Book report

Review of Killing the White Man 's Indian

Reinventing Native Americans at the End of the Twentieth Century

Fergus M . Bordewich , Publisher , year published

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professor Killing the White Man 's Indian is a novel which centers around one key question : What is a Native American . The question seems simple enough but Bordewich intricately details the past and present answers as well as relating various pieces of surprising information about the White and Native American relationship . Native Americans have struggled to make sense of and

correct false images of what it means to be Native American . The title is an indicator of where Bordewich goes in his research . Essentially he believes that Native Americans , in present society , are trying to break away from the image of the indian ' that was first created by the white man . These images are both positive and negative - both equally inaccurate

Bordewich explains that Native Americans have been viewed as savages for hundreds of years . When Columbus first came to the new world he was befriended by noble savages . These men were docile , and eager to . The image of Native Americans being helpless humans who are in need of guidance has been perpetuated for years . Additionally , Native Americans have also been portrayed as cannibals , devils , and extremely vicious . Both of these images were created by the white man and affect the Native American population negatively . These false images of what a Native American is interfers with Native American becoming part of the larger American culture which would allow them more freedoms and more rights . Bordewich goes on to mention that he believes that it is the White man 's self righteous nature which have kept Native Americans from gaining freedom by keeping them on reservations . White men feel obligated to help Native Americans . However , through that obligation money is exchanged but very little else is

Bordewich clearly demonstrates that the reader and general public have no idea what a Native American actually is . He believes part of the problem is that the Native American population is becoming tainted with people who are merely money seekers . Since the 1960s the number of American 's claiming to be Native Americans have tripled (18 . It is difficult to determine who is a Native American and who is not Accurate records of births and marriages was not something that Native American 's kept . In addition , Native American and other minorities often marry other races . He also suggests that Native Americans , of all minorities , are the most likely to marry outside of their race . There are several tribes which have no full blood members . Many tribes only require 12 .5 blood quantum to be consider a member . The problem that is created here is that people who are not actually Native American 's continue to reap the benefits alloted to real Native Americans (73

White society tends to put Native American culture on a pedestal Often describing the community as unspoiled and earthy . Bordewich asserts that...