Another Stereotype of the Month entry:

What's wrong with this picture? I wouldn't say it's the mere existence of a brand called "Indian Motorcycles." I don't think many Native people would rank this (or the Jeep Cherokee, or the Pontiac Firebird, or...) among the top 100 or 1,000 problems in Indian country, if they thought about it at all.

But let's catalog some of the stereotypical ideas this product embodies:

• The logo shows a classic "chief" in a feather bonnet headdress. The first time this image appeared a few hundred years ago, it was original. By the 10th or 20th time, it had became a cliche. Now it's the most overused stereotype in Native history.
• The chief's skin is brick red. Native people generally have brown skin, not "red skin."
• The 2000 motorcycle models are called the Chief and the Scout. These names reinforce the idea of Indians as hunters and warriors with a pseudo-military organization. Heaven forbid they should have a motorcycle called the Basketmaker, the Sandpainter, or the Moundbuilder.
• The text for the 2000 Chief motorcycle stresses the qualities of freedom, individuality, and independence, implying these are Indian traits. Again, this alludes to the idea of the Indian as lone rider, fighter, and all-around tough guy. Just like a typical biker, right?

Actually, one could argue that Indian cultures stress the qualities of community and interdependence much more than individuality and independence. And much more than Western cultures do. After all, which cultures feature people revering their elders and which features old folks shuffling off to nursing homes? In which do people carry babies on cradleboards and in which do they throw babies in dumpsters?

These are stereotypical images too, but they contain a measure of truth in them. All good stereotypes do.

Related links
The big chief
Hercules vs. Coyote:  Native and Euro-American beliefs

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