Native People in English-Canadian Drama

Abstract

Until quite recently, native people in English-Canadian drama have been portrayed by non-native playwrights. Stereotypes such as the Indian maiden and the noble savage were the early result of this white perspective. In the liberal climate prevailing after 1950, non-native dramatists perceived the native as a doomed figure struggling to survive in an alien culture. This tragic but static view has gradually given way to a more positive depiction of a people who, although badly wounded, have nevertheless endured. This new perception owes a great deal to the work of native playwrights, who are finding their own voice and celebrating their own culture and traditions.