The Spirit of Advertising

By Britta Proppe

During the process of finding a topic for this blog, I recently took a closer look at something I hold in hands nearly every day: a box of cigarettes. Yes, I am a smoker, I have to confess and of course I know it is not good for me. Still, I do smoke from time to time, occasionally only and most importantly I smoke good cigarettes made from organically grown tobacco without additives and yes; I am myself the best example for a working marketing strategy.

After I happened to become aware of this very item of my everyday life, I started to think about the image on the box: a Native American with a feather headdress smoking a pipe. I asked myself what it reveals about our culture to utilize such an image for commercializing a good that is unhealthy, that is even destructive, regardless of the additives it claims to lack. And I also started to wonder what Native Americans might think about said picture.

The boxes of “Natural American Spirit” cigarettes are quiet appealing. They are colourful, available in orange, yellow and blue according to intensity of the cigarette. The centre of the box features a circle and within the circle head and torso of a Native American man with a big headdress is depicted. He is smoking a calumet, a ceremonial smoking pipe, which is decorated with a feather.

The logo works well, especially in our European culture, because we have a certain image of Native Americans. In spite of the great diversity of Native American tribes, which have big cultural differences, our stereotyped picture is that of the plain Indians with feathers and ponies back in the good times before white settlers and missionaries nearly destroyed their culture. It is the picture of a people, which led a non-destructive and sensible way of life, never harming Mother Nature and therefore, we suggest, they also did not harm themselves, as they were part of nature also. For us this image is in no way connected to severe diseases such as cancer or other lifestyle diseases often caused by smoking.

The company behind the brand is originally American (not Native American, of course) but the brand is also sold in Europe by affiliations in Amsterdam and Hamburg. It has become a popular item in European culture. The marketing strategy is different to other cigarette brands; it aims to be exclusive, people who buy the cigarettes are supposed to consider themselves part of a minority; they are supposed to consider themselves special. Therefore the cigarettes are available in organic food stores- probably the first and only cigarette to be sold in such stores.  People who care for the environment, who are interested in sustainability are given the opportunity to tame their bad conscience that comes with smoking by buying an organic cigarette. The image of a Native American on the box is very helpful for this very attitude. It goes well with the romanticised picture as described before. The strategy seems to work quiet well. The affiliated company in Hamburg started off with three employees in and is now a thriving business with a team consisting of 27 people.

The native tribes of North America used the tobacco for religious ceremonies or to seal a treaty. It was sacred to them and moreover they often did not like to share these ceremonies with others who were alien to their culture; they wanted to hold on to their cultural heritage. “Natural American Spirit”, however, is a trademark, which successfully uses Native American symbols to sell their product in order to make money.

Maybe Native Americans should put a copyright on their sacred items such as their calumets and headdresses; they would make a whole lot of money. But wait...should they?

Maybe that is just not the spirit.

Works Cited:
http://www.americanspirit-info.de/home.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calumet_%28pipe%29#References
http://www.tabakfrei.de/tabakgeschichte.htm

Enjoy a Mohawk!

By Susanne Reiche

I’d like to introduce to you this paper stand-up display which I found in a showcase in Berlin Steglitz. It is placed in a tobacco store that besides selling cigarettes is also offering merchandise, watches and perfumes and is located within a huge shopping mall.

When passing the window, the fact that in the middle of a consummate temple such a plain and nature related display is shown caught my attention.  I wanted to get to know what the purpose for putting up an artifact with a Native American could be.
As you can see, the person is holding a red tobacco package in his hand. Doing so he suggests that this is the tobacco you should buy and smoke because it is produced by Native Americans, and as the average citizen knows, Native Americans know how to make tasty tobacco.

That’s the theory, but I want to have a closer look at the Indian that is depicted there.  I assume that he is merely an advertisement figure than a real Mohawk Indian as suggested by the display. Let’s see if I am right.

