ABSTRACT
After World War II the Indian again captured the hearts and imaginations of admiring, sometimes worshipful North Americans and Europeans. The authors, artists, managers, and actors who produce and present variants of this Indian narrative come from various social backgrounds. Performers or producers publicly recognized as genuine Indians, as noted, have much less of a problem with plausibility. However, both Indians and not-Indians presenting parts of the native story to others must cope with several complications in common. North America, "Indian" has taken on a completely different, much-restricted meaning as a label for some inhabitants—a definable strata or identity group—in complex nation-states. Explaining the involvements and contributions of not-Indians in the development, enhancement, and replaying of the narrative structure is more complex. Starting with the assumption that the whole of the North American population can be easily divided into Indian and not-Indian, the conventional narrative in whole or substantial part is fictitious.
