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.