Lauren's Questions

Response to [Lauren's] Question #1

Despite being only one of five senses, humans often place the most trust into that of sight. Photography was, and continues to be, hailed as having the ability to present the viewer with a direct reflection of “…a signified that exists prior to attempts to represent it” (Pinney 77), yet this neglects to recognize the importance of the photographer and their history which so greatly constructs the resulting image. The camera is simply an apparatus through which a certain worldview can be portrayed and while the moment captured of the subjects in photographs may not be misrepresentations, the directions given to the subject in order to create the image work to emphasize the worldview of the photographer. Furthermore, the way the images are used after they’re captured also demands attention. For example, in the American education system, photographs and captions in history books often depict images which support the dominant ideological worldview. When a powerful institution like the education system, paired with the media, is so full of the visual reiteration of mere stereotypes in the form of staged photographs, and when the majority of still-circulating visual representations of the history of American Indian peoples support this stereotype-laden foundation, the effect on society is totalizing. The historical romanticization held by the “colonizers” about the “colonized” is a tradition that can be seen worldwide, often and almost exclusively as a way of justifying the atrocious acts the colonizers impose on the native people. These romanticized stereotypes continue to be perpetuated, as with “Indian Princess” Halloween costumes, in part because of the immediacy of trust bestowed upon the photographs that are relied upon to piece together the past, and also because of the institutions which continue to present them as factual despite contradictory evidence. Ultimately, their origin is deeply rooted in racism brought on by greed, yet this understanding, such a necessary accompaniment if the staged photographs continue to circulate, is something that, for reasons both political and ideological, is either left out or kept to a minimum.

Stephanie O'Donnell

Lauren's question 1

For much of America , the past of the country is glorified, epic, and romanticized. People carry on the great stories of the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and, in particular, the tales of the Wild West. American children grow up playing cowboys and Indians, running around with cowboy hats and plastic guns or have feathers in their hair and tomahawks, imitating pictures from decades ago as Dippie discussed.
From an early age in school children are shown pictures of the glorified American history and the plight of the Native Americans all the while emphasizing that the Indians are a strong and noble race, a proud people. What is not made clear when these pictures are shown during American History lessons is that they are often staged and posed. Dippie makes an excellent point when he claims that the vast majority of the pictures of the Indians cause viewers to reminisce and romanticize. People romanticize history in general, not just their own. They have set, dominant images in their minds about ancient Romans and royalty from Europe . Strong faces, proud stances, and leisurely lounging are largely associated with such histories and by associating these images and beliefs with the pictures of the Indians, a tainted and inaccurate image is conjured. Therefore, by extension, the pictures become turned into relics of the past, images to immortalize the great past of America regardless of how inaccurate they may be.
The point is that history, in general, is taught to the youth in a romanticized way and is never challenged since it is the dominant way of viewing. Take the Indian Picture Opera for instance. Had that been shown to a group of 7th or 8th graders it would have been shown as an accurate example of American history. They would come away with more support to the idea of proud, strong Indians who lived in a fantasy world a long time ago and spoke with strange wording of the English language. While that is simply not accurate it would not matter. The cyclical pattern of ignorance to the reality does not end with the youth but continues as adults with family trips to historical locations and by passing beliefs on to children. Romanticized Indians are a part of a romanticized history.

Katharine Oppeneer