Reclaiming Burlesque - Dusting off the Wild West
- Jun 8
- 7 min read
Cowboys, Indians, maidens... oh my!
Let us rewind time, to a period where many people get starry eyed for the days of Vaudeville, where variety shows ruled the theatres and art was a spectacle that challenged audiences. This transformational time in our burlesque history within North America existed in many forms, from the high end theatre shows to touring circuses, and even something a bit more raw and mysterious... the Wild West Show.
A note before we get too deep into this post, this post touches on experiences of colonization and racism, including stereotypes, residential schools, assimilation, police, and other common practices throughout history. I will also be switching between the terms "Indigenous" and "Indian" where appropriate to reflect the language of the time and in legislation. The term "Indigenous" will be used to encompass identity as a whole, as it is the most modern term. Being Indigenous in the entertainment industry often comes with having to make a lot of sacrifices to culture and identity to fit into the White Man's world. But for those who are able to adapt into these spaces, they have rebuilt the foundation from the ground up for future generations to add to. Many of these experiences and practices to control Indigenous Peoples still exist today in different forms, and it's important to understand its roots within the burlesque industry if we want to grow together and continue to decolonize our spaces. So let's begin...
Between the 1860s - 1920s, like their name suggests, Wild West Shows brought romanticized western tales to life. Here, audiences could find a wide range of outdoor entertainment, from the unsurprising battles between cowboys and Indians to highly thrilling skills such as trick riding and sharp shooting. Attendees could be seen in the thousands at times. There would be various entertainment tents featuring plays, song, dance, and side attractions such as fortune tellers and games. One common attraction being the Indian Village, which was where attendees could see "real life Indian culture." Known as one of the many travelling fairs touring throughout North America, these exhibitions were one of the few spaces where Indigenous performers could be seen in high demand. The Deer Family and Princess White Deer, Go-Won-Go Mohawk, Molly Spotted Elk, Red Wing, and Geronimo are only some of the most famous Indigenous names of the time to hit vaudeville (More on some of them coming in the future). Wild West shows eventually became so popular that they made their way to touring Europe, South Africa, and Russia.
A quick search on Google will show multiple articles claiming Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show launching in 1883 as "the first" or the creator of these extravagant exhibitions. However, like a lot of history that has been whitewashed, Indigenous performers (and others) were making their own way long before this. As noted in the book "In Search of Princess White Deer: The Biography of Esther Deer," by Patricia O. Galperin:
"[Chief] Running Deer was one of the first Indians to give exhibitions to the public. In the early 1860s, he had an all-Indian troupe that performed in the William Washburn shows."
Other prominent shows were produced by Texas Jack, Mexican Joe and Pawnee Bill (whose shows began in Montreal, Canada). In addition, there was other types of smaller exhibitions that were often seen alongside Wild West shows, such as the Medicine Show. These shows were put on by a doctor or medicine company trying to sell their products to smaller villages and towns. During intermissions or at the end of each show “The Doctor” would come out to talk about their practice and product. "Indian Princess Fortune Tellers" were common features in these shows.
This idea of being "the first," "the only," or the "most authentic" Indian or Indian show was a common theme, and it was through Wild West Shows and Vaudeville that the myth of the Indian Princess would be re-enforced. Racism, stereotypes, and exoticism were common tropes, and Pan-Indianism was limited with what kinds of cultures were showcased, as most performers were portrayed with Plains Tribe aesthetics and dances, regardless of the performer's culture. At times, it could be an impossible landscape to navigate. As noted in Vaudeville Indians:
"In terms of controlling the space of performance, this was the challenge: How to prevent the pride of specific Indigenous naming from being turned into exoticized objectification? How to prevent 'real Indians' from becoming 'Red Indians'? How to exploit competitive showbiz claim as 'the only...' without playing into what Jean O'Brien calls the 'extinction narrative' of 'the last...'."
I will be talking all about the practice of language in another post, but this is a discussion that I still see widely today.
