Another Stereotype of the Month entry:
Another Stereotype of the Month entry:
May 22
By Mary Corrigal
Young children skip up mountains and dance around tepees in American Indian garb. That is the TV advert but what is Spur's food actually like?
Echoing the ad, the inside of the steakhouse is festooned in a plastic rendition of Native American artefacts: PVC cowhide seat covers, artificial cactus plants, plywood totem poles, feathered headgear and dream-catchers holding pictures of a "tribal chief".
Despite the themed décor, Spur restaurants are essentially steakhouses. Before the influx of Asian, French and Italian cuisine to South Africa and the rise of meat-bashing vegetarians, steakhouses were almost the only restaurants one could find in this country. They are as much a part of the South African culinary tradition as the braai.
Rob's comment
I count seven stereotypes in the first two paragraphs: dancing, teepees, cactus, totem poles, feathered headgear, dreamcatchers, and an Indian chief. Needless to say, many Indian cultures had few or none of these stereotypical accouterments.
Note: The Bizarro cartoon has no connection to the South African restaurant in question, but it's stereotypical for similar reasons.
Related links
Tipis, feather bonnets, and other Native American stereotypes
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