The Indian Princess is the female counterpart to The Brave caricature. In the late 19th Century the nostalgic romanticizing of nature, and of the Indians that had once been found in nature, recreated Indians in all of their “natural” glory, as noble savages, mythical icons of America’s wilderness past. This phenomenon allowed Americans to largely forget the ugly consequences of their expansionist past. Additionally, even though the Noble Savage is defended as being a “positive” stereotype, the result is historical amnesia and the dehumanization of real people who still exist. By cementing the Indian as an “other” from the past, it allows modern society to largely ignore the existence and plight of Native Americans today. The Indian Princess caricature is rooted in the legend of Pocahontas, who is most often cast in American popular culture as a supporter of European interests. She is strong, beautiful, and possesses an exotic sexuality that both emphasizes her “otherness,” and yet serves as a forbidden fantasy for the dominating White male. She is Mother Nature, American-style, in all her primitive glory.

()
  1. sharpsarcasrm reblogged this from mycultureisnotatrend
  2. ellaminnowpea reblogged this from moniquill
  3. amillionparachutes reblogged this from adailyriot
  4. livingwithendo reblogged this from knightoftaurus
  5. knightoftaurus reblogged this from adailyriot
  6. thetimeforgutsandguil reblogged this from 77825225672443
  7. seolhs reblogged this from mycultureisnotatrend
  8. benihimeo2 reblogged this from mycultureisnotatrend
  9. pyrotechnicalmiracles reblogged this from mycultureisnotatrend
  10. evelark reblogged this from craftastrophies
  11. scegliere reblogged this from yourmommakesthebestfrybread
  12. vernicq reblogged this from cassket
  13. caterfree10 reblogged this from marikunin
  14. craftastrophies reblogged this from cassket
  15. cassket reblogged this from 77825225672443
  16. somestrangeseahorse reblogged this from mycultureisnotatrend
  17. karenhealey reblogged this from mycultureisnotatrend
  18. updowncontinue reblogged this from moniquill
  19. stogucheme reblogged this from mycultureisnotatrend
  20. unccfeministunion reblogged this from mycultureisnotatrend
  21. whore-for-words reblogged this from 77825225672443
  22. streussal reblogged this from jiggit
  23. 77825225672443 reblogged this from mycultureisnotatrend
  24. leidis reblogged this from baddominicana and added:
    Spanglish comes to mind..
  25. beethovenwasdeaf reblogged this from mycultureisnotatrend
  26. elviella reblogged this from meatandsarcasm
  27. mozdok reblogged this from baddominicana
  28. gloria-swanson reblogged this from baddominicana
  29. baddominicana reblogged this from palatial-bear-messages
  30. palatial-bear-messages reblogged this from adailyriot and added:
    I have seen Latinas portrayed this way as well.
  31. justlisten-m reblogged this from always-tete