Vanishing Indian
The Vanishing Indian or Vanishing Indian Myth is a stereotype regarding the depiction of Indigenous people, generally in the Americas, although the concept is found elsewhere as well, that they either are extinct or are destined to go extinct.
| Part of a series on |
| Discrimination |
|---|
Common forms
A common expression in everyday speech is a form of "you can't be Indian, Indians are extinct".[1] Another form is in the discussion of disappearance as inevitable, beginning this narrative in the early days of colonization.[2] It is a common theme in the arts and media as well, that dates back to early colonial times.[3][2]
Relationship to 'paper genocide'
A paper genocide occurs when members of a group are removed from all records, thereby validating the belief that the group is extinct and causing harm to further generations.[4][5]
See also
References
- Connolly, Cynthia (March 14, 2019). ""You can't be Indian! Indians are extinct!" by Cynthia Connolly". YWCA of Cleveland.
- Dippie, Brian W. (October 25, 1991). The Vanishing American: White Attitudes and U.S. Indian Policy. University Press of Kansas. ISBN 9780700605071.
- Fling, Sarah. "The Myth of the Vanishing Indian: Art in the White House Collection". The White House Historical Association. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- Sutton, Victoria (July 17, 2020). "Guest Post: Native American Exclusion as a Form of Paper Genocide". LSSSE. Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research.
- Estevez, Jorge Baracutei (October 14, 2019). "Meet the Survivors of a 'Paper Genocide'". National Geographic. Archived from the original (online) on March 18, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
Further reading
- O'Brien, Jean M. (2010). Firsting and Lasting: Writing Indians out of Existence in New England. University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 9780816665785.
External links
- "Reclaiming Native Truth: A Project to Dispel America's Myths and Misconceptions".
- "The Myth of the Vanishing Indian: Art in the White House Collection". The White House Historical Association.