The Simpsons stereotypes Alaska Native cultures, again.

 

On the most recent episode of the Simpsons,  Homer and Marge gain a spot on the US Olympic curling team and head to Vancouver for the games. When they arrive in the city, Homer is greeted by an Alaska Native/Inuit woman (in Vancouver?) and they engage in about 10 seconds of guttural noises back and forth as the background goes all swimmy and mystical, then he drives away. 

After the jump, a couple more screen shots and linking it back to the Simpsons Movie (where this character was first introduced).

Admittedly, I was tipped off, so I sped through most of the episode until I got to this scene, and stopped watching after it, so I'm not sure if this was given more context later, but I'm almost positive it was just intended as a quick nod to the Simpsons Movie.

 

This is during their back and forth, notice how the background is all Dali-like and the inclusion of the psychedelic clouds and birds. 

This is a close-up of the character (who goes un-named in the movie as well). She has no teeth, a deep, masculine voice, and speaks in broken english.

I'm going to refer back to an email my friend Holly (who is Inupiaq from Anchorage) sent out after the Simpsons Movie came out, talking about the scene in which this character is introduced:

I'm not sure if you have seen it yet, but there is a scene with an Alaska Native woman who looks like a man, and who is highly sexualized by her breasts, yet remains hideous and ogre-like. The scene ultimately makes a mockery out of Alaska Natives, as audience members laugh at her. All the beauty of a culture is gone. Millions of people, who do not know about Alaska Natives are going to see this movie and laugh. There are enough problems with race and misunderstandings of other cultures in America without movies that create stereotypes about cultures that they do not know anything about.

The scene with the Inuit woman starts at 58 min. In which she gives Homer “fire water.” An insulting stereotype emphasized onscreen by the makers of The Simpsons. In the next scene at 1 hr 2 minutes, the Native woman appears in the Northern Lights and her oversized breasts bounce and point in the direction Homer needs to go in order to save Springfield. Considering how many Native women are victims of sexual assault and rape it is an outrage that a movie would further sexualize a group which is additionally humiliated.

 Holly sums it up beautifully, and brings to light the many issues at play behind the images in the movie and the episode, and I think this will serve as a good bridge for a discussion this week about the role of Indigenous peoples in Olympic advertising, marketing, and ceremonies of the Vancouver games.

The whole episode is on hulu, if you really want to watch it.

Full episode on hulu: http://www.hulu.com/watch/125173/the-simpsons-boy-meets-curl 

Background article on violence against Alaska Native Women in the Anchorage Daily News:
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/crime/story/8825231p-8726532c.html

More information on violence against Alaska Native women from Amnesty International:
http://www.amnestyusa.org/Womens_Human_Rights/Summary/page.do?id=1021170&n1=3&n2=39

(Thanks to Anna for the tip, and Holly for the analysis!)

Ghagra Choli Indian Bridal Dress

Ghagra Choli Indian Bridal Dress

Ghagra Choli, Chaniya Choli, Lehenga Choli, Choli dress
Indian Model posing in Designer Ghagra Choli dress.

FAMOUS ART QUOTES, MUSIC QUOTES, PAINTING QUOTES, FILM MAKING QUOTES, PHOTOGRAPHY QUOTES:

What garlic is to salad, insanity is to art.
~ Augustus Saint-Gaudens

Without music life would be a mistake.
~ Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

Art... does not take kindly to facts, is helpless to grapple with theories, and is killed outright by a sermon.
~ Agnes Repplier, Points of View, 1891

Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons. You will find it is to the soul what a water bath is to the body.
~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

Robin Lopez wore a Stanford Indian shirt, and 15,000 people saw

 

(image via "Official Twitter feed for Phoenix Suns forward Jared Dudley" link here)

This is Phoenix Suns player and Stanford alum Robin Lopez...wearing a Stanford Indians shirt.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Stanford mascot history, in 1972, as a direct result of Stanford Native student activism, the university finally banned the use of that stereotypical image you see above. For the complete mascot timeline, see this article (by Denni Woodward, who all Stanford Natives know and love). Woodward paraphrases the anti- mascot petition put forth by the students, in which they stated:

 The mascot in all its manifestations was, the Indian group maintained, stereotypical, offensive, and a mockery of Indian cultures.  The group suggested that the "University would be renouncing a grotesque ignorance that it has previously condoned" by removing the Indian as Stanford's symbol, and by "retracting its misuse of the Indian symbol" 

Every few years or so the mascot issue re-emerges on campus, and every time the administration re-affirms the commitment they made in 1972 that:

"any and all Stanford University use of the Indian Symbol should be immediately disavowed and permanently stopped."

