Monday 7 June 2010

Exploitation?

At yesterday's Antique Fair, I came across two postcards of Red Indians. Today, they are referred to as American Indians. The first shows the Family of the Interpreter Frank C Goings pictured at the Red Man Spectacle held at Earls Court in London in the early 1900s. The second is a group evidently taken round schools to show children what Indians look like!


The postcard below was sent from Buffalo NY to Bristol England in 1908 from a schoolchild to his Auntie. I am guessing it depicts a Showman and some of his charges. The writer says:

Dear Auntie,
Kindly forward this to Leslie and tell him these are the Indians that came to our school in the full costume. Of course, you cannot see their paint on their faces but they look fine.
Love from all
Harold R.

A very long time ago, Wild West shows were all the rage. How much exploitation went on, I wonder?

2 comments:

  1. That is amazing. I wonder, too.

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  2. Very interesting. I have to imagine that alot of exploitation went on in the Wild West shows and the early carnivals and circus....probably still does.

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