On the first look, one sees a fringed leather shirt and fringed leather leggings and leather moccasins. As we have learned in class, Indians made their clothes out of the buffalo’s skin. They used every part of an animal without wasting goods. Even though Mohawk men did initially not wear shirts, they adapted to do so. Also the necklace with its wolf or bear claws can be referred to Indian custody in general and to the Mohawk’s in particular; but what about the feather piece?

I found an overview of the different head pieces of the tribes belonging to that confederacy on its webpage of the Six Nations Reservation.

As you can see, the typical Mohawk head piece consists of a cap with only three eagle feathers which stand up straight. This is nothing compared to the head piece the Native American wears on the display. His feather hat covers his entire head. With regard to the Mohawk being originally a warrior tribe, makes it hard to believe, that they would wear such heavy and unsteady cover that they will easily loose in a fight. So there are some aspects of the Mohawk present in the display, but some are also added to create a more general and stereotypical picture of the American Indian.

The last thing I’d like to draw your attention to is the person’s physique. As I mentioned earlier, the Native American had not only to make his own clothes but also had to hunt for meat, cook, build houses and make a living autonomously. By adding the fact that there did no artificial sugar exist in their environment, one could conclude that Native American’s body was well shaped and did lack the signs of obesity. However the display obviously shows the opposite which of course could be explained by the high influence of Western nutrition in everyday life. But if that was the aim, the picture would have not needed this Indian dressed in his ‘original’ clothes but rather in jeans and Lee shirt with a Coke can in the one hand and the tobacco in the other.

After having shared some of my thoughts with you, I’d like to conclude that contrary to my initial thoughts, the stereotype of the Native American still exists not only in people’s heads but especially in the media and advertisement industry which has not yet stopped to exploit Indians.

A Native reminder; right in the heart of Berlin

By Rachael Farnworth

I think many of us can agree that the image above completely fits the stereotype that crops up in our minds when we think of the 'Native American' or, 'Red Indian' appearance; the feather head-dress; the playing of panpipes and the presence of a dream catcher, being among the most popular associations that Europeans attach to the Native culture.

But even so, seeing and capturing this street musician in the centre of Berlin, at Alexanderplatz, immediately evoked questions in me: What is this mans story? Is he busking merely to attract tourists and make money, or is there a bigger statement being made here? Even though many of us are familiar with the Native American stereotype this man represents, is it not still somewhat out of place in a European capital? The fact that we are aware of the Native American stereotype at all surely means that the culture has been and continues to be influential; otherwise it would be completely alien to us, wouldn't it? My aim is to address these questions using the knowledge I have gained from various sources as well as giving my personal insight as an ‘influenced European’ into my chosen ‘artifact’.

Let us first look directly at the appearance of this man, and what it may tell us about his background. The headdress he is wearing is an example of an impressive eagle-feather warbonnet, important for ceremonial purposes and usually worn by chiefs and warriors, although rarely during battle. Although this type of headdress is the most commonly recognised and appears in many western TV shows and films, these types of headdresses were actually only worn by a limited number of tribes in the Great Plains region such as the Sioux, Cheyenne and Blackfeet. With this in mind, we could presume that this man’s heritage links to one of the Great Plains tribes; perhaps Lakota Sioux warrior blood runs through his veins and he is proudly and intentionally presenting that for all at Alexanderplatz to see.  Alternatively, to take a cynical view, the man’s ‘traditional’ appearance could be nothing more than a means of meeting and fuelling a cultural European stereotype in order to make people stop, listen and contribute money. This brings us onto the question of the music the man was playing and promoting, and the purpose behind it.

I heard the soothing sounds of panpipe music at Alexanderplatz, before I actually saw the panpipe player. Just hearing this particular instrument, conjured up thoughts of a powerful Native tribal ceremony. Although Greek mythology arguably accounts for the creation of the ‘pan flute’ (made out of reeds) over 6000 years ago, It is believed that the first North American musical flutes were made out of the hollow wing bone of an eagle, and at first appeared as single ‘whistles’.  The idea of ‘panpipes’ - a group of said whistles - came at a later date.

