Stereotypical Images of Native Americans Essay - 2011 Words

Stereotypical Images of Native Americans The encounter of Christopher Columbus with the indigenous people of the Americas and the Caribbean would ultimately set in motion the destruction of Native American life and culture as it had existed for thousands of years. Images and stereotypes of the Native Americans were indelibly etched into the minds of the Europeans and we struggle today to eradicate these harmful portrayals. When Columbus arrived in the Caribbean in 1492, he was greeted by the natives of what is currently Haiti and the Dominican Republic, on the island of Hispaniola. These people were the Taino Indians, who belong to the general group Arawak, which primarily describes the common language shared by the native people†¦show more content†¦They built two basic styles of housing; one for the general populace and another for the caciques. Ordinary people lived in dwellings somewhat similar to North American teepees, circular buildings with a central pole. The major difference was that they did not use animal skins for shelter, but instead used straw and palm leaves. The caciques were housed in rectangular buildings, much larger, although the same materials were used. Since these houses would contain a caciques entire family, they were quite large. Even the common peoples homes had to house anywhere from 10 - 15 men and their families, which could mean up to a hundred people (Stannard 51). Most of the people were generally naked, although the women sometimes wore short skirts. Both sexes liked to adorn their bodies with paint and shells. Since the Taino were a peaceful people, they had very limited weapons capabilities. They used the bow and arrow and some spears with fish hooks on the end, but they did not develop any armor or specifically defensive weapons such as a shield. Columbus did not let his initial admiration of the Taino stop him from immediately planning to enslave them and generally exploit them for any means possible, especially that of finding gold. He made that clear when he wrote, with 50 men, we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want. In 1495, he rounded up about 1,500 Arawak people, including men, women and children, and thenShow MoreRelatedRhymes For Young Ghouls And Chris Eyres Smoke Signals Analysis1596 Words   |  7 Pagescontemporary representation of indigenous people and the issues they face today, Jeff Barnaby’s Rhymes for Young Ghouls and Chris Eyre’s Smoke Signals are films that try to fracture the stereotypical Indian image that has persisted since the beginning of the Hollywood industry. 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