Beyond Feathers and Fictions: The Evolving Landscape of Native American Representation in Popular Media
For centuries, popular media has cast Native Americans into a narrow and often demeaning set of archetypes, shaping public perception and perpetuating harmful stereotypes that have profound real-world consequences. From the earliest dime novels and "Wild West" shows to Hollywood’s golden age, the portrayal of Indigenous peoples has largely been a story of erasure, misrepresentation, and cultural appropriation. Yet, in the modern era, a powerful shift is underway, driven by Native creators and allies demanding authenticity, nuance, and self-determination in how their stories are told.
The journey of Native American representation in popular media is a testament to the enduring power of narrative – both to harm and to heal. Historically, the dominant narrative emerged from the colonizer’s perspective, painting Indigenous peoples as either "bloodthirsty savages" impeding westward expansion or "noble savages" doomed to vanish, romanticized but ultimately sidelined. These two poles served to justify conquest and assuage settler guilt, respectively. Early cinema, a potent new medium, eagerly adopted and amplified these tropes. Films like D.W. Griffith’s The Battle at Elderbush Gulch (1913) cemented the image of the brutal, unthinking warrior, while later Westerns often depicted stoic, spiritual elders whose wisdom was only truly appreciated by white protagonists.
A glaring issue was, and often still is, the casting of non-Native actors in Native roles. From Iron Eyes Cody (a Sicilian-American actor famous for his "crying Indian" environmental PSA) to Johnny Depp in The Lone Ranger, this practice strips Native actors of opportunities and reinforces the idea that authentic representation is secondary to star power or perceived marketability. This "redface" phenomenon is deeply offensive, akin to blackface, and signifies a fundamental disrespect for Indigenous identities and cultures.
The consequences of such persistent misrepresentation are far-reaching. For Native communities, these stereotypes contribute to internalized racism, a diminished sense of self-worth, and a constant battle against external misconceptions. Children growing up without seeing themselves accurately reflected in media can struggle with identity and belonging. For non-Native audiences, these portrayals foster ignorance, perpetuate harmful biases, and create a distorted understanding of complex cultures, histories, and contemporary realities. This lack of accurate knowledge can impact everything from policy decisions to interpersonal interactions, hindering reconciliation and genuine understanding.
Beyond the overtly negative portrayals, the sheer absence of Native Americans in media has been equally damaging. A 2020 study by the University of Southern California Annenberg Inclusion Initiative found that only 0.3% of speaking characters in top-grossing films were Native American, despite Indigenous people comprising 2% of the U.S. population. This invisibility reinforces the "vanishing Indian" myth, suggesting that Native peoples are relics of the past rather than vibrant, contemporary communities with diverse experiences, modern challenges, and rich cultural traditions. When present, characters are often relegated to background figures, plot devices, or spiritual guides for white protagonists, rarely granted their own complex internal lives or agency.
However, the tide is turning. The past decade has seen a growing demand for authentic representation, driven by Indigenous artists, writers, directors, and activists who are leveraging new platforms and finding allies within the industry. The rallying cry "Nothing about us without us" has become a guiding principle, advocating for Native voices to be at the forefront of telling Native stories.
One of the most significant breakthroughs in recent memory is Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi’s FX series Reservation Dogs. Premiering in 2021, the show immediately garnered critical acclaim for its groundbreaking portrayal of four Indigenous teenagers growing up on a reservation in rural Oklahoma. It’s a series that is unapologetically Indigenous, created by and starring Native people, and infused with specific cultural humor, dialect, and a unique worldview rarely seen on screen. Reservation Dogs defies stereotypes by presenting complex, flawed, and deeply human characters whose lives are simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary. It tackles themes of grief, community, aspiration, and identity with both pathos and laugh-out-loud comedy, all while weaving in elements of Indigenous spirituality and traditional storytelling in a way that feels organic and authentic, rather than tokenizing. The show’s success proves that audiences are hungry for nuanced, culturally specific stories that resonate universally.
Another powerful example of this evolving landscape is AMC’s Dark Winds, a crime thriller set on the Navajo Nation in the 1970s. Based on Tony Hillerman’s beloved novels, the series benefits from an all-Native writers’ room, Native directors, and a predominantly Native cast, including Zahn McClarnon and Kiowa Gordon. Executive produced by George R.R. Martin and Robert Redford, Dark Winds offers a glimpse into Navajo culture, language, and legal systems while delivering a compelling mystery. It showcases the beauty of the landscape and the strength of the community, challenging viewers’ preconceived notions about what a "Native American story" can be.
Even Hollywood blockbusters are beginning to make strides. The 2022 film Prey, a prequel to the Predator franchise, cast Amber Midthunder (Fort Peck Sioux Tribe) in the lead role of Naru, a young Comanche warrior. The film was celebrated for its commitment to historical accuracy and cultural sensitivity, featuring a primarily Comanche cast and even offering a full Comanche dub. Director Dan Trachtenberg worked closely with cultural advisors, ensuring that everything from the costumes and weaponry to the portrayal of hunting practices and social dynamics was authentic. This success demonstrates that culturally specific storytelling, when done respectfully and authentically, can also be a commercial triumph.
These examples are not isolated incidents but part of a larger movement. Organizations like IllumiNative and the Native American Media Alliance are working tirelessly to advocate for increased Native representation, provide resources for Native creators, and educate the industry on best practices. They emphasize the importance of having Native people in positions of power – as writers, producers, directors, and studio executives – to ensure that stories are told from an inside perspective, rather than through an external, often colonial, lens.
However, challenges persist. Tokenism remains a concern, where a single Native character or story is expected to represent an entire diverse population. Funding for Indigenous film and television projects often lags behind other groups, and the industry still has a long way to go in actively seeking out and nurturing Native talent. Furthermore, the sheer diversity of Indigenous nations – over 574 federally recognized tribes in the U.S. alone, each with unique languages, traditions, and histories – means that no single story can represent all Native experiences. The goal is not a singular "Native American story," but a multitude of authentic narratives that reflect this rich tapestry.
The future of Native American representation in popular media hinges on continued advocacy, investment, and a genuine commitment from the entertainment industry to dismantle old stereotypes and embrace new, authentic voices. As the success of Reservation Dogs, Dark Winds, and Prey demonstrates, telling culturally specific stories with integrity and nuance not only enriches the media landscape but also fosters greater understanding and empathy in the broader society. It is a vital step towards correcting historical injustices and ensuring that Indigenous peoples are seen, heard, and celebrated in their full, complex humanity, not as forgotten relics of the past, but as vibrant, integral parts of the present and future.
