Piece Description

After Geronimo was finally defeated, he quickly transformed from public enemy no. 1 to celebrated symbol of America’s wild past, an object of nostalgia.  Icons will examine how Native artists and performers are trying to take control of these iconic images and stereotypes that have defined American Indians.

Oneida Comedian Charlie Hill says, “When I first started I was backstage and another comic said to me, “An Indian comedian, what a gimmick, what a gimmick!” I responded, “I can’ help it, my parents are gimmicks!”

It seems that he images of American Indians is so strongly burned into the global psyche that people visiting reservations and national Indian organizations often don’t see the Native Americans standing before them.  Centuries of books, movies, and television icons are hard to combat.  Even renowned Native filmmaker Chris Eyre, when working on the American Experience We Shall Remain series commented on how he felt while  “working with icons”.