Catharsis vis a vis Oppression: Contemporary Native American Political Humor

Abstract

Among some non-natives, American Indians sometimes have an undeserved reputation for being “stoic” and humorless. The reality is quite the contrary. Native life is richly laced with humor, much of it sharply politically pointed. This article provides examples of contemporary humor, both reservation and urban-based, from Native sources in a sociological and historical context tracing its origins and functions in Native American life.