Indian Princess Stereotypes

During the class discussion on Monday, a lot of Indian stereotypes were brought up to the classes attention that I had no idea about. It really almost baffled me because I was caught off guard that my assumptions had not been correct my entire life.

Disney's Pocahontas character 

The most mind-blowing stereotype for me what that there was never an Indian Princesses. Disney's Pocahontas had gotten the Indian Princess stereotype engraved into my head. Growing up I always wanted to be Pocahontas for Halloween. It is almost like breaking the news that Santa Claus is not real! Doing research later I came to find out that the term "Indian Princess" was used by white males to make Native American females more legitimized to white males. No wonder Pocahontas was so appealing to both of the Johns in the movie. White men were more attracted to her than Native American men and since she was a Princess not many people opposed to the idea.

Karlie Kloss , VS model

According to Cornel Pewewardy (article at bottom of the page), the story of Pocahontas is mostly real. She wasn't a Princess in real life, but her father was one of the head Native Americans of their tribe. Pocahontas was captured, took up English fashion and religious structure in her life. She married a British colonist, John Rolfe. This is where the "Princess Stereotype" emerges because she was exposed to the British Royalty and everyone began thinking her as a Princess because she was one of the richer Native Americans known. The concept of Monarchial Royalty was not known to the Native Americans until exposed to them after the British came to America.

Now, Pocahontas is known as a Disney Princess and a lot of publicity around the character has been apparent for many years. Little girls dress up like her for Halloween, and also women in the media pretend to be Pocahontas as well... or a more scandalous form of a Native American. I'm talking about Victoria's Secret Model, Karlie Kloss whom modeled a bikini and headdress for the Victoria Secret Fashion show. Something that blew up a lot of negative PR for Victoria's Secret. Kloss was sporting a leopard bikini with a giant headdress on... which VS should have done its homework because men were the only Native Americans that wore headdresses. Women did not wear headdresses. VS was not trying to spark any controversy as they made a public appology. Kloss also apologized for the incident and now the outfit will not be broadcasted during the actual airing of the VS Runway show in December. I personally do not find the outfit  demurring to Native Americans, but  a lot of Native Americans were hurt by the look. Luckily, VS is adhering to their publics and removing the look from their show.

Read more about Pocahontas below:
http://www.hanksville.org/storytellers/pewe/writing/Pocahontas.html