How to go "Awful" Pretendian Style (NSFW)

Sadly, Felipe Rose is not a pretendian.  We just wish he was.

 Pretendian  noun
Someone who appropriates generic, stereo-typical Native American themes in an attempt to appear more exotic, earthy, ironic, rebellious and possibly even whorish, but in an easily digestible "one with nature" kind of  way.  Pretendians have no grasp on o current or past Native American issues.  They are oblivious that their actions and wardrobe are offensive, because, of course, that would require acknowledging other people have thoughts and feelings.

But we can all get in on the fun, right?

Every good Pretendian needs a fabulous headdress:

Peaches Geldorf (http://tinyurl.com/45f46d9)

 Is that a feather duster she's wearing?

Or maybe just a few feathers will do...

Etsy user dekadence

 Wow, plastic warrior, feathers from the craft aisle at Walmart, a recipe to offend every Indigenous person you meet. How ironic is that?

And for days you fear you may be mistaken for a cat toy: ( Don't worry, it happens to real Natives all the time.  It's true, more Native Americans die each year from cats attacks than spontaneous combustion and blimp accidents combined!)

www.stylecaster.com

Added bonus, headbands will hold your wig on! (watch REEL INJUN for more info)  In case you weren't born with stick straight black hair, that you know, all Indians have.

But then again, nothing says "too cool worry about offending people" like Dead Animal on the head:

Charlotte Kemp Muhl, who has some, you know, mystic aversion to bras.

Don't forget the jewelry:

Etsy user feathercreations (she likes being topless, apparently. I almost had a SFW post, too)

 Oh Gawd...

etsy user MountainGirlClothing

Lee Bogle, now in hoodie form, accompanied by Guatemalan back-strap loomed trim because, you know, all Indigenous stuff goes together.

Don't forget your leather outfit!

etsy user dleather, who isn't posing as N.A. artisan. She does custom leather work.  She also has fringed leather corsets, loin-cloths, etc, for all your role-playing needs.

No, I didn't forget the guys.

more from dleather

  Wow, I suddenly feel inadequate...

The end result should offend about everyone or you're doing it wrong!

Dancing with the stars.  Found at listicles.

Blog Goddess Note: I want to thank all of you for reading and commenting on this blog. You all Rock!  

I'm listening to what you have to say, too! See the new NSFW tags?  You did that, okay a Newspaperrock reader clued me in on that, but anyway, it's there.  I love you all too much to get you fired.

Reality check. Check, check, is this thing on? (PNSFW)

Real Native Art

     This is, of course, one of my personal favorites by Bunky Echohawk, a Pawnee-Yakama artist, who was good-natured enough to let me feature his work on my blog. As a show of appreciation we should all hit him up for  some prints, or ask him to paint your stairwell at: http://www.bunkyechohawk.com/

     As an art school dropout and a nerd for all things Indigenous, I've been aware of Bunky's work for a while, since Myspace, even!  

      Much of his work reflects the collision of tradition and pop-culture along with the political landscape in Indian Country.   His expressive brushstrokes convey a sense urgency to his paintings.  Meanwhile, his brazen use of over saturated colors invokes memories of old, technicolor cartoons.

Downwind From Hanford by Bunky Echo-Hawk

     Bunky gives back to the community as the co-founder of NVision, a nonprofit collective of Native American artists,  musicians, community organizers, and nonprofit  professionals who focus on Native American  youth empowerment through multimedia arts.  

     Recently, Bunky became a design consultant for the Nike's N7 line.

Artist Bunky Echo-Hawk

Fake "Native Inspired" Art

This a famous Lee Bogle piece who says, "I try to convey a spirituality in my art that the viewer must interpret for himself." 

     Alrighty, then he goes on to say, "I want my paintings to show peaceful contemplation and express a depth of serenity that comes only with quiet inner peace." 

     Uh-huh, quotes like that leave me to wonder, has he ever met any Native Americans?  Quiet?  Really? Since when?

     Lee Bogle  is a former teacher and I do have lot of respect for teachers.  His work is technically good, however it lacks cultural understanding.  

     Look at the couple.  He just as easily could painted a caucasian couple holding a quilt or a cat.  That would have been a harder sell, though, because apparently there is no implied spiritually with white people.

Artist Lee Bogle

     There is no mention on Mr. Bogle's website of him having indigenous heritage.  Honestly, that's not what bothers me.  What irks me is that he is most known for his painting of Native Americans, but there is no mention of what he does to contribute to the Native community.

     I'm not going to say it is wrong for Non-Natives to paint Natives, however there needs to be a certain level of respect and understanding for the subject.  What's wrong with painting indigenous people as they are?