The Tribal Look-Reel Injun Reflection

The Tribal Look-Reel Injun Reflection

Every spring one of the hottest styles is the tribal look. This tribal look people always say came from the hippies in America in the 1960s and 70s, but no, it is inspired by the First Nations. In “Reel Injun”, many Aboriginal stereotypes and tradition clothes were mocked by the American culture and films. In the 60s and 70s, hippies embraced and wanted to be like the First Nations. The film technique of long shot was used to view of San Francisco, while Sacheen Littlefeather was describing her experience as an Indian in the 1970s. She was asked if she was a hippie, replying with ‘no, I’m an Indian, what’s a hippie?’ (Littlefeather, 2009). I, personally think that using Aboriginal stereotypes like fringe pants and feather headbands as a fashion statement is a way that American’s show their appreciation for the First Nations. Even though the only way people get the ideas of the culture of the First Nations is from films they see. Most of these stereotypes are not true. There are other events, like the genocides of First Nations people, that were shown in one of the sequences of the film; this was very disturbing to me, showing Native kids a films about genocide. I hope they had a discussion before to prepare them for what was shown.

-Marlee <3