RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS

Misconceptions and false portrayals about First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples have been perpetuated in our media for over a century. From children’s movies to films and documentaries to print media, the culture, beliefs, and traditions of these people have been misrepresented and exaggerated. Due to these influences, the amount of misinformation about First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples is alarming and overwhelming. It is difficult to know where to start as an educator to dispel these myths and stereotypes and provide our students with authentic resources when misrepresentation is so rampant in our society.

Educate students about the following stereotypes of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples that often appear in the media:

 

The Indian Princess - who needs to be saved by the white man. Not only does this depict all women  as weak, but it is also inaccurate to say that Aboriginal cultures believed in a royal hierarchy.

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The Native Warrior - viewed as the savage who is a threat to humane society.

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The Noble Savage - more recently depicted as someone who is pure and untouched by the pitfalls of western civilization, not needing material possessions.

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Historical inaccuracies and stereotyping by omission are also common to find in many media representations of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples. Depictions of Aboriginal dress, customs, spiritual beliefs, and customs are often taken with artistic license to show the public what is thought to be “indian” instead of showing the vast differences that exist among First Nations cultures.

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