Princesses My great great grandmother was a Cherokee Princess
How do we, as Aboriginal people, define beauty? How do women relate to it? And is beauty part of our identity as Indigenous women? Every Indigenous person in North America has heard at least one person say “my great great grand mother was an Indian princess”. No one has proof, just legends passed on from one diluted generation to the next. But what IS an Indian princess anyway? What does that title mean? Or did it even exist? Also, was the term “princess” when applied to an Indigenous woman even associated at all with beauty? From America, to Chippewa and of course, Pocahontas, let’s take a look at the most popular princess myths and demystifies once and for all the Indigenous Princess in North America: Fact, fib or white man’s fantasy?
Standards of beauty – now, there’s a truly subjective issue! While it’s an easy enough task today to consult fashion archives from recent years, the challenge becomes far more complex to try and chart as elusive a topic as shifting concepts of beauty among indigenous peoples, especially as they applied to a distant past when oral tradition was the primary form of history. Add to that the need to approach such an elusive subject with numerous different Aboriginal nations, each with its own, often-complex history, customs, tradition – and therefore, inevitably, standards of beauty. It’s a safe bet that some grey areas may well remain, even under the most arduous scrutiny. Yet, these quibbles aside, the subject remains an interesting one which undoubtedly deserves attention, if only to debunk some myths that have lingered on for far too long! Keywords: race, indigenous, ethnicity.
Primary Title
- Princesses
Episode Title
- My great great grandmother was a Cherokee Princess
Date Broadcast
- Monday 23 August 2021
Start Time
- 19 : 30
Finish Time
- 20 : 00
Duration
- 30:00
Series
- 1
Episode
- 1
Channel
- Maori Television
Broadcaster
- Maori Television Service
Programme Description
- Standards of beauty – now, there’s a truly subjective issue! While it’s an easy enough task today to consult fashion archives from recent years, the challenge becomes far more complex to try and chart as elusive a topic as shifting concepts of beauty among indigenous peoples, especially as they applied to a distant past when oral tradition was the primary form of history. Add to that the need to approach such an elusive subject with numerous different Aboriginal nations, each with its own, often-complex history, customs, tradition – and therefore, inevitably, standards of beauty. It’s a safe bet that some grey areas may well remain, even under the most arduous scrutiny. Yet, these quibbles aside, the subject remains an interesting one which undoubtedly deserves attention, if only to debunk some myths that have lingered on for far too long! Keywords: race, indigenous, ethnicity.
Episode Description
- How do we, as Aboriginal people, define beauty? How do women relate to it? And is beauty part of our identity as Indigenous women? Every Indigenous person in North America has heard at least one person say “my great great grand mother was an Indian princess”. No one has proof, just legends passed on from one diluted generation to the next. But what IS an Indian princess anyway? What does that title mean? Or did it even exist? Also, was the term “princess” when applied to an Indigenous woman even associated at all with beauty? From America, to Chippewa and of course, Pocahontas, let’s take a look at the most popular princess myths and demystifies once and for all the Indigenous Princess in North America: Fact, fib or white man’s fantasy?
Classification
- G
Owning Collection
- TV & Radio
Broadcast Platform
- Television
Languages
- English
Captions
Live Broadcast
- No
Rights Statement
- Made for the University of Auckland's educational use as permitted by the Screenrights Licensing Agreement.
Subjects
- Indigenous women
- Feminine beauty (Aesthetics)--Social aspects
- Documentary television programs--Canada
Genres
- Community
- Documentary
Contributors
- Angie-Pepper O'Bomsawin (Director)
- Louis-François Grenier (Writer)
- Luc Lainé (Producer)
- Orlando Arriagada (Producer)
- Cayenne (Production Unit)
- Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (Production Unit)
- Canada Media Fund (Funder)
Subjects
- Indigenous women
- Feminine beauty (Aesthetics)--Social aspects
- Documentary television programs--Canada