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For fear of the Other: Simulation of Indigenous presence in horror fiction
- Source: Horror Studies, Volume 14, Issue 1, Apr 2023, p. 119 - 134
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- 22 Nov 2021
- 16 Nov 2022
- 24 May 2023
Abstract
The following article examines the portrayal of Indigenous peoples and traditions in modern horror fiction written by non-Indigenous Euro-American authors. While the figures of the noble savage, beautiful maiden and victim of white progress are some of the most enduring stereotypes associated with indigeneity, in this article I demonstrate how in modern horror Indigenous characters and traditions serve as the embodiment of evil, which the White protagonists need to defeat to ensure their own survival. If any Indigenous characters appear in these narratives, they do so mostly in the roles of helpers, which contributes to the marginalization of Indigenous characters in the genre. To illustrate these problems, I draw examples from a number of horror stories ranging from classic to pulp fiction in order to expose the genre’s latent colonial rhetoric, which reinforces the simulation of Indigenous presence in contemporary culture – a phenomenon analysed by the Anishinaabe scholar, Gerald Vizenor, whose work will provide a theoretical background for my investigation.
Funding
- Polish Ministry of Education and Science under the Regional Initiative of Excellence programme for the years 2019–22 (Award 009/RID/2018/19)