Stereotypes In Disney's Poahhontas

It is commonly known that Disney’s Pocahontas is often presented as one of the more progressive films in relation to women’s rights as one of its main characters is a powerful woman of color, even known amongst those who have never even seen this film. However it presents many stereotypes about Native Americans that this group continually work towards ridding in order to restore their humanity and demand respect. Some of these stereotypes include positing Native Americans as “savages,” or the idea of the “good” versus the “bad” Native, the women as exotic, and the possession of mystical powers. This unjustly and prejudicially places these Natives as the “Other,” creating an “us versus them” dichotomy, in which they lack in power. One

Pocahontas was ultimately saved from being shot by John Smith because she was a beautiful, hypnotizing woman, and she was so enticing that despite being a racist, John still wanted to be with her. She is also perceived as naïve to this white man, who she falls in love with, despite the fact that he, and his people hate and are violent towards her own community. She is a picturesque example of the Warrior Princess, however, in reality, Pocahontas was an 11 year old captive who had no romantic interest with John, and did not possess royal hierarchy. It seems as if this self-sufficient woman’s only concern is marriage, especially when she sings in “Just Around the Riverbend,” “should I choose the smoothest course, steady as the beating drum? Should I marry Kocoum? Is all my dreaming at an end?” She is also dramatically shown with her hair blowing in the wind and gazing off into the sunset during the song “Listen with Your Heart,” as she has become the object to two different men’s desires. She is also presented with nurturing and motherly qualities as she is beloved by not only by her people, but also the animals, and it is these characteristics that ultimately prevents The Chief from killing John. She ultimately brings peace and harmony

During the rendition of “Colors of the Wind,” she even picks up a bear cub, makes shapes in the stars, and runs with deer in the sky. The lyrics of this song also strengthen this stereotype, as they ead “the rainstorm and the river are my brothers, the heron and the otter are my friends-colors of the wind,” in which Pocahontas describes her relationship with nature. Other members of her tribe often make shapes out of fire and predict future events from them, while Pocahontas has a reoccurring dream about a “spinning arrow” that is unknowingly a reference to John’s compass. It is also not until a gust of colorful wind passes through that Pocahontas can all of a sudden communicate and understand John, as if this power only affected the mystical “Indian,” because it is the white man’s language that is deemed more superior than Pocahontas’s own