TOURIST ARTIFACTS



Many of the recently rediscovered artifacts of the Fluxus Indian culture are objects that the Fluxus Indians made for "tourists"--loosely defined as other Indian groups as well as the European, African, and Asian migrants. These TOURIST ARTIFACTS are noteworthy in the following two respects:




  1. Tourist Artifacts epitomize the Fluxus Indians' advanced and startling manufacture and use of plastics and rubber
materials.
    

  2. Tourist Artifacts indicate the possible origins of modern Indian stereotyping and caricature.

Canoe & feathers



Current evidence suggests that many modern stereotypes of American Indian culture were 
developed by the Fluxus Indians in response to the outlandish and fanciful rumors about 
"Indian savages" which circulated among the Europeans.

Although intended to satirize and make fun of these misconceptions, the Fluxus Indian 
Tourist Artifacts backfired and actually reinforced the stereotypes.  Thus the Fluxus Indians 
inadvertently supplied the Western world with an irresistible set of images that persist in popular 
culture to this day.



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The Fluxus Indians summarized what they learned from this experience in the following moral:
"Playing with perceptions is fun. Playing with culture is fun. Playing with other's perceptions of your 
own culture is tricky."







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© 2006 Allen Bukoff & FLUXUS Midwest