powwow

In Powwow Highway there is different ways of looking at different types of Indians.  Right as the film opens, we see Bonnie Red Bow getting arrested for having weed in her car.  This gives viewers right away the idea and stereotypes that Indians can be associated with drugs.  Along with showing this stereotype, we see Philbert Bono to be crazy, and dumb throughout the film.  While trying to find wisdom to become a warrior.  By trying to find this throughout the film it is portraying his to be crazy because of just the idea of finding this, and by the acts he does while doing so.  He also can be looked at as dumb because of the fact that he believes that he will find this wisdom and become a warrior.  While driving to New Mexico in his pony, Philbert goes completely off track to help with his search.  By doing this and going out the of way for what us viewers may think of is nothing, makes his look dumb for believing the stories he has heard and the extent he will go to find it.  There were not just negative stereotypes in the film; there was also the positive one of love for family.  Buddy Red Bow has not spoken to his sister in quite some time, but when he receives the phone call that she has ended up in jail, he is quick to go get her and her children that he was not aware about.  This shows that behind all of the negative things that we usually portray Indians as, there is the positive like the love and challenges he went through to get his sister.