Indian princess

Origin of the Indian princess stereotype The print cultures of European Americans, "since 1575", portrayed the American Indian woman as a symbol of the mysterious new world and freedom. In paintings and engravings, North America was personified by the symbol of the Indian princess, who wore a feathered headdress, gripped a bow and arrow, and was often depicted in pursuit of freedom. Sometimes, the Indian princess was pictured leading troops of American colonists into battle. In later years, she could be seen cloaked in the American flag. These themes can be seen in modern media renditions of the Indian princess; for example, in portrayals of Pocahontas, who has been defined by her noble savage connection to nature and her debunked rescue of John Smith. This proximity to nature is reflected and often exaggerated in depictions of "Indian princesses" in non-Native media. To the mainstream, the Native woman's symbolization of American land and agriculture also gave rise to her as a symbol of fertility. Twentieth-century poet Hart Crane describes Pocahontas as “'a woman, ripe, waiting to be taken'” by the white man. As Native American life continued to evolve alongside colonial culture, Native women gradually played a larger role in Euro-American life. Recruited by settlers as interpreters, guides, craftspeople, and instructors some Native women were assimilated (or were forced to assimilate) into colonial society, losing their connections to family and culture. Native women of higher rank, such as the daughters of chiefs or other community leaders, were at times pressured to marry white settlers in order to form alliances. Though settlers assumed the Native women would see these alliances as, at the very least, friendship (y/n Algonquian: netompaug), encompassing both fictive/non-fictive kinship in such associations, and that they would appreciate being accepted into Euro-American society, many of these Native women were still referred to derogatorily as squaws, despite this supposed elevation of class. Additionally, these marriages were usually for the purpose of white families claiming Indian land through forced kinship. These Native women's assimilation into colonial society is a key component of many depictions of "Indian princesses" in historical depictions all the way up through current media, This is often conveyed through the religious conversion of the Native woman/"Indian princess", portrayals of the Native woman and white men in close proximity, and illustrations of the Native woman with a skin tone lighter than other Natives. ==Media representation==

Common characteristics Characteristics of the "Indian Princess" stereotype can be seen in said characters relationship with the white man and specific behaviors or traits that would make her the idealized Indian woman. The depiction of Native American women in media is important because it may be the only insight the mainstream audience has to the lifestyle of a culture that is generally hidden from the public. The Princess stereotype thus serves as a model for the assimilation of Indigenous people into a more "civilized" society. Native author Denise K. Lajimodiere elaborates on this idea of the Indian Princess being an aid to the white man by claiming that these captive "Princesses" must help non-Indians in their conquest against their own people in order to achieve a likeness to their European counterparts Typically, the Indian Princess serves as a symbol of triumph for white men in colonizing and asserting their power over Native people in Peter and Wendy by J. M. Barrie. In the book, she is captured by Captain Hook and Mr. Smee and is rescued by Peter Pan. She has a limited command of the English language and speaks in stereotypical, halting, broken English. Her most famous depiction is the 1953 Disney film adaptation. In an early version of the manuscript, Tiger Lily plays out a rape fantasy by asking Peter Pan what would happen if he attacked her in the woods to which the other Indians replied that “she him’s squaw”. in Peter Pan. The depiction of Tiger Lily stands in stark contrast to the female figure of Wendy. Pocahontas 's painting In the early 20th century, Native American women often portrayed Pocahontas on-stage during World's Fairs. For instance, Pamunkey women assumed the role of Pocahontas during the 1907 Jamestown Exposition. Spectator perceptions and conceptions of the certainty of these representations were often fielded, and dictated by, Native Americans women, even if gilded wage labor and monetary exchange initially ensnared such women in boom-and-bust economies. The Disney character Pocahontas, eponymous star of the 1995 Disney film is the most famous modern representation of an Indian princess. She has been inducted to the ranks of the Disney Princess franchise. Critical reception of her character has panned her overly sexualized portrayal, especially as the real Pocahontas was "a child of ten years old" during the events fictionalized by Disney. Her appearance was modeled on a number of sources, including Eskimo-French Canadian/Cree actress Irene Bedard, who provided the character's speaking voice, Powhatan historian Shirley Little Dove Custolow, and her sister Debbie White Dove, The fictional Pocahontas is portrayed as being different from the rest of her Powhatan tribe, particularly as it relates to her relationship with John Smith, the European character she falls in love with. Unlike her violent and unfriendly tribe, Pocahontas is gentle and loving. She represents the “noble savage” in her willingness to defy the stereotypical traits assigned to indigenous people, instead of embracing traits of the colonists, specifically her adventurous spirit which allows her to turn her back on her past and embrace new opportunities. == Indian princess costume ==

Dressing up in a stereotypical Native American costume, for various reasons, is an American practice that goes back to colonial times, and has been analyzed by historians and scholars such as Philip J. Deloria. In his Playing Indian, Deloria concluded that the practice is commonly a quest for National identity on the part of settlers, while also denigrating, dismissing, and making invisible real, contemporary Indian people. During The Boston Tea Party, colonists dressed up as Indians by wearing feathers, blankets, and drawing on their faces with black soot. They then boarded an East India Company merchantmen and threw the chests of tea onboard into the Boston harbor. Portraying an Indian princess is a form of playing Indian. Many non-Indigenous people believe that dressing up as an Indian princess is innocent, inoffensive, and not only harmless but a fun and personally empowering activity. However, the cultural appropriation of Native traditional dress (or the wearing of degrading costumes that non-Natives believe resemble traditional Native dress) is often viewed as offensive because it ignores the deep cultural and religious significance of traditional Native American regalia. These settler costumes also routinely sexualize Native American women in particular, though men are sexualized as well. In contrast, traditional regalia is usually modest in style and there are protocols around its construction, how and when it is worn, and by whom. Some of the items in particular indicate an earned social and ceremonial status in the community, and are considered sacred. It is considered an extreme form of cultural appropriation, sometimes also referred to as ethnic fraud or race shifting. One of the most common claims among pretendians, or from those trying to excuse dressing up as Native Americans, is that one of their non-Native ancestors was actually a "Cherokee Princess". ==Uses by Native Americans==

