Decoding the Misrepresented Native American Heritage

Racing, steady with the sounding of distant drums, the warmth of the summer’s breeze lingers in the air with the scene of nearby seawater, and fresh oaks. Steady, the heart beats in synchronized rhyme as birds sing their twilight's songs. Silence, as the night falls upon the Earth, and the stars shine with the wisdom of ages they withstand. Growing up, children first encounter the historical existence of Native American’s through depictions in childhood cartoons and animated movies. The natives exist as a strong, emotionless chefs, who stand in their glory with the red marks of war, and as the beautiful Indian women, with their silky, jet-black hair, and their legs limber and strong while they tends to the fields. The romanticized image of the Native American that settlers depict and continuously set-forth as historical depictions to later generations fails to accurately describe and represent the culture.

The article, “Assimilation Era” by Dr. C. Blue Clark, illuminates the effects upon Native American society as the culture modernizes to meet up to the new American culture. Also, the article, “Native American Music” by Encyclopaedia Britannica, introduces some of the Native American cultural identities which often include traditions of music and chants. Continuing to understand Native American culture, the article, “Stereotypes” from “Indian Country Diaries” by PBS, depicts the jaded depiction and harsh stereotypes the cultural group faces in the modern world. Paired with these three analytical essays, the short story “Do Not Go Gentle” by Sherman Alexie, which tells the story of an Native American couple who deals with the illness of their young son within the modern era, the ideas of the modern Native American