On seeing the panpipe player, I realised the direct purpose of the playing; to earn money from public contributions and the selling of his CDs and DVDs, whilst promoting Native American Music. I wondered indirectly whether this act was through a sense of cultural pride and a want to share it with others, not merely a money making exercise. Whilst watching and listening it was hard not to notice the presence of a microphone and a set of large black speakers which carried the sound further and played an additional backing track. Perhaps this observation further supports the money making argument because the use of modern, western-world technology appeals to a Berlin audience. If this man really does have Native heritage, this idea also indicates the Native American exposure to white-western culture, just as white westerns have come to know something of Native American culture albeit in a stereotypical sense.

Although Europeans are aware of some aspects of the Native culture, seeing this musical act in the heart of Berlin definitely seemed misplaced and a little strange to behold. Then again, perhaps that is one of the purposes of mainstream tourism; to showcase something extraordinary in an out-of-place situation. The idea of feeling out of place or alienation is a strong theme in Native American literature. In particular Zitkala-Ša’s looks at how white man’s influence through education completely alienated Native Americans as they were neither white enough nor native enough to feel a true sense  of belonging with either culture. I wondered inwardly if the man at Alexanderplatz felt at all vulnerable, exposed or out-of-place in the same way that many Native Americans did, and still do generations later. To see a man in Native American dress, playing panpipe music whilst being surrounded by commuters, shoppers and tourists seemed to highlight a stark contrast between a European capitalist society and a reminder of a ceremonial, communal culture based on completely different principles.

On a similar notion, my eye was then led towards the word ‘citizen’; the name of a shop that appears in the photo above the musicians head.  Its presence seemed ironic and almost satirical to me given how Native Americans were not thought of as American citizens, and are still subject to prejudice today.  Throughout history, Natives were viewed as lesser beings that needed to be turned into ‘real people’ who adhered to the ways of white men.  This said, perhaps this street musician really was proving a point. Maybe through sharing the Native American culture on the streets of Berlin, he meant to mock or highlight the mistreatment of Native Americans by the white man. On the other hand, perhaps he wanted to show that the traditions of his culture have not been diminished despite past events and furthermore he is proud of his roots. Equally his adherence to the European stereotype could indicate the depletion of Native American culture, so much so that in order for him to make a living he busks and sells his music, merely a shadow of his former self.

The intentions of this street musician and whether there is a bigger statement being made here, are unknown to us as simple spectators. What can be said though, is that he will have influenced passers-by and made and impression in their minds; whether they are lasting or momentary. This proves that, however you choose to interpret this ‘stereotypical’ artifact, Native American culture does emerge in a European context; specifically Berlin in this case.

Sources:
http://www.panflutejedi.com/pan-flute-history.html
http://www.native-languages.org/headdresses.htm
William Apess, An Indian’s Looking Glass for the White Man
Zitkala-Ša, Impressions of an Indian Childhood

What's Going on Here?

Hello and welcome to the ongoing class blog for the course "Native American Literature" at the Universität Potsdam. The goal of this blog is to present the work of my students, who will spend Winter Semester 2012 studying Native American literature with me. In order to enrich and expand our class discussions, I have assigned my students to look to the popular culture of Germany (or Europe more broadly) for representations of Native Americans or Native American culture and to present them here. I have asked them to "curate" these artifacts of popular culture: alongside the item itself -- be it song, film, advertisement, etc. -- they are to explain the images and notions about Native Americans that they see reflected in the artifact and then to discuss how these ideas relate to the larger themes of our course.

I look forward to what is to come in the ensuing weeks and months. One of the great pleasures of teaching for me has always been how much I can also learn from my students, and I have high hopes that this project will offer me new glimpses into the notions of Native American culture that circulate around the world.

Enjoy!