How do Native Americans feel about The Last of the Mohicans?

Question

What is the view of Native Americans towards the novel, The Last of the Mohicans, by James Fenimore Cooper?

If they don't feel it is an accurate depiction... which parts specifically aren't accurate?

Answer 1

What do you expect, it's fiction.... A lot of the stereotypical stuff that "white" authors and Hollywood puts out when it come to portraying Native Americans.

But it does point out something that I bet almost nobody knows about. Let us suppose the story is true for a moment. We know from it that "Hawkeye" was "white" he was "saved" by his Mohican father and raised within their culture. But he had no Mohican blood. Then he went and married a "white" woman, so none of his children would have any Mohican blood either. Now here we sit 200+ years later and someone starts doing genealogy and ends up with this "Hawkeye", and he/she knows that "Hawkeye" was Mohican so now they are sure they have Mohican blood too. See where this is going?


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Native_American_Genealogy

Answer 2

haven't seen or read the book, just based on the title alone. I've danced with Mohicans, so somebody got it completely wrong. They're STILL here.

I prefer to HEAR a story from an elder then read some made up BS in a book. all that wishful thinking.

sidenote: INDIANS do NOT come in PARTS. you ARE or ARE NOT.

Answer 3

i think you may pay attention the variety you observe your questions approximately account which you're alienating an visitors that doesn't hate community individuals. I doubt that a racist is formidable sufficient to respond this question with seriousness. Racism is continuously hidden. i'm not specific of your age, yet once you're in college and you have have been given distinctive little ones teasing you once you think approximately that of background forgive them because of the actual incontrovertible fact that detest is taught.

Answer 4

Did you see them in the river?
They were there to wave to you.
Could you tell that the empty quivered,
Brown skinned Indian on the banks
That were crowded and narrow,
Held a broken arrow?

***

Long ago, for many years
White men came in the name of GOD.
They took their land, they took their lives
A new age has just begun.

They lost their GODS, they lost their smile
They cried for help for the last time.
Liberty was turning into chains
But all the white men said
That's the cross of changes.

In the name of GOD - The fight for gold
These were the changes.
Tell me - is it right - In the name of GOD
These kind of changes?

They tried to fight for liberty
Without a chance in hell, they gave up.
White men won in the name of GOD
With the cross as alibi.

There's no GOD who ever tried
To change the world in this way.
But for the ones who abuse his name
There'll be no chance to escape
On judgment day.

Answer 5

Well, I'm only "part" Native American, and I didn't get to read the book. As a movie however, I loved the movie, thought it did a fine job portraying Native Americans respectfully, and was very well done.

Answer 6

I have some friends from Tulsa, OK that were in the film and they laughed all the way to the bank, then came back to the rez and spent their money!!!

Answer 7

Er....didn't read the book, but saw the movie. I'm guessing that since the film was made fairly recently, it's a lot more PC than the book though.
I'm one-eighth Cree, and I must admit that LOTM is one of my favorite movies!

Answer 8

I'm not NA, but i've met several Mohicans who are both amused and also saddened that people take Cooper's word over theirs.

Answer 9

I liked the part in the movie where they burned the guy alive.