Native and Indigenous Representation in Media and Narrative
750-1000 words
During Weeks 1 – 5, you will be required to work independently and in teams to conduct research that expands your awareness of Indigenous culture and historically suppressed community narratives. You will also learn about the reformulation and appropriation of those narratives.
The first step in this project is to begin learning about the long-term effects of imperialism/colonialism on Indigenous communities in North and South America, also referred to as Turtle Island in various Indigenous languages and by many Indigenous groups. Your weekly assignments will help you determine your approach to the basket weaving project and paper topic. You should begin thinking about possible paper topics by reviewing the paper prompt before you begin your weekly assignments.
Draft submission assignments are determined by faculty but are not required.
PROMPT: For decades, stories about Indigenous people have appeared in various visual media. These portrayals in film, television and other visual imagery have represented how non-Native societies view the Indigenous. In our discussions of imperialism and colonialism, we have explored the effect these belief systems have had on the way representations of the dominant culture and Indigenous communities interact. These representations also may have affected how you view these communities.
Please develop your paper by following the steps below:
1. Select a film, television program, image, or other visual medium in which Indigenous people are represented. Identify the source of the visual imagery.
2. Discuss the portrayal of Indigenous people in that visual medium and indicate how they are represented. Are they misrepresented? If so, how can you tell they are misrepresented? How are their narratives obscured through the popularized
form of representation you chose? What effect does this representation have on how the group or individual is perceived? Be specific and cite examples.
3. What did you find most surprising in your research and how has that new knowledge affected your thinking? What did you believe before? What about the research caused you to think differently? Set the scene. Offer specific details. As an artist, why is this insight valuable?
You must research this assignment and include a Works Cited page with at least one Annotated Source and two citations. Your paper should follow the MLA Format and Citation Requirements. This means in-text citations are also required. (Please refer to the Foundation Level 3-Outcome Rubric in the Nest).
When referring to a film, please note that all film titles MUST be italicized.
