Myths About Indians
Everyday Myths About American Indians
"Indians are hot tempered" - MYTH
"Indian men can't grow facial hair" - MYTH
"Indians get drunk or become alcoholics easier than non-Indians" - MYTH
"Indians all get money from a casino or the U.S. Government" - MYTH
"Indians can't cry" - MYTH
"Indians all had/have brown eyes and long, straight, black hair" - MYTH
"Indians are lazy" - MYTH
Common Misconceptions Dispelled (Tongue-in-cheek on some topics)
All Indians did not live in tipis, wear headdresses, and hunt buffalo.
Modern Indians do not live in tipis, wear headdresses & hunt buffalo.
Marijuana was almost never used in a traditional pipe.
There was no such thing as a 'smoke-signal'.
"How" (with hand raised), is not the real way Native people say hello.
Real Native people cannot jump into a fire and not get scorched.
Some Native men can actually grow a full beard.
Not all Native people have 'high cheekbones'.
"Woo woo woo" (with hand over mouth) is Hollywood fantasy.
Real Native people can't dive off a 500 ft cliff and live, like the cartoon Pocahontas.
"Me biggum Chief" is not a real American Indian dialect.
There was really no such thing as a 'Chief'.
Real American Indian spirituality is not 'magic'.
Not all Native people had/have long hair.
Traditional American Indian people do/did not worship animals, trees or rocks.
"Indian men can't grow facial hair" - MYTH
"Indians get drunk or become alcoholics easier than non-Indians" - MYTH
"Indians all get money from a casino or the U.S. Government" - MYTH
"Indians can't cry" - MYTH
"Indians all had/have brown eyes and long, straight, black hair" - MYTH
"Indians are lazy" - MYTH
Common Misconceptions Dispelled (Tongue-in-cheek on some topics)
All Indians did not live in tipis, wear headdresses, and hunt buffalo.
Modern Indians do not live in tipis, wear headdresses & hunt buffalo.
Marijuana was almost never used in a traditional pipe.
There was no such thing as a 'smoke-signal'.
"How" (with hand raised), is not the real way Native people say hello.
Real Native people cannot jump into a fire and not get scorched.
Some Native men can actually grow a full beard.
Not all Native people have 'high cheekbones'.
"Woo woo woo" (with hand over mouth) is Hollywood fantasy.
Real Native people can't dive off a 500 ft cliff and live, like the cartoon Pocahontas.
"Me biggum Chief" is not a real American Indian dialect.
There was really no such thing as a 'Chief'.
Real American Indian spirituality is not 'magic'.
Not all Native people had/have long hair.
Traditional American Indian people do/did not worship animals, trees or rocks.