Page 157 - Confronting Race Women and Indians on the Frontier, 1815 - 1915
P. 157
FRONTIER P R O C E S S : H U MAN I Z I N G
-- Finding "Good" Indians --
Even though white women's anti-Indian biases were deep-seated,
women had a softer side as well. At the same time that women con
demned Native Americans, they often pointed out-frequently, in lavish
and extravagantly generous terms-attractive qualities of Indian peo
ples. Paradoxically, women who appeared so intent on casting Indians
as evil, criminal, and primitive simultaneously recognized a number of
positive qualities in natives. Although whites in general detected f a vor
able and unfavorable qualities, or "bad" and "good" sides in Native
Americans, women had additional motives f o r viewing Indians as good.
White women hoped to see a glimmer of honor in Indians that would
respond to women's moral blandishments. Even more importantly,
women's view of themselves as inferior in certain respects to men caused
them to search f o r superior qualities in the Indians they met. Because
they had been taught to think of themselves as weak, helpless, and vul
nerable to harm, they relied on the nobility and fine character of the
"primitive savage" f o r survival. Although white men could defend them
to some degree, it was the Indians, in the last analysis, who would-if
"good"-make the trail reasonably pleasant f o r Anglo women, but-if
"bad"-could destroy women through thievery, sexual assault, or out
right warfare. Therefore, many f r ontierswomen were inclined to seek
out a bit of nobility , a hint of kindness, or an indication of intelligence
in the native peoples they confronted. Despite their negative judgments,
women also cited positive aspects of the physical appearance, customs,
and character of Indian peoples.
Even those women who were malevolent in describing the ugli
ness, filth, and odor of some Indians characterized other natives with
such phrases as "an imposing sight in the wilderness," "good-looking,"
"fine-looking," and "noble-looking."II6 Contradicting their unfavorable
judgments, women depicted some Indians as "grave" and "stately," and
"fine looking," with "the appearance of wealth and independence," or
as "tall, strongly made," with "firm f e atures, light copper color, cleanly
in appearance, quite well dressed in red blankets." II7 A f e w women punc
tuated their derogatory remarks with words such as "industrious" and
"intelligent." One woman spoke of "mannerly conduct" and "a degree
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