So why would Indigenous performers accept these spaces despite the stereotypes, Red Face, and pan-Indigenization? Well... entertainment was one of the few spaces where Indigenous performers could protect themselves and keep their
identity. However, many performers would find ways to use these spaces as a way to understand the white man's business and twist it to work in their favour. Indigeneity was intentionally used to challenge the audience's perception of Indigenous Peoples, and Indigenous performers asserted their autonomy in navigating business contracts and touring their own shows. Performers such as The Deer Family and Go-Won-Go Mohawk eventually went on to write and create their own touring shows as a result of adapting their business skills. Similarly, the Wild West tours were a way for Indigenous performers to build their own connections and community with one another. This unique space for solidarity is something that is deeply highlighted in Christine Bold's book "Vaudeville Indians," which I highly recommend as a starting place for anyone in the beginning of their learning of Indigenous burlesque. She also shares quite a bit about the power of Indigenous performers not only being an element of spectacle in this space, but they were actually at the root of modernizing the events and performance into the modern age.
These spaces and the ones that followed afterwards held incredibly unique and multifaceted experiences for Indigenous performers, as they operated during the peak of colonization and cultural genocide in North America. To put it in context, some examples of what Indigenous Peoples were experiencing in North America at the time of Wild West Shows include:
Residential schools and Indian Boarding Schools, which operated in Canada between 1831 - 1997 and in the U.S. between 1860 - 1978
Enfranchisement and the taking of identity through the U.S. legislation Dawes Act in 1887 and the Canadian Gradual Enfranchisement Act of 1869
The potlatch ban, which lasted between 1885-1951
The creation of Canada's North West Mounted Police in 1873 (Now known as the RCMP), who were created to police Indigenous communities and take children from their families to attend residential schools
Creation of Canada's Indian Act in 1876, legislation that still governs First Nations today
The pass system, which required Indigenous People stay on their reserves unless they received a special "pass" from the Indian Agent to leave
Various smallpox epidemics
And many other practices intended to either assimilate or eradicate Indigenous Peoples
If this is the first time you’re hearing about any of those experiences, I highly recommend you do further learning into each of them. They are hard truths, but they are truths that must be spoken about and remembered… especially during times, like now, when we are seeing a rise in Residential School Denialism and governments trying to advocate for the removal of Indigenous Rights and protections.
I could go on for days talking about the intricacies of Wild West shows and how Indigenous performers navigated the complex landscape that they existed within. But for now, I think the key piece that stands out for me is how similar these complexities still exist, but in different forms. Some common threads that I see between Wild West shows and today include:
Challenges of identity
Modern attempts of colonization
Performers trying the balance the thin line of what is and isn't appropriate to include onstage in our performance
Performers using multiple elements of culture and storytelling in our performance through our garments, movements, intentionality of performance, Indigenous music, makeup, and more
Both generations' audiences needed to be (and continue to need) to learn how to witness Indigenous performance - both how to respect it and how to absorb it
The efforts being made by Indigenous performers to stay connected to one another to foster our Indigenous burlesque community
And possibly one of my favourite themes... performers standing in their pride and claiming their autonomy. For me at times, it can feel impossible trying to balance the desire for reclaiming culture in my burlesque while also not wanting to lean into what's expected of me just because I'm Indigenous. But I do it on my terms and if there are ever times when I'm feeling conflicted, I have other Indigenous performers in my circle that I can lean on for support or feedback.
Though Wild West shows may seem like a memory left in the past, today it has transformed into new ways. Large scale events like the Calgary Stampede in Canada, the Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming, and other rodeos seem to be the more modern forms of Wild West shows. And we do still see tribute shows to Buffalo Bill's shows throughout North America. Unlike the Wild West Shows that were known for touring between cities and countries, today's fairs tend to be stationary in their dedicated cities, either returning annually or seasonally. But the exhibitions from the days of Vaudeville, this is the root I want to begin with. The vast influence of Indigenization and decolonial practices that we see in burlesque today is a result of this beginning, and I for one am excited to continue to expand on some of that influence.
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