Vanishing Indian
| Part of a series on |
| Discrimination |
|---|
 |
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.
Common forms[edit]
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'[edit]
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[edit]
- Reel Injun
- Playing Indian
- Stereotypes of Indigenous peoples of Canada and the United States
- Blood Quantum
- Urban Indian
References[edit]
- ^ Connolly, Cynthia (March 14, 2019). ""You can't be Indian! Indians are extinct!" by Cynthia Connolly". YWCA of Cleveland.
- ^ a b 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[edit]
- O'Brien, Jean M. (2010). Firsting and Lasting: Writing Indians out of Existence in New England. University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 9780816665785.
External links[edit]
- "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.