To further complicate the story, Robin and his twin brother Brooke are Native, or at least they were on the list of incoming Native frosh back in 2006. I saw you at that frybread social Robin!

Who knows, Robin could be trying to make a point, or something, but I have a feeling that wasn't the case. I know he's a good guy, we have lots of mutual friends, but I still don't like it.

It makes me upset to see any Stanford alum wearing an the mascot--and I saw plenty of them every year at Big Game and homecoming--but I feel worse knowing that Robin is a public figure, and so many people are going to see that picture on Twitter. Jared Dudley has 15,784 followers. I'd feel redeemed if Robin would let Jared post a picture of him wearing one of these shirts, or something similar:

(image via http://demockratees.com/)

So Robin, I submit this challenge to you. One Stanford Native alum to another. Heck, I'll even buy you the shirt--Demockratees is an amazing Native-owned company, and I may or may not own this shirt myself. 

Stanford Mascot History: http://nacc.stanford.edu/mascot.html
Retire Indian Mascots shirt: http://www.demockratees.com/retireindianmascots.html

(Thanks to Eric for the link! (though he probably won't be happy I posted this))

Sonam Kapoor Biography (Bollywood Actress)

One of the latest stars in the making is the pretty and lissome Sonam Kapoor.

Sonam Kapoor
This Gemini, born on 9 June 1985, is the daughter of movie star Anil Kapoor and Sunitha Kapoor. Her family includes sister Rhea and brother Harshwardhana. She is the niece of actor Sanjay Kapoor and director Boney Kapoor.

Sonam studied at the Arya Vidya Mandir. She went on to study Theater Arts and Chinese History at the United World College of East Asia. She is also a major in Political Science and Economics, courtesy Bombay University.

She is rumoured to be dating MTV VJ Cyrus Sahukar, who was part of the movie, Delhi 6.

She assisted Sanjay Leela Bhansali on the sets of Black in 2005.

The Debut & Afterwards
Sonam was launched in 2007 in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Saawariya, where she played the leading lady Sakina, opposite Ranbir Kapoor. She was nominated for the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award, though the movie did not live up to the hype. Her second release was Delhi 6 with Abhishek Bachchan. The movie did not do as well as expected. But Sonam stole the show with her dilli-waali look and the ‘Masakalli’ number.

Around the Corner
In 2010, she will be seen in her father’s production, Aisha, with Abhay Deol. It is based on Jane Austen’s Emma. She is also working on I Hate Luv Storys with Imran Khan.

source

You Heap Fine Valentine, and HOW.

 

Happy Valentines Day everyone! Enjoy these Indian-themed vintage valentines, which can all be found at: http://www.vintagevalentinemuseum.com/2007/06/mechanical-native-american-indian-at.html

Lots more after the jump!

I'm sending this ARROW, CHIEFLY to say, Let me be your "beau", my valentine (1940's)

 

You've kindled a spark of love in my heart my valentine (1930's)

 

(1940's)

 

(1940's)

 

I'd never 'squaw'k if you'd be my valentine (1940's)

(wow this one is bad)

 

(1920's)

 

(1941)

 

Ugh! ugh! your heart valentine! (1940's)

(Front)

 

Ugh! Ugh! I'm an INDIAN GIVER it's time your should learn it, for I won't give my love unless you RETURN IT!

(I saved the "best" for last. Indian giver? really?)

all images found here: http://www.eclecticsalvage.com 

Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra - Biography

Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra - Biography

Priyanka Chopra, armed with long legs and the Miss World crown, followed the precedent set by other beauty contest winners by joining the Bollywood bandwagon.

The Nomadic Mimi
Priyanka Ashok Chopra was born on 18 July 1982 in Jamshedpur and is fondly known as Mimi. Her father is Capt. Dr.Ashok Chopra and her mother is Dr.Madhu Chopra. She has a younger brother, Siddharth. Her father’s origin is a mix of Punjabi, Bengali, and Marathi while her mother’s is a mix of Tamil, Malayali, and Kannada.

Her family was always on the move as her father was in the army. Few of her growing up years were spent in Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh. She studied at the La Martiniere Girl’s School in Lucknow before re-locating to the United States of America. While there, she studied at the Newton North High School in Massachusetts and later in North Delta Senior Secondary School in North Delta. On returning back to India, she continued her schooling in the Army School at Bareilly. She joined the Jai Hind College in Mumbai but dropped out when she won the second place in the Miss India beauty pageant. She went on to bring home the Miss World crown in 2000, becoming one of the five Indians to have won that title.

