Sherman Alexie on The Colbert Report
Cultural Term Definition Comments/Usage
Outsourcing Sending work to India
for cheap labor
My people/Your Self-identifying with
people an ethnic group
A rough time A hard time, teasing
Reparations Pay back for suffering,
$$$
Columbus First European to The story of Columbus
discover the Americas is part of our cultural
and begin the myth.
colonization that
wiped out the Indians.
Psychological Warfare To intimidate through
the mind
Massacre The killing of a people
Wounded Knee The site of a horrible Bury My Heart at
massacre of Indians Wounded Knee
Fried Bread Native American food
Anglos Whites of European
descent (from the
original settlers)
Wagon Trains Vehicles for going out
West for white
pioneers
Small pox disease Europeans brought
small pox to the Indian
population
Misconception Having the wrong idea
Spirit voice A spiritual name given
to Indians
Pocahontas Native American American myth
princess who falls in
love with a white
soldier
Environmentalists Advocate for nature
and the earth
Skins A nickname for
Indians that they call
themselves (Redskins)
To get away with Do something without
getting in trouble
Replicants in Blade Robots are called
Runner “skins”
Indian giving (an To give gift, but take it
Indian giver) back
Tribes Cherokee, Spokane,
Iroquois,
War without balls War without bravery
Why does Sherman Alexie make a guest appearance on the Colbert
Report?
1. He appeared in order to gain publicity for selling his novel.
2. He wants to show the world how Indians get educated and become
successful.
3. He wants to introduce himself to the public.
4. Sherman Alexie appears on the Colbert Report because he wants to
clear up the misconceptions that whites have about Indians.
5. He may have appeared on the show in order to obtain feedback
from the public.
6. He wants to show that most Native Americans support Obama.
7. He wants to reach out to the American society to show that Native
Americans are part of the mainstream culture.