Playing Indian
by Philip J. Deloria
1970's- Present
Ethnicity and Race
Thesis:
At various points in a American history, Americans have imitated the Indian identity to create new identities or relationships for themselves in regards to others. This seldom reflects any real true native america identity or truths. Ever present in Americans playing indian is the unspoken contradiction of what has happened and is happening to the real Native Americans as a result of American nationhood.
Specific examples/evidence that supports the
thesis:
Boston Tea Party: Colonists dressed as Indians to illustrate their natural right to the land and self rule and to differentiate themselves from Europeans and the English.
Fraternities of the late 18th century- Playing Indian to give themselves an invented heritage and "wed themselves to an essential American nationalism."
Wodcraft Indians and Camp Fire Girls- dressing kids up as Indians and teaching them the proper places of Men and Women and "the importance of authenticity in the modern world."
Cold War Indian Lore Hobbyists- "Sought to come to terms with an uneasy middle-class identity that was at once celebrated and attacked."
Fraternities of the late 18th century- Playing Indian to give themselves an invented heritage and "wed themselves to an essential American nationalism."
Wodcraft Indians and Camp Fire Girls- dressing kids up as Indians and teaching them the proper places of Men and Women and "the importance of authenticity in the modern world."
Cold War Indian Lore Hobbyists- "Sought to come to terms with an uneasy middle-class identity that was at once celebrated and attacked."
Summary:
Intro-
Ch 1- The colonists viewed and utilized the contradiction of the noble savage to both justify their presence on the continent as well as justify their rebellion against Europe and fight for independence.
Playing indian was used in two distinct ways: 1. Carnival, because times of celebration often bridged the gaps between what was acceptable and what was not, carnival was a time when the boundaries between savage and civilized were broken down. In misrule, playing Indian gave colonists an identity that separated them from their european counterparts. They wanted to make a statement about their right to live and rule the land being dominant over the English.
Ch 2- In the late 18th century, people formed many different societies, some were based on indians like the Tammany Society and the Red Men. They used the indian identity to give a historic past to their society and thus a greater importance and impact (like how the knights templar are associated with the Free Masons).
Conclusion: Playing indian has never had much to do with real indians. It has been a way to object to the mainstream (whether that's colonial rule, modernism, individualism, etc.) to play indian. Most recently, non-native Americans play indian to try to connect with a more basic natural lifestyle. Very seldom do these indian players have any real understanding or desire to live anything identifiable to actual native Americans, it's more a statement against the American way of life.
Ch 1- The colonists viewed and utilized the contradiction of the noble savage to both justify their presence on the continent as well as justify their rebellion against Europe and fight for independence.
Playing indian was used in two distinct ways: 1. Carnival, because times of celebration often bridged the gaps between what was acceptable and what was not, carnival was a time when the boundaries between savage and civilized were broken down. In misrule, playing Indian gave colonists an identity that separated them from their european counterparts. They wanted to make a statement about their right to live and rule the land being dominant over the English.
Ch 2- In the late 18th century, people formed many different societies, some were based on indians like the Tammany Society and the Red Men. They used the indian identity to give a historic past to their society and thus a greater importance and impact (like how the knights templar are associated with the Free Masons).
Conclusion: Playing indian has never had much to do with real indians. It has been a way to object to the mainstream (whether that's colonial rule, modernism, individualism, etc.) to play indian. Most recently, non-native Americans play indian to try to connect with a more basic natural lifestyle. Very seldom do these indian players have any real understanding or desire to live anything identifiable to actual native Americans, it's more a statement against the American way of life.
What does this tell us about Race and Ethnicity in the 1970's - Present day?
The identity of indian has been molded and conformed to fit what white people wanted. Little respect has been granted to Native American people. When the identity of indian was adapted for white people's uses it was also associated with a past version or make believe mythic version of indian, not the people that exist during the present day.
The identity of indian has been molded and conformed to fit what white people wanted. Little respect has been granted to Native American people. When the identity of indian was adapted for white people's uses it was also associated with a past version or make believe mythic version of indian, not the people that exist during the present day.
What parts of the book can be applied to lectures?
No clue, American's have a dysfunctional relationship with our past and the treatment of Indians.
General Thoughts:
The most interesting idea in the book (to me) is the audacity of white Americans to further dismiss the native inhabitants of this land by mocking them for their own purposes. I'm not sure how a historical record of all the unbelievable ignorance of white people "playing indian" is a helpful resource. It more just goes further to prove the absolute ignorance of the people of this county in regards to our ancestors' actions and the overt take over of an entire continent of people. I'm frustrated that the same people who can claim their right to land by using the Indian metaphor can in the same stroke push the boundaries and take over the land of actual native people.
The most interesting idea in the book (to me) is the audacity of white Americans to further dismiss the native inhabitants of this land by mocking them for their own purposes. I'm not sure how a historical record of all the unbelievable ignorance of white people "playing indian" is a helpful resource. It more just goes further to prove the absolute ignorance of the people of this county in regards to our ancestors' actions and the overt take over of an entire continent of people. I'm frustrated that the same people who can claim their right to land by using the Indian metaphor can in the same stroke push the boundaries and take over the land of actual native people.
Excerpts from Book Reviews:
"In Playing Indian , Philip J. Deloria argues that the figure of "the Indian" holds an important position in American culture. Indian-ness has through centuries provided 'impetus and precondition for the creative assembling of an ultimately unassemblable American identity.' " (The Historian)
One reviewer noted that this is not only an American phenomenon that this has occurred in other parts of the world, like Australia.
"In Playing Indian , Philip J. Deloria argues that the figure of "the Indian" holds an important position in American culture. Indian-ness has through centuries provided 'impetus and precondition for the creative assembling of an ultimately unassemblable American identity.' " (The Historian)
One reviewer noted that this is not only an American phenomenon that this has occurred in other parts of the world, like Australia.
My Highlighted Passages:
"Indian-White relations and Indian play itself have modeled a characteristically American kind of domination in which the exercise of power was hidden, denied, qualified of mourned." (pg. 187)
"At the same moment that it was suggesting Indians' essential place in the national psyche, playing Indian evoked actual Indian people and suggested a history of conquest, resistance and eventual dependency." (pg. 186)
"Indian play was not so much about a desire to become Indian- or even to become American-as it was a longing for the Utopian experience of being in between, of living a paradoxical moment in which absolute liberty coexisted with the absolute." (pg. 185)
" Indians were first and original Americans, and taking on Indian identity was in fact a moment of no return for rebellious colonists. If Indian-ness was critical to American identities, it necessarily went hand in hand with the dispossession and conquest of actual Indian people." (pg. 182)
"Indian-White relations and Indian play itself have modeled a characteristically American kind of domination in which the exercise of power was hidden, denied, qualified of mourned." (pg. 187)
"At the same moment that it was suggesting Indians' essential place in the national psyche, playing Indian evoked actual Indian people and suggested a history of conquest, resistance and eventual dependency." (pg. 186)
"Indian play was not so much about a desire to become Indian- or even to become American-as it was a longing for the Utopian experience of being in between, of living a paradoxical moment in which absolute liberty coexisted with the absolute." (pg. 185)
" Indians were first and original Americans, and taking on Indian identity was in fact a moment of no return for rebellious colonists. If Indian-ness was critical to American identities, it necessarily went hand in hand with the dispossession and conquest of actual Indian people." (pg. 182)
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