Description
Native American Representations: First Encounters, Distorted Images and Literary Appropriations edited by Gretchen M Bataille is a collection of eleven essays first presented at a symposium about theories of representation in American Indian literatures held in France in the summer of 1997. The essays discuss the various ways Native Americans are misrepresented and stereotyped in popular culture, literature, art, and film. While only two of the authors are Native American, the book clearly presents the various debates about representation currently making the rounds of academia. Louis Owen looks at the Native American voices and postcolonial theory as manifest in current culture theory discussions. He does not find any Native American voices in the academic work of these writers who comment on culture theory. Kathryn Shanley's essay examines American Indian identity and cultural appropriation. Her work looks at the way popular culture representations of Natives have a clear impact on Native Americans and their present experiences. Other topics include cultural sovereignty, film stereotypes, issues around translation of Native oral texts, perceptions about land, and approaches to teaching. Authors include Louis Owens, Kathryn Shanley, Gretchen Bataille, David Moore, David Murray, John Purdy, Jarold Ramsey, Kathleen Sands, Bernadette Rigal-Cellard, Hartwig Isernhagen, and A. Lavonne Brown Ruoff. While a few articles are loaded with postcolonial and postmodern jargon, one essay draws highly readable comparisons between Walt Disney films and Native American productions. A. Lavonne Brown Ruoff's article looks at the works of early Native American writers and their perspectives on European and American cultures. On the whole, this book makes a fine contribution to the current discussions around Native American representation in modern America. Students in Native Studies, culture, and literature will find this text useful.