Thoughts on Tiffany Midge

Caroline Kunz
Dr. Ellis
EN 446
27 February 2023
The Power of Humor in Bury My Heart at Chuck E. Cheese's
    Over the course of Tiffany Midge's collection of essays and insights, I was continuously struck by the ways in which she uses humor to shed light upon the instances of discrimination, prejudice, and cultural appropriation that she, and other Native men and women across the United States have experienced. Midge truly embodies the ideas we have previously studied that prove comedy's power in bringing awareness to serious issues. In speaking of her experiences as a Native woman with a humorous tone, she opens our eyes to issues of injustice, making them easier to understand and easier to talk about. She calls to question the ignorance of those who have appropriated the Indigenous culture, prompting us to check ourselves and our behavior, and make corrective change where necessary.
    I found the chapters "Red like Me" and "A List of Alternative Identities..." to be especially interesting, as they shed light upon the issue of pretendianism, and the problematic behavior of those who falsely claim an Indigenous identity. While I was aware that this was an issue in our country, I did not know that it had a name. I had never gotten to read the firsthand account of a woman grappling with the harmful impacts of a pretendian claiming false ties to Indigenous descent and culture. In the chapter "Red like Me," Midge uses humor to bring awareness to the Indigenous stereotypes that pretendians, such as Rachel Dolezal, rely on. She lists everything from "spices and wind chimes tinkling in the distance" to "dream catcher earrings, turquoise squash blossom necklaces, and Birkenstocks" (124). Behind these humorous lists lies an important message - Midge reminds readers that there is so much more to the Native culture and community than these surface-level stereotypes.
    Similarly, in "A List of Alternative Identities...", Midge employs sarcasm to provide pretendians with alternative methods for pretending to be Indigenous, if they are "feeling unfair backlash" for their actions (126). As in several of the essays in the collection, this section is written in a list-like form, as Midge depicts various alternative identities for pretendians, such as a "rhododendron bush" or a an "elementary school lunch lady" (126-7). The "consolation" and empathy she shows towards those who pretend to share her identity and culture is evidently sarcastic and satirical, bringing awareness to the absurdity of those who engage in pretendianism. Therefore, these two sections of the text are successful in shedding light upon the "real and present danger to the integrity of Native communities" that these individuals cause in "unsurping authentic Native voices" and "diluting, cheapening, and perpetuating harmful stereotypes" (124). These are issues that should be more frequently discussed nationwide, and I admire Tiffany Midge's ability to take the first steps in making these topics more widely-known and easier to discuss. 

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