An Examination Of The Magical Native American Trope

There are a lot of stereotypes surrounding Native Americans, and these stereotypes often affect media portrayals. Today, we’re examining the “magical Native American” trope. This trope is based on the misguided belief that indigenous peoples are all incredibly spiritual, live in harmony with nature, and have powers that come from the combination of spirituality and a connection to nature. Because this trope is so common, and there are several examples I could have chosen, I will be looking at a mix of mainstream and more obscure works.

Pocahontas, Pocahontas (1995)

We’ve talked about Pocahontas and her magical nature powers before. Her two main songs in the film are “Just Around the Riverbend” and “Colors of the Wind”, both of which highlight her deep connection to nature. Pocahontas also frequently converses with Grandmother Willow, who is a willow tree who can talk. When Pocahontas encounters John Smith, a white man, there is a language barrier, but then some leaves magically blow around them and they are able to understand each other perfectly. Well, that’s one way to deal with the translation problem, I suppose.

Jacob Black, Twilight (2005)

Jacob, who is one of the possible love interests for main character Bella, is part of the Quileute tribe. In the sequel to the first book, New Moon, he becomes a werewolf. His transformation is explained to be part of his Quileute heritage. All members of the tribe undergo this change and have done so for centuries. Even though they are referred to as werewolves, they are more like shape-shifters, considering that they are able to turn into wolves at will. There are characters who are closer to more traditional werewolves and it’s implied that the Quileute abilities are the result of a spiritual connection to the natural world.

Adriane Charday/Nakoda Charday, Avalon: Web of Magic (2001)

Adriane is one of the three main characters in the Web of Magic book series. She is of Native American and French descent. The other two characters, Kara and Emily, are both white, and all three of them have magical powers, so Adriane’s power isn’t that notable. It’s her grandmother, Nakoda, who fits this trope more. Nakoda is the caretaker for a local animal preserve, fostering Adriane’s love for the natural world. She often dispenses wisdom to the girls that implies she may know more about magic than she’s letting on. Nakoda is a spiritual woman, which led to rumors that she was a witch.

Albert Hosteen, The X-Files (1993)

In his initial appearance in the Season 2 finale, “Anasazi”, Albert, a Navajo man, doesn’t appear to fit this trope. The events of the Season 3 premiere, “The Blessing Way”, give him a much more spiritual role. Agent Mulder has been gravely injured, and Albert is the one who discovers him. Albert, along with some other members of the tribe, conduct the titular ceremony in order to heal Mulder. At the very least, according to The X-Files Wiki, the producers tried to make the ritual as accurate as possible.

The “magical Native American” trope has some basis in reality. Several tribes are very spiritual, and their spirituality shouldn’t be dismissed. Problems arise when people assume that every single Native person has the same beliefs. Instead of just making up rituals or applying the same beliefs to all tribes, perhaps we should be more conscious of individuality.

Image from wikipedia.com