Cultural Appropriation in Historical Context: Native Americans in Firearms Advertising.

This article examines the historical appropriation of Native American culture in firearms advertising by major U.S. manufacturers—Savage Arms, Remington Arms, and Winchester Repeating Arms—from the late nineteenth century to the present. It analyzes visual representations and language used in ads, situating them within broader societal attitudes, Indigenous gun culture, and evolving public criticism of cultural stereotyping and misrepresentation. The study highlights how these companies employed stereotypical Native American imagery primarily featuring male figures to market rifles and shotguns, reflecting dominant white, male perspectives within U.S. gun culture. It also discusses the ethical implications of such appropriation, its societal consequences, and the persistence of these practices despite growing opposition since the late 1960s, while noting limitations in available archival sources and suggesting avenues for further research on Indigenous cultural appropriation globally.