Monday, April 30, 2012

"Hey Ya" - Grammy performance by Outkast - Mocking Native American culture



The dancers, along with the lead singer, are dressed in mock "Native American" style clothing. It is suppose to appear otherworldly and futuristic. In the beginning, a real Native American song is being played while Jack Black's face is shown speaking to the audience. Not only does this entire performance insult Native American culture, it also reinforces the idea that Native Americans are static and unchanging. If the performance is suppose to display the future, why do the mock "Native American" dancers wear "traditional"and scantily clad clothing? Along with this, the style of the costumes and the way in which the dancers dance, also proves to exemplify stereotypical notions of what being Native is.

1 comment:

  1. There is a similar sequence in the new Cirque du Soleil. I'll try to find a clip.

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