Ornate Noggins
Theo Carol AH364 Final Project
Theo Carol AH364 Final Project
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ZigJackson
Throughoutadvertisements,movies,andmedia,NativeAmericansare
mythicizedandspiritualizedreducinganentireculturedowntoa
caricature.ZigJacksonattemptstodeconstructthesemisconceptionsand
mythsthroughtheuseofjuxtapositionandbycontrasting“normal”
scenarioswithidealizedversionsofNativeAmericans.Indoingthis,
JacksonchosetofocusononeofthemostappropriatedaspectsofNative
Americangarb,thefeatheredheaddress.Bywearingastereotypicaland
historicalyinaccuratefeatheredheaddresswhileparticipatingin
mundaneactivities,itdisplaystheabsurdityofpopularmedia’s
representationofNativeAmericans.NativeAmericansareeveryday
peopletoo,notalong-forgottenpieceoffolklore.Jacksonsitsandrides
thebus,wearingsneakers,jeans,andsunglasses,hisheaddresssticksout
likeasorethumbwhilehisclothesanddemeanormakehim blendin.
Jacksonattemptstocontrasttheglamorization,representedbythe
headdress,withtherealityofthesituation,thebusandmodernclothes
(Taylor60).
Inadditiontotryingtoshow thetruenatureofhisheritageandidentity,
Jacksonalsoattemptstobringawarenesstotheerasureandforced
assimilationofNativeAmericansbytheUnitedStatesgovernment.Not
onlydoeshisuseofa“traditional”headdressshow thecontrastof
mainstream societyandNativeAmericansociety,italsoshowsthepower
struggle.From the1930stothe1960s,theIndianAffairsrelocation
program wasineffectwhichaimedtointroduceNativeAmericansinto
“mainstream America”butonlytrulyservedtoassistinwipingouttheir
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