Full Description
Written by a Native ethnoscientist and former tribal attorney, this book tackles the controversial topic of ubiquitous American Indian cultural appropriation in U.S. popular culture.Since the arrival of Christopher Columbus, a continued genocide of Indigenous Nations has led to the eradication of more than 90 percent of Tribal populations through a systematic theft of critical resources, disease, and outright massacre. Today, through Native appropriation, the erasure of Native heritage and commodification of Native culture continues. War Bonnets, Bikinis, and Genocide provides a unique and invaluable examination of contemporary Native American appropriation, providing multiple examples in popular culture; identifying the ways in which such appropriation and misrepresentations are offensive, exploitative, and supportive of racial oppression; and documenting how these examples of appropriation are harmful to both Native people and members of the non-Native general population.Author Ruth H. Hopkins-whose heritage includes the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, Hunkpapa Lakota, and Mdewakanton Dakota tribes-addresses the ever-growing problem of Native appropriation by agents of pop culture. She identifies specific examples of Native appropriation by category and explains why each is false, hurtful, and inflammatory while also presenting accurate information about the aspect of Native ethos at issue. Readers will come to understand how the appropriation of Native culture is related to the Doctrine of Discovery, Manifest Destiny, and the process of colonization, as well as the ongoing oppression and erasure of indigenous peoples. The book also explores acceptable means of embracing Native culture and steps everyone can take to help end the ignorance and apathy that are perpetuated by Native appropriation in western society.* Thoroughly describes the pervasive issue of Native appropriation and how it contributes to the commodification and erasure of Native history and discounts Native people still living* Provides recent examples of instances of Native appropriation within popular culture and explains in depth why they are problematic and harmful to Native populations as well as to society in general* Enables non-Natives to identify, address, and avoid creating instances of Native appropriation
