Racial discrimination has been the route of many problems historically. The differences between different groups of people are what help stimulate racism. Ideally if everyone was considered equal and people saw past distinct traits then the world could be a better, controlled and equal environment. This is what many countries have been striving for and are attempting to illustrate the achievement of. But on a realistic note, people assumed things would have changed by the 20th century but, there are still much more improvements to be accomplished.
This reflection will examine Cowboys and Indians: Toys of Genocide, Icons, of America Colonialism by Michael Yellow Bird. As evident from last week’s reading the article discusses colonialism as the invasion, subjugation and occupation of one people by another (Bird, pp1). In specific the description of who the cowboys and the Indians are in his article will be describe and related to my personal life.
The cause to me is evident; because of colonialism indigenous people are commonly depicted as weak towards the common people. To American’s the white people are common however everyone else is uncommon. Although in some cases being referred to as uncommon can be a good thing, however being attached with a label caused by the invasion of ones life can be another. Michael Yellow Bird talks about two common depictions caused by colonialism. The first is the Cowboys and the second is the Indians. There are only two categories people can fit in, either you are a cowboy or you are an Indian. White supremacy and indigenous inferiority is a simplified meaning of cowboys and Indians. Basically to Michael, only whites can be true cowboys, while others had to settle with being Indians (Bird, pp43). The cowboys are the ones that Americans tend to recognize important people as. It represents American values such as toughness, forward looking attitude and mainly “Whiteness” (Bird, pp43). However Indians are represented as the savage, losing, dark-skinned, evil and an antagonistic enemy (Bird, pp43). It is interesting how everyone else is considered the common enemy and the “white” Cowboys are initiating the problems.
Growing up in the 19th century as a “South Asian”, however to Michael Yellow Bird I would also be considered an Indian, to me there seemed to be no inequality at the time. However as I look back I am beginning to remember that I did take part in many illustrations of what Michael discussed. A perfect example to demonstrate this in my life was when I was growing up as a child. The famous British pop group “Spice Girls” was a common love for most young girls including my self. The group consisted of five girls, four Caucasian females and One African American Female. Through the common bodily features everyone can easily understand who was “white” and who was “black”. Similar to the idea of Cowboys and Indians, if you were not white than you were definitely black. Being young girls, everyone would want to find a perfect group of five friends so we can all take part and re-enact the Spice Girls. Well of course because I obviously am South Asian with dark eyes, black hair and darker skin I was by default considered the one African American spice girl. And when I had suggested I would like to take part and be one of the “white” Spice Girls, the responses were an obvious “no”. With constant reminders of our obvious difference to the “common” race, we tend to lose complete faith in ourselves and rather take part by being like them “Cowboys”.
Ward Churchill provides a perfect quotation of what is happening in today’s culture, “White domination is so complete that even American Indian children want to be cowboys. It’s as if Jewish children wanted to play Nazis” (Ward Churchill). We are all completely aware that colonialism is the cause of this common difference between the “white” and everyone else. However we tend to give up and continue to contribute to what we lost ourselves too. If we continue passing this image of indigenous people as negative human beings, the only thing we are contributing to is the depletion of ourselves. I am Indian and if I continue to address Native Indians as indigenous people, then I to will be considered an indigenous person and this cycle of common inferiority towards “white” people or cowboys will get worst and worst overtime. As time passes the little Indian toys will never want to be played with or touched and everyone will be shadowed by that perfect “cowboy”.
