This perception may be traced back to the historical revolution of the Indians in the 1700s. Though Indians allied with the British for the protection of their lands, Americans are portrayed as most savages. However, the American popular culture represents the ironic twist on the perception of the Indians. Even after the Peace of Paris of 1783, the United States expanded its territories, acquiring more of the Indian lands by use of force (Calloway 1). Since then, the reflection of the Indian participation in the Declaration of Independence has prevailed in the United States, because most of the Americans believe that Indians were allied to the British tyranny. As a result, the Americans felt that a nation apprehended in freedom need to feel no regret about segregating and displacing the Indians because they fought against its liberation. In as far this notion may derive significant meaning among the conservatives, a liberal-minded critique would be able to tell that the Americans are more Barbaric than the Indians they mispresenting in their popular culture.
Moreover, some critics have argued that the use of Native Indian imagery in sports portrays racism. As a result, critics have raised campaigns against the use of Indian representation in the NFL because it does not symbolize honor but also hatred and provocation. According to John Orendoff, a native American and US Army colonel, the use of Indian images and names in sports shows that the Indian heritage is own by the others (Lukas 2). When another person owns an individual’s culture, an individual has no say of what is to be done. Besides, other critics argue against the claims that the use of imagery in sports is honorably. They say that what they are experiencing in the country is further from the truth.
However, Herman Melville exposes the irony of the Indian perception in her symbolic description of the “backwoodsman.” According to her, “the backwoodsman is a lonely man. He is a thoughtful man. He is a man strong and unsophisticated. He is must depend on himself; he must continually look to himself (Melville, p.105). The assertion reflects on the Indian’s motive for revolution; they valued their land and culture so that they had to look after it and protect it at all costs. Allying with the British colonialist was of the best interest to protect their land against any encroachment from the Americans and other intruders such as the French. The Indians are also portrayed as thoughtful people because they agreed to form treaties with their enemies and upheld their end of the bargain. However, when your agreement or contract is breached, the best action is to confront and retaliate like the Indians.
On the other hand, the Independence film script uses camera movements and shots to illustrate some of the significant symbols in the revolutionary war. For instance, “the camera pans reconstructed cabins and a church that has been built on the site of the old mission” (Independence Film Script, p20). As a result, the church has been used as a symbol of peace because Christians are always against conflicts and war. Christians portray neutrality as a way of solving problems between two parties. The script also represents some other forms of conflict resolutions such as dialogue and formation of treaties. The text has extensively employed symbolism by zooming some images to illustrate or explain different ideas. For instance, a close-up range of Shawnees Chief Cornstalk and an extended range of a replica Lord Randolph symbolize peace and conflict or betrayal; Cornstalk is presented as a peaceful and thoughtful man who advocates peace. On the other hand, Randolph is depicted as a villain who supports war and, therefore, betrays the Indians by killing their leader alongside other Indians.
The Independence film script also employs neutrality to explore the activities of the opposing viewpoint on the Indians and the Americans. Neutrality, in this case, is achieved by presenting two opposite viewpoints. For instance, Chief Cornstalk does his best to keep the peace and restrain his restive nation, while General George Washington is determined to carry the war into the heart of the country (Independence Film Script, pg17). In this case, the script is attempting to show the unjustified American hatred towards the Indians. Both of the weaknesses and strengths of the two opposing parties are exposed to change the audience’s perception of the American hatred to the Indians. As a result, both parties form allegiances with other colonies to protect their interest. The United States forms an allegiance with the French to fight against the British and the Indians. Besides, the US emerges Victoria’s and expand their territories beyond the lands of the Indians.
Finally, the script also incorporates numerous viewpoints from different sources to explore the origins and impacts of the conflict between the Indians and the Americans. For instance, Scott Stephenson outlines the reasons why the two parties: Indians and the Americans, engage in the revolutionary war. “The American forces are battling the British army for their independence while the Western flank Indians are fighting the war to keep their independence” (Independence Film Script, pg, 18). As a result, both parties engage in war for the protection of their interests. The notion changes the perception of revolutionary Indians and Americans. The analysis of the revolutionary war shows the adverse effects of war or conflict. The first impact of war is the death of innocent children and women who are not capable of fighting back. As a result, John Wayne’s film The Searches shows that intermarriages are a resolution for racial conflicts and hatred. Significantly, racial conflicts and hatred are diminishing in the United States because of intermarriages.
Works Cited
Calloway, Collin. “The American Revolution.” Nps.Gov, National Park Service, 2019, www.nps.gov/revwar/about_the_revolution/american_indians.html.
Earle, bo. “Stagecoach Horse Chase.” YouTube, 22 Dec. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4jF3xTxKWM. Accessed 25 Dec. 2019.
Lukas, Paul. “Native Americans Speak on Sports Imagery.” ESPN.Com, Espn, 13 Feb. 2013, www.espn.com/blog/playbook/fandom/post/_/id/18144/native-americans-speak-on-sports-imagery. Accessed 17 May 2020.
Melville, Herman. “The Confidence Man.” Gutenberg, Gutenberg, 2007, www.gutenberg.org/files/21816/21816-h/21816-h.htm#CHAPTER_XIV.
Movieclips. “The Searchers (1956) – The Raid Scene (2/10) | Movieclips.” YouTube, 30 Jan. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Wgkpfa5HMw. Accessed 16 Jan. 2020.
“Stagecoach – John Wayne Enters!” YouTube, 16 Oct. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb4Q3jtyapc. Accessed 17 May 2020.