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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," 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.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 17, 2024
While the main premise behind this collection is immensely relevant, the delivery and structure of the volume leave a bit to be desired. One big positive is that the essays are very well -researched and defended. Sources are cited exhaustively. Churchill's essay on the Carlos Castaneda hoax is a case in point. Also, one would be hard pressed to find a collection more critical of eurocentric views on native Americans. In that vein, the book does add to the overall conversation.
I think what I didn't like is that Churchill is very absolutist in his claims and almost hostile in his tone, as if there were never ever any good intentions or even good relationships between native Americans and immigrants from abroad. He doesn't mention the mutually beneficial relationships between the French and their native American trading partners at all. He doesn't mention those like Benjamin Franklin who treated his native American equivalents as intellectually superior in many ways. He also doesn't mention that some tribes slaughtered other tribes in ways sometimes worse than the most ignorant colonists.
Churchill also needlessly attacks a slew of nature writers accusing them of appropriating native American spirituality, when really they are just championing the individual's relationship with the natural world - something I think most native Americans would align with, not attack. His denunciation of the Beat writers is an example of this. Most of these writers courted Buddhism more than any American Indian practices.
The structure of the book is jarring as well. The essays jump all over the place, in terms of chronology. It is obvious that these essays were all written beforehand and then cobbled together for this book. The collection could have been improved by laying out a more chronological structure and writing a few extra essays to fill in the gaps. The reader is often slung from one over generalization to one hyperspecific analysis in a way that's off-putting.
All that being said, the collection is worth checking out if you want a different perspective on these topics.
I think what I didn't like is that Churchill is very absolutist in his claims and almost hostile in his tone, as if there were never ever any good intentions or even good relationships between native Americans and immigrants from abroad. He doesn't mention the mutually beneficial relationships between the French and their native American trading partners at all. He doesn't mention those like Benjamin Franklin who treated his native American equivalents as intellectually superior in many ways. He also doesn't mention that some tribes slaughtered other tribes in ways sometimes worse than the most ignorant colonists.
Churchill also needlessly attacks a slew of nature writers accusing them of appropriating native American spirituality, when really they are just championing the individual's relationship with the natural world - something I think most native Americans would align with, not attack. His denunciation of the Beat writers is an example of this. Most of these writers courted Buddhism more than any American Indian practices.
The structure of the book is jarring as well. The essays jump all over the place, in terms of chronology. It is obvious that these essays were all written beforehand and then cobbled together for this book. The collection could have been improved by laying out a more chronological structure and writing a few extra essays to fill in the gaps. The reader is often slung from one over generalization to one hyperspecific analysis in a way that's off-putting.
All that being said, the collection is worth checking out if you want a different perspective on these topics.
January 29, 2008
Classic Ward Churchill -- a good thing in my view.
I read only the very long chapter with the same title as the book.
Its an thorough look at the history of the westerns and films about "indians".
It left me feeling like all his work leaves me: awed by the amount and quality of research, moved by his fighting spirit, compelled by his arguments, and alert to the new reality he has painted for me.
After talking about scores of films, he gives a few examples of films and shows that he thinks successfully deal with "indians". I am going to start watching those.
one flaw: the essay came out in the late 1990s -- a bit dated by now. but his history goes back to the beginning of the 19th century, so all that will hold up.
The footnotes are almost as long as the essay itself -- be ready to dig in.
I read only the very long chapter with the same title as the book.
Its an thorough look at the history of the westerns and films about "indians".
It left me feeling like all his work leaves me: awed by the amount and quality of research, moved by his fighting spirit, compelled by his arguments, and alert to the new reality he has painted for me.
After talking about scores of films, he gives a few examples of films and shows that he thinks successfully deal with "indians". I am going to start watching those.
one flaw: the essay came out in the late 1990s -- a bit dated by now. but his history goes back to the beginning of the 19th century, so all that will hold up.
The footnotes are almost as long as the essay itself -- be ready to dig in.
October 11, 2007
A clinical discussion of the 'faux' native american culture that has penetrated American culture throughout the 20th century. The author spends what seems like an inordinate amount of time debunking Carlos Castaneda's mystical and supposedly accurate portrayal of southeast indian spiritualism.
August 1, 2016
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," 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.
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," 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.
May 20, 2020
It’s easy to sweep under the rug all the warped portrayals of yesteryear, the American Indian as villain. This book is dense and sometimes dry but doesn’t hold back and has plenty of footnotes to boot. This is an important topic, as our sensibilities are awakening overtime, and must be reminded, consistently, in order such demented portrayal of a people and of history is never repeated (one could argue is still being repeated). I don’t think anyone will be able to buy into Custer as hero ever again. And good riddance. I think modern storytelling definitely has room for more accurate and specific rendition of American Indians, and its by far about time.
September 12, 2008
Sharp, accurate criticism of literature, movies, and mystery books from an indeginist perspective.
I disagree with some of his assertions about the detective novel--not all of them are about shoring up authority's values, though I concede that most of them do. A fascinating look and argument with the clever title of "Hi-Ho Hillerman."
I disagree with some of his assertions about the detective novel--not all of them are about shoring up authority's values, though I concede that most of them do. A fascinating look and argument with the clever title of "Hi-Ho Hillerman."
January 2, 2017
Each book of Churchill's I read offers a lot of very in depth, thought provoking ideas to ponder and learn from. I really appreciate his down to earth writing style and how clearly he lays out the arguments related to the long term media depiction of American Indians as part of the system of colonization.
December 7, 2009
outstanding and essential reading. chuchill's rant on ayn rand and carlos casteneda are worth the price of admission alone. lots of great essays from this native radical critic of all things imperial and colonial.
November 23, 2010
This was one of the books for a class.
October 17, 2011
I gave Ward some copies of Jason Aaron's Scalped in the hope of inspiring a further essay...
October 11, 2015
Here come the anthros,
Better hide your past away.
Here come the anthros,
On another holiday.
--Floyd Westerman, Here Come the Anthros
Better hide it from the filmmakers and novelists too.
Better hide your past away.
Here come the anthros,
On another holiday.
--Floyd Westerman, Here Come the Anthros
Better hide it from the filmmakers and novelists too.
June 21, 2025
Whites publish while Red
peoples perish. Genocide
of the mind: Take pride?
peoples perish. Genocide
of the mind: Take pride?
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews