Fantasies of the Master Race: Literature, Cinema, and the Colonization of American Indians

Chosen an "Outstanding Book on the Subject of Human Rights in the United States" by the Gustavus Myers Center for the Study of Human Rights.

In this volume of incisive essays, Ward Churchill looks at representations of American Indians in literature and film, delineating a history of cultural propaganda that has served to support the continued colonization of Native America.

During each phase of the genocide of American Indians, the media has played a critical role in creating easily digestible stereotypes of Indians for popular consumption. Literature about Indians was first written and published in order to provoke and sanctify warfare against them. Later, the focus changed to enlisting public support for "civilizing the savages," show more stripping them of their culture and assimilating them into the dominant society. Now, in the final stages of cultural genocide, it is the appropriation and stereotyping of Native culture that establishes control over knowledge and truth.

The primary means by which this is accomplished is through the powerful publishing and film industries. Whether they are the tragically doomed "noble savages" walking into the sunset of Dances With Wolves or Carlos Castaneda's Don Juan, the exotic mythical Indians constitute no threat to the established order.

Literature and art crafted by the dominant culture are an insidious political force, disinforming people who might otherwise develop a clearer understanding of indigenous struggles for justice and freedom. This book is offered to counter that deception, and to move people to take action on issues confronting American Indians today. show less

Promises to be a compilation of research about american indians in literature, cinema etc. Lives almost up to what it promises, facts seem to be well researched, notes seem respectable and the point of view is not definitely not W.A.S.P.

However, because this is a collection of essays much of topics are critiques from non-indian writers books/films and so...book is not very coherent. Being non-USA and not familiar with white writers (for ex. )Tony Hillermans, James Cliftons or Michael Castros books it´s not much use reading them compared to nazi tactics (Churchill may have his meanings and may even be right in his commentaries, but terms like Lebensraum and holocaust became boring when used everywhere. Besides his arguments are at show more their weakest when citing the commented authors directly).

Luckily, theres that exellent essay (naming the book) about american indians and Hollywood cinema. Surely, just the list of old westerns (especially the early ones listed) makes this worth reading. There´s a lot of things one remembers to have noticed but never actually really noticed (until written here are all the points about racism, historical wrongs, etc) Another very eye-opening essay was the last in the book, about film Black Robe, which I always thought very good in its "historical correctness) and here the whole flick is deconstructed from its western prejudices and errors. All in all writings in book are rather old, some from early 90ies and even eighties. Perhaps he has written about topic more recently? show less

essays on appropriation of Indian identity by American culture