Native American Humor Analysis

There are many ways that we can communicate our message to the world. One particular way is through humor. Comedy has an effect on the human experience. It can cause discomfort, joy, shock, confusion and so on. Sometimes it can stir up two emotions at once like anger and regret. Humor can also be used to bring light to issues that are occurring in today’s society. Throughout, this essay I will be examining the use of humor, especially, in the Native American culture. One main issue that Native Americans face in today’s society is that they’re being stereotyped.

Qallunaat! Why White People Are Funny, is a satirical documentary told from an Inuits perspective, pokes fun of how they were viewed by the “white people.” Qallunaat! is a word used

in the documentary by Inuits to describe a white person.Throughout, this documentary we are able to depict how the Inuits use humor to address some of the stereotypes they face.
The Inuits spoke a different language and lived a different lifestyle and because of it, they were viewed as uneducated. In the documentary, they use humor to laugh back at the Qallunaat for making ridiculous assumptions. A clip from Qallunaat! Why White People Are Funny, an Inuit woman reads of a manual titled The Book of Wisdom for Eskimo. In the scene she reads a few guiding tools that are supposed to educate Eskimos. For instance, “A new baby can not talk so it cries” and “If we cannot breathe we die without air”(13:50-16:45). As she reads, she laughs with two other Inuit women. It’s apparent that they’re making fun something that was once real to them. By laughing at what is stated in the manual they’re making a statement. They’re showing that the ignorance is not on their part, it’s coming from the Qallunaat! By making this manual the white people are dumbing the Inuits down, as if they’re not smart enough to understand even the basic aspects of life. With this said, humor can also be used as a coping mechanism.
Sometimes to deal with a specific difficulty, whether from your past and/or present, you need to laugh about it. For instance, a clip from the documentary shows Inuits giving Qallunaat numbers based of geographical locations, rather than remembering their names. By switching perspectives the Inuits were able to give us a sense of what they’ve experienced. For instance, the fact that the white people just saw the surface of thing, which allowed their ignorance to blind them. Throughout, the clip the Inuit scientist states that “Qallunaat have a strange naming system. They need a better form of identification. Partly because their names are so hideous” (37:09-39:30) Though, the used humor they showed how they were ridiculed and dehumanized when the white people branded them numbers rather than remember their names. In this short clip, they’re making fun of the laziness and lack of memory of white people. By doing so, they’re flipping the stereotype back at the Qallunaat. In addition, Sherman Alexie, is an author that definitely uses humor to cope with some issues that he has faced as a Native American.
In his book “One Stick Song,” Sherman Alexie uses humor to mock some pre-conceived notions that some people have of Native Americans.

Alexis in his book states, “The word belongs to us now. We are Indians. That has nothing to do with Indians from India. We are not American Indians. We are Indians, pronounce In-din. It belongs to us. We own it and we’re not going to give it back” (pg.13). At first read, you would think Alexie, is being aggressive and seems annoyed. However, as we continue to read his book “One Stick Song,” we can pick up on his dark humor rather quickly. Alexie, is very blunt in this book and it may offend those that are insecure about their beliefs. He’s writing style can almost be seen as in-your-face. Though, I think that Alexie pushes boundaries because it gets

reactions.
Whether the response it’s positive or negative, he confronts and informs the reader. Alexie, seems well aware of the truth in his poetry and writing, which makes it easier to questions other things. Alexis, writes “Have you stood in a crowded room where nobody looks like you? If you are white, have you stood in a room full of black people?. . . If you are a woman, have you stood in a room full of men? Are you Sandra Day O’Connor or Ruth Ginsberg?” (pg.22). Alexie, does this throughout the book. He brings forth though provoking questions and/or statements and ends with a joke. He respectfully uses humor to bring forth underlining issues. Alexis, informs the reader and allows us to get to know him as bit. However, I don’t think Alexie, just used humor to make difficult issues easier to read for us. Also by writing “One Stick Song,” Alexie, used humor to to deal with the difficulties that he has faced coming from a Native American heritage. Aside from using humor to cope, it’s also a way to bring awareness.
Stand-up comedy is definitely a way to get your message across.

Charlie Hill, was a stand up comedian who, unfortunately passed away December, 2013. Hill, was an Oneida-Mohawk-Cree and he based his stand-up on his heritage. On The Comedy Network, Hill, ends his set with a message that resonated to the majority of the audience. The joke starts off with an ad he came up with selling “Generakees,” for those who aren’t, but want to be Native American. He sells the idea and ends with a disclaimer. The disclaimer brought up issues that are still occurring amongst the Native American community. “Caution side effects; may include suicide, poverty, disease, religious persecution, and general lose of land” (4:15-5:18). Hill, used the opportunity from his stand-up to spread awareness and inform many throughout, about issues that’s still occurring in modern day

society.
Adrianne Chalepah who is another stand-up comic explains her struggles on being “half breed Indian.” She mentions that Thanksgiving is a problem for her stating that “I’m over there cooking and then eating. I’m being an Indian and a Pilgrim” (2:11-2:18). She is using humor to call out some complexities that half breed Indians face. Sometimes we tend to generalize a group of people in one category. Comedians like Adrianne Chalepah, give a perspective that allows us to re-examine some of these generalizations that we might be make about Native Americans.
By reading Sherman Alexie’s book, watching Adrianne Chalepah and Charlie Hill’s stand up plus the documentary, the element of recognition is there. They’re all shinning a light on these difficulties either personal or communal that they’ve faced as Native Americans. It’s important for a non-Native Americans to view these issues from different perspectives. It decreases the generalization of who Native Americans really are and what they’re perceive as to be like. They all used humor in a different way to convey the same message, which is that they’re still stereotypes that names Native Americans face. They might not be able to change these stereotypes, but they can educate and bring awareness to how? and why? these stereotypes came from.