About playing Indians

  by Theo van Rossum

  Note: I sometimes get lecturing comments from people who   claim that I'm supposed to say Native Americans instead of   (American) Indians. Others however say that Indians is the   right term to use, so what I do here is use both terms   indiscriminately. I hope that this will meet everybody's   understanding. Thank you.

  Who doesn't know about "playing cowboys and Indians"?   Still quite innocent when little kids are doing it, even   though what the toy shops are selling is rather inauthentic   with feathers in the funniest of colours. Apparently this is   still the image we are presenting to our young, an image of   the past, not at all of the modern Indian people. But if we   are consistant we then should perhaps also have Amish   clothing in the toy shops or would that perhaps be offensive   to some people?

  But so far about the childplay. It   becomes however less innocent if   actual grown ups are going to play   Indians. After all it's grown ups who   are willfully creating the image and   should know better.

back to articles

1

Article in other languages