Priyanka was dating Harman Baweja. They were seen together in Love Story 2050. The couple broke up. Though it was never official, it is said that she was dating Shahid Kapoor, her co-star from Kaminey. Gerard Butler was supposedly enamoured by her and even proposed to Chopra during a party.

Belle of Bollywood
Priyanka Chopra’s first film was in Tamil. Thamizhan released in 2002. This was followed by two films The Hero: Love Story of a Spy and Andaaz. Her part in the latter won her the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award. In 2004, she met with success in Mujhse Shaadi Karoge and Aitraaz, which was inspired by the Hollywood hit Disclosure. Her performance as Mrs Sonia Roy was recognized with the Filmfare Best Villain Award. Her biggest hit in 2005 was Bluffmaster with Abhishek Bachchan.

In 2006, she starred in two of the year’s biggest box office successes like Krrish with Hrithik Roshan and Don – The Chase Begins Again with Shahrukh Khan. Her consequent releases in 2007 like Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute to Love and Big Brother were flops. The year 2008 was no better. She starred in big budget movies like the sci-fi Love Story 2050 with Harman Baweja, God Tussi Great Ho with Salman Khan and Drona with Abhishek Bachchan. None of these movies matched the set expectations.

In 2008, she played Meghna Mathur, a small-town girl who tastes success in the glamour industry in Madhur Bhandarkar’s Fashion. Her performance was delivered with such conviction that she walked away with the Filmfare Best Actress Award. The comedy, Dostana, with John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan also did well.

She began 2009 in an item number for Billu. She wow-ed the audience in Ashutosh Gowariker’s What’s Your Raashee? with Harman Baweja, in which she was seen in twelve different looks, each representing a zodiac sign. In Kaminey, she did justice to her role as Sweety and was seen completely transformed into a Marathi Mulgi.

Starring Priyanka
Priyanka Chopra and Uday Chopra will play the beauty and the beast respectively in Pyaar Impossible (2010). She will also play a black widow of sorts in Vishal Bharadwaj’s Seven Husbands (2010). She will be seen opposite Ranbir Kapoor for the first time in Anjana Anjani (2010). She is the voice of Margina in the animated flick, Alibaba Aur 41 Chor.

source

Indian River Light Beer: "At Last, a Beer Native to Manhattan"

 (image via heartlandbrewery.com)

My friend Kayla pointed me (via her friend Tia's Facebook) to Heartland Brewery, straight out of hipster-haven Brooklyn, NY, and their beer called "Indian River". Here is the picture that Tia snapped of their advertisement at a bus stop in Manhattan:

If you can't read it, it says "accents of orange, no pulp" and "At last, a beer native to manhattan".

So lets break this down a little: sexualized woman, most likely not Native, wearing very little clothing, and what she is wearing is sterotypical fringed buckskin, sporting "war paint", a feather, a beer, and a shotgun. Also the bonus of using "native" in the tagline, in case we were unsure of what asthetic they were going for. This takes the cake for rolling about every stereotype ever into one advertisement. In my indignant googling, I found the Heartland Brewery website here.

After the jump, more upsetting labels and some analysis.




It appears they are equal opportunity stereotypers, because they also have labels that are disparaging to women:

and

 

Then they have multiple labels that are stereotypes of farmers/rural white Americans:

 

and 

 and

 

note the distinct lack of teeth, presence of overalls, and cross-eyed/crazy expressions. 

While I am completely aware that the farmer imagery is not 'the same' as the Native imagery, I put them up to offer a more complete picture of the company, and to demonstrate how they're clearly trying to be "edgy" or "subversive" to get customers. but why does being edgy have to come at the expense of others?

They appear to be a fairly established presence in NYC, with multiple brewpub locations and about 10-15 beers, but it seems they are trying to maintain the local, quirky, hipster-y image. Which apparently hinges on otherizing, stereotyping, and disparaging images.

Overall, it's incredibly upsetting that something like "Indian River" is deemed acceptable, and that New Yorkers walking around the city now have another false image implanted in their brains. It's a vicious cycle.

If anyone wants to send the brewery a letter or email, they can be reached here:

Address:
1430 Broadway (at 40th St.) 7th Floor
New York NY 10018
Phone:
212.400.2300
Email:
veronica@heartlandbrewery.com


(Thanks Kayla and Tia!)

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