Argh!!!!! Stereotypes in my Facebook Game
Nov. 10th, 2014 09:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dragonbat2006Just sent feedback to the Developers of Criminal Case, a game I play on Facebook:
1) I've been somewhat annoyed by English used by the game characters. Jones in particular makes many grammatical, syntactical, and colloquial errors. You need a native English proofreader.
2) In Case 53, Burying the Hatchet, I find numerous stereotypes of Native Americans. To wit:
a) There is no monolithic Native culture, any more than there is an "Asian" or "European" culture. Dreamcatchers are used by the Ojibwe nation. Feathered headdresses are Plains Indian.
b) A shamanic peace pipe ritual? Face paint? I'm not Native and this is offensive. Did you consult with any Native North Americans before coming up with the Aloki?
c) The name Keanu is Polynesian/Haiwaiian (Source); Shanaya is Ojibwa (Source). The Ojibwa live mainly in Ontario, Canada, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Michigan. These are two separate nations. It makes about as much sense as coming to a small "Asian" village and having two locals named Nokomura and Chang.
d) Chopping off the hands of a criminal was a common punishment for theft???? Source please???? Because according to this site, theft was almost unheard of and in the rare instances that it was, the penalty was restitution.
This is a far as I've gotten in the case, so I'm not sure whether there are any more offensive stereotypes to be uncovered. However, I would like to direct you to this excellent post that explains far more eloquently than I can the problems with your "Aloki Indian tribe". Yes, it's fictional. It's still using real and hurtful stereotypes. It's wrong and it should be fixed.
Sigh. Researching Ojibwe culture and looking into writing other cultures respectfully has been an eye-opener. I am ticked.
1) I've been somewhat annoyed by English used by the game characters. Jones in particular makes many grammatical, syntactical, and colloquial errors. You need a native English proofreader.
2) In Case 53, Burying the Hatchet, I find numerous stereotypes of Native Americans. To wit:
a) There is no monolithic Native culture, any more than there is an "Asian" or "European" culture. Dreamcatchers are used by the Ojibwe nation. Feathered headdresses are Plains Indian.
b) A shamanic peace pipe ritual? Face paint? I'm not Native and this is offensive. Did you consult with any Native North Americans before coming up with the Aloki?
c) The name Keanu is Polynesian/Haiwaiian (Source); Shanaya is Ojibwa (Source). The Ojibwa live mainly in Ontario, Canada, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Michigan. These are two separate nations. It makes about as much sense as coming to a small "Asian" village and having two locals named Nokomura and Chang.
d) Chopping off the hands of a criminal was a common punishment for theft???? Source please???? Because according to this site, theft was almost unheard of and in the rare instances that it was, the penalty was restitution.
This is a far as I've gotten in the case, so I'm not sure whether there are any more offensive stereotypes to be uncovered. However, I would like to direct you to this excellent post that explains far more eloquently than I can the problems with your "Aloki Indian tribe". Yes, it's fictional. It's still using real and hurtful stereotypes. It's wrong and it should be fixed.
Sigh. Researching Ojibwe culture and looking into writing other cultures respectfully has been an eye-opener. I am ticked.
