Reel Injun Stereotypes

Throughout the history of film production, the Indigenous community has been subjected to various stereotypes that have influenced people’s views on the Indigenous way of life and culture. This is true in Reel Injun by Neil Diamond. Individuals apart of the Indigenous community are subjected to highly problematic stereotypes that are false and problematic. The speaker states, “Natives were becoming the villains of these Western movies. They were being portrayed as savages and society accepted it”. This demonstrates the harmful impact the film industry has on people's perspectives of Indigenous culture and way of life. Due to the film industry, Indigenous people are being looked at in a negative light. Society views them as stone-cold violent warriors that never backed down from a fight. These negative perspectives are problematic

It appears that stereotypes highlighted in the documentary are still in use today. This is problematic because it shows that things have not changed and that history is repeating itself. However, the movie industry is not totally at fault. The media plays a huge role in portraying Indigenous people negatively. Moreover, the stereotypes provided by the media demonstrate how wrong and insensitive society is. "The media pushed these beliefs onto society, and they accepted it without question," the speaker said. This showcases the unfair treatment of Indigenous people by society. Indigenous communities are subjected to insulting stereotypes when their heritage is mentioned, and when judgments are made about their communities, it can be offensive and inappropriate. In conclusion, the film industry has influenced society's perceptions of Indigenous culture and way of life. Stereotypes formed by the media and entertainment industry have broken relationships between society and Indigenous people, leaving Indigenous communities to question if these relationships will ever be