Exhibit Traces Horse’s Impact on Tribal Life

Nov 25, 2011

The image of a Native American warrior racing across the Western plains on horseback is an iconic one. The animal’s long relationship with some native tribes is celebrated in a new exhibition at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington. VOA’s Susan Logue reports.

Totem Pole Art Preserves Native American Culture

In the mid to late 18th century, missionary schools were opened on Native American reservations in the U.S. The goal was to convert young people to Christianity and immerse them in Western culture. Native languages and culture were discouraged. Over decades, many grew up knowing little about their culture or languages. VOA’s Jeff Swicord reports on one Tsimshian tribesman who has dedicated his life to keeping his native culture alive.

Redskin Blues (1932)

Internet Archive: Redskin Blues

Plot taken from IMDb: Tom and Jerry find their wagon west attacked by Indians, but escape only after being rescued by all the branches of the military, including the Army’s tanks.

A cartoon with lots of music and action as well as ethnic stereotypes the 1930s way: “An unremarkable wild west cartoon is improved by the comedy of the unexpected. Numerous seemingly fat, cloaked Indians are unwrapped to reveal beautiful girls; when the cavalry leader uncloaks the Chief, he’s revealed as a Jewish caricature. The Jewish Indian was a standard vaudeville gag at the time, in part the result of Fanny Brice’s hit song on the theme (I’m an Indian).”

Gas appliances from Minnegasco solve marital problems

Getty Images RLP-36 16mm:

B W 1960s MINNEGASCO (MINNEAPOLIS GAS). Animated cartoon. Wedding, bride and groom get into JUST MARRIED car, harried housewife works in kitchen while lazy insensitive husband hassles her, little American Indian cartoon girl appears, gives the housewife a new gleaming kitchen, this is enough to restore the husband’s ardor.

Two Spirits – LGBTQ Native Americans

Joey Criddle is a Two Spirit man fighting with other LGBTQ Native Americans to reclaim the place of honor that many Two Spirits once held prior to colonization. “Two Spirits” follows Joey as he leads parallel lives — one as a co-director of the Two Spirit Society of Denver and the other as a father attending the Mississippi wedding of his Pentecostal son. Joey’s words bridge the gap between the closeted man he was in Mississippi and the Two Spirit activist he is today.