Beyond Stereotypes: Diverse Native Identities

The essay argues that Native American stereotypes are not entirely false but profoundly incomplete,

as they reduce over 574 distinct nations into a single, misleading image. Colonization and

assimilation—especially through boarding schools—stripped Indigenous peoples of their languages,

cultures, and control over their own identities, while Hollywood reinforced harmful

portrayals of “feathered warriors” that ignored the vast diversity of Native lifestyles and traditions.

These narrow images continue to shape public perception today, forcing Native people

to fight for accurate representation through their own art and media. Films like Smoke

Signals challenge these stereotypes by portraying Native characters as complex individuals living