Indian in the Cupboard was a favorite of mine when we read it in school, I read it as a fairy tale--not as fact...but this article, presented by ALA/OLOS Subcommittee for Library Services to American Indian People and the American Indian Library Association (in 1991) made me really stop and think. I guess, even though I'm not a children's librarian, I need to sit down and re-read Sign of the Beaver now and see if this article changes my thoughts on it.... What are your thoughts?
"...These are just two examples of the cultural baggage that we as Americans carry around that make it difficult for us as librarians to know where to start in identifying bias-free books for our libraries. Recognizing that these images exist is a big step in the right direction. But subconscious images of what Indians are comprise a very deep part of the American psyche, and you may be surprised at how uncomfortable you feel when asked to give up these images, no matter how you feel about them intellectually.
For example, The Indian in the Cupboard and its sequels are much- loved books by librarians and their patrons. But for Indian people, these are some of the worst perpetrators of the most base stereotypes. The miniature toy Indian (Indians portrayed as objects or things) is described as an Iroquois warrior, but is dressed as a movie western version of a generic plains Indian 'chief', complete with eagle feather headdress. The warrior is described in the most stereotypical terms and speaks in subhuman grunts and partial sentences. He is manipulated by a more powerful white child, fostering the image of the simple and naive Indian whose contact with the white man can only benefit him and his people. For example, The Indian in the Cupboard and its sequels are much- loved books by librarians and their patrons. But for Indian people, these are some of the worst perpetrators of the most base stereotypes. The miniature toy Indian (Indians portrayed as objects or things) is described as an Iroquois warrior, but is dressed as a movie western version of a generic plains Indian 'chief', complete with eagle feather headdress. The warrior is described in the most stereotypical terms and speaks in subhuman grunts and partial sentences. He is manipulated by a more powerful white child, fostering the image of the simple and naive Indian whose contact with the white man can only benefit him and his people..."
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2 comments:
Being an Indian, I have a lot of thoughts on this topic, but won't fill up space here. :-) But to keep it library-related, if you are an OU SLIS student or even a practicing Librarian in Oklahoma take LIS 5333 Multicultural Librarianship with Dr. Rhonda Taylor and you will learn not only about Native Americans, but also about other cultures in the United States and their information needs. I highly recommend it!
Audrey DeFrank
I think one of the best parts of Dr. Taylor's class, when I took it, was when she had the students who are in the majority put ourselves in a situation where we became the minority. If you have never been a minority, of any sort, in a given environment run out and do it right now! You will learn a lot about yourself.
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