An Analysis of Stereotypes in James Lunas Take a Picture with a Real Indian and Body Ritual Among the Nacirema by Horace Miner
The work of James Luna in "Take a Picture with a Real Indian" shows otherness. In his performance he does this by dressing in typical Indian clothing and other times he dressed in typical street clothes of an average "white" man. People reacted to taking a picture with a "real" Indian in many different ways. Otherness can be described as when one group disbars another group by using stereotypical images and ideas. Otherness adds to the identities of the majority and minority in society. James Luna's reasoning behind "Taking a Picture with a Real Indian" was to see what stereotypes would develop when people see an "Indian". When most people in society see an "Indian" in typical street clothes, they are not associated with Indians.
They are seen as just another person on the street. When an Indian is dressed in what society sees as typical "Indian" attire they are automatically associated with the history and culture of Native Americans. Society would much rather take a picture with an Indian dressed in their typical clothing than in clothes an average white man would wear. If the people had known the Indian would have been dressed in regular clothing much less would have taken a photo with him. In the video when the man wears his regular clothes he does not receive much attention because he is dressed like everyone else. When he wears his traditional Indian clothing people begin to get up and take a picture with him because he is dressed like a real Indian. People wanted to do this because this fulfilled the picture of a real Indian in their mind. Stereotypes of Indians created this image of how a "Real" Indian must be dressed in traditional Indian clothes. These stereotypes are formed by the media, books, and influence of parents and teachers.
"Body Ritual Among the Nacirema" by Horace Miner is a satirical piece of writing that unknowingly to most readers describes America. Nacirema spelled backwards is American. The writing is about a tribe of people that go on about life in the "American Way". Subliminal phrases are used in the piece like "Holy Mouth Men" are dentists and "Shrines with a box or chest in the wall" are bathrooms with medicine cabinets. These phrases all add to the culture of both Nacirema and America. The writing "Body Ritual Among the Nacirema" can relate to James Luna's "Take a Picture with a Real Indian" because of how otherness skews their mind. Readers and watchers may have miss the use of sarcasm at first in the work, but the point to the reader/watcher is made. When the man changes from Indian clothes to regular clothes people see him change, but still perceive him to be a different person.
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In Nacirema readers may begin to notice the spelling of Nacirema is suspicious or familiar in some way. When the young child wanted to take a picture with the Indian man and found he was not an Indian in his eyes he was disappointed. Both "Take a Picture with a Real Indian and "Body Ritual Among the Nacirema", otherness is shown. Stereotypes developed were shown in the views of the people who took part in taking pictures with the Indian and reading the history of the Nacirema. People often miss the point that is trying to be put across due to their views. People miss what is right in front of them.
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An Analysis of Stereotypes in James Lunas Take a Picture with a Real Indian and Body Ritual Among the Nacirema by Horace Miner. (2023, Apr 16). Retrieved from https://phdessay.com/an-analysis-of-stereotypes-in-james-lunas-take-a-picture-with-a-real-indian-and-body-ritual-among-the-nacirema-by-horace-miner/
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