Native American stage performers Sarah Winnemucca, a Northern Paiute educator, translator, author, and activist, was a well-known performer who was billed as "an Indian princess" for some of her stage and screen performances. She played many roles after she came to the northeastern United States in 1883, continuing to speak out about Native American rights and treaties, in addition to performing in theatrical roles. She was at times referred to as a “Paiute princess” or "Princess Winnemucca", despite the fact that the Paiute do not have Princesses, nor would that be her status in the tribe even if they had that kind of leadership structure. Carolyn Sorisio argues that by using the English term “princess” to refer to herself, she claimed a type of power that the press was able to recognize and attribute to her and the Paiute nation. Her role as a "princess" served to “legitimize in non-Native discourse Northern Paiutes’ political identity”. The question of her legitimacy is further contested in her costuming. Sorisio argues that Winnemucca's inaccurate costuming suggests compliance with non-Native desires, as expressed in the Indian princess stereotype. Joanna Cohan Scherer argues that Winnemucca exhibits a "Pocahontas complex" as she dresses in clothing that is not representative of a Paiute woman - dressing in cloth rather than buckskin and in “elaborate nontraditional costumes”. Some critique her actions as a form of complacency in colonialism. Winnemucca reportedly responded to the issue by stating that her lack of materials needed to recreate traditional regalia would be understood by the audience because it is a performance, and that as an "Indian princess", she used the performances to reflect presentations of herself and Native Americans regardless. However, contrary to typical beauty pageants that judge based on physical appearance, Indigenous women who compete in Indian princess pageants are primarily judged on how well they preserve, practice and promote traditional Indigenous cultural values and represent their community, and not just on how they look. It was part of a morale and community-building effort that is also now recognized by Native American scholars as an important effort toward the accurate representation of Native Americans in theatre. an effort that Native American pageantry has since been able to accomplish. According to Deloria, the purpose of her pageants was to “reclaim, with pride, the cultural resources of the past” Feminist writers like Wendy Kozol make note of beauty pageant winners who exemplify Native American tradition within the Euro-American cultural context. According to Kozol, Viola Noah a runner-up for the Choctaw Princess award in the 1973 Labor Day gathering stepped away from the typical photo rendering of Native American princesses. Previous winners were typically shown with traditional Native American attire in natural settings for an ‘“authentic”’ rendering of Native Americans. Miss Indian World The Miss Indian World contest began in 1984. The contest is held each year during the Gathering of Nations powwow in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The contest is the largest and most prestigious of its kind. • Must be a woman of Native or Indigenous descent • Must be between 18 and 25 years of age • Must be affiliated with a tribe • Must be single • Must never have been married • Must not cohabitate with an intimate companion • Must not have, nor ever had, children • Must conduct themselves morally and refrain from drugs, alcohol, smoking, profane language, and intimate public displays of affection with a boyfriend. Winners • 2014 – Taylor Thomas • 2013 – Kansas K. Begaye • 2012 – Jessa Rae Growing Thunder • 2011 – Marjorie Tahbone • 2010 – Dakota Brant • 2009 – Brooke Grant • 2008 – Nicole Alex’aq Colbert • 2007 – Megan Young • 2006 – Violet John • 2005 – Cassie Thomas • 2004 – Delana Smith • 2003 – Onawa Lynn Lacy • 2002 – Tia Smith • 2001 – Ke Aloha May Cody Alo • 2000 – Lillian ‘Cepa’ Sparks • 1999 – Mitzi Tolino • 1998 – April Whittemore • 1997 – Shayai Lucero • 1996 – Andrea Jack • 1995 – Crystal Pewo • 1994 – J.C. Lonetree • 1993 – Gloria Snow • 1992 – Lanette Asepermy • 1991 – Janet Saupitty • 1990 – Lovina Louie • 1989 – Tammy Deann Billey • 1988 – Prairie Rose Little Sky • 1987 (August '87 – April '88 ) – Jovanna Plenty • 1987 (April '87 – August 8'7) – Celeste Tootoosis • 1986 – Lisa Ewaulk • 1985 – Shelly Valdez • 1984 – Cody High Elk Calgary Stampede Indian Princess The Calgary Stampede Indian Princess contest began in 1964. The Calgary Stampede Indian Princess joins the Calgary Stampede Rodeo Queen and Princesses to complete the Calgary Stampede Rodeo Royalty. While the Calgary Stampede Indian Princess is considered part of the Calgary Stampede Royalty, she has a separate category and competition of her own. Evelyn Locker (née Eagle Speaker) of the Kainai Nation was the first First Nations woman to participate in and be crowned as Calgary Stampede royalty in 1954. Controversy erupted after Evelyn Eagle Speaker's crowning because she was of Aboriginal descent. The issues surrounding her crowning focused on how she should represent the Calgary Stampede and perform her role as Queen, specifically what kind of clothing she should wear (her traditional regalia or cowgirl gear). Most of the time the Calgary press referred to her as the Indian Princess instead of her rightful title as Rodeo Queen. • Must be a member of one of the Treaty 7 First Nations • Must be between 18 and 25 years old • Must never have been married, lived common-law, or have had a child • Must agree not to marry, live common-law, or have a child during her reign • Competency in a native language is an asset • Riding ability is required Judgement criteria: • Application package • Personal interview • Public speaking presentation • Dance • Interpersonal communication • Horsemanship and riding ability == See also ==