Magical Native American: Difference between revisions

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A subtrope of [[Ethnic Magician]]. Native Americans, (or a race meant to be an [[Expy]] of them) that possess powers because of their ethnicity. Often this involves stating that their power comes from innate spirituality or [[In Harmony With Nature|closeness to nature]] that "civilized" races don't have. Usually involves influence over nature, animals, or other spirit powers. Quite often, the Native in question will be dressed very "traditionally" even in modern settings.

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== Literature ==

* Subverted somewhat, in the works of Tomson Highway, including The Rez Sisters--who play bingo.

* In the [[Whateley Universe]], there are two literal [[Magical Native American]] characters: Heyoka, a Lakota 'two-spirit' who can communicate with spirits and astral project, but can't keep from physically shifting into the form of spirits that Heyoka merges with; and Charlie Lodgeman, once the superhero Totem but now 'merely' a supervisor at the [[Super Hero School]] Whateley Academy, who actually possesses the spirit of The First Shaman. As a subversion, there's also a superpowered mutant native American at the school who isn't magical: Skinwalker has the power to possess people and take over their bodies, but isn't a shaman.

* In the [[Whateley Universe]], there are two literal [[Magical Native American]] characters: Heyoka, a Lakota 'two-spirit' who can communicate with spirits and astral project, but can't keep from physically shifting into the form of spirits that Heyoka merges with; and Charlie Lodgeman, once the superhero Totem but now 'merely' a supervisor at the [[Super-Hero School]] Whateley Academy, who actually possesses the spirit of The First Shaman. As a subversion, there's also a superpowered mutant native American at the school who isn't magical: Skinwalker has the power to possess people and take over their bodies, but isn't a shaman.

** Heyoka is a partial deconstruction, as she was sorta dragged into this, doesn't get ALONG with said spirits and astral projections, and wasn't especially into the specifics of her religion. (Her dad was, but he got struck by lightning.) Her powers are also a pain in the ARSE. (Her gender and personality can change pretty drastically thanks to the spirits...)

** Ever since ''[[Little Big Man (Film)|Little Big Man]]'', the winkte (what Heyoka actually is with her changing from male to female) and heyoka (someone who does everything backward) are different [[Character Class|Character Classes]]. Whatever the case, being either is considered a mixed blessing.

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* Tommy's brother David Trueheart in season 4 of [[Power Rangers]] is ridiculously magical. His arrowhead even holds a [[Monster of the Week]].

* The episode of ''[[Supernatural (TV)|Supernatural]]'' called "Bugs" featured a curse of "Death By Bug-Inflicted Murder" on the builders/residents of a housing community unwittingly built on an [[Indian Burial Ground]].

* Pretty much every role that [~~http://en.~~wikipedia~~.org/wiki/Tom_Jackson_%28actor%29~~ Tom Jackson] has ever played.

* Pretty much every role that [[wikipedia:Tom Jackson chr(28)actorchr(29)|Tom Jackson]] has ever played.

* Sherman Alexie talks about this myth a lot during his first interview on The Colbert Report. "No, I can't talk to animals. I have no Dr. Doolittle-type powers. Pocohontas couldn't talk to animals, either. But in the Disney movie, she did talk to Mel Gibson, which sort of counts."

* An ''iCarly'' example: To avoid revealing an implant that functions as a GPS, the [[Paper Thin Excuse]] is "a chip--pewa. A Chippewa Indian guide find you." It should be noted that they're in Tokyo at the time. A bit far from Minnesota.

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* ''[[Shadow Hearts]]: From the New World'' gives us two: Natan, a quiet [[Gun Fu|dual gun-wielding]] bad boy, and his [[Hot Amazon|amazingly hot]] traveling partner Shania (a literal case, as she can transform just like Yuri from the previous two games).

* While averted in ''One Must Fall: 2097'' in that Raven, the (apparently) Native American character is a purely urban kickboxer and bodyguard to the Big Boss, he seems to somehow have become a Magical Native American by the sequel game, appearing as the boss of the first tournament with his now-well-known mystical defensive power... which also protects the robot he's remotely piloting (OMF doesn't do flesh-and-blood combat). Ookay.

* The Baskars of the ''[[Wild Arms]]'' series have more than a bit of this, being [[Closer to Earth|in harmony with nature]], very capable with the setting's [[Functional Magic]] and [[Magitek]], and given to a distinctly Native American [[Braids Beads and Buckskins|visual theme]]. A partial subversion comes in the fact that they aren't really an ethnic group, more of a [[Space Amish|religious commune]] which anyone may join.

* The Baskars of the ''[[Wild Arms]]'' series have more than a bit of this, being [[Closer to Earth|in harmony with nature]], very capable with the setting's [[Functional Magic]] and [[Magitek]], and given to a distinctly Native American [[Braids, Beads, and Buckskins|visual theme]]. A partial subversion comes in the fact that they aren't really an ethnic group, more of a [[Space Amish|religious commune]] which anyone may join.

** And [[Wild Arms 3 (Video Game)|Gallows]] is an outright subversion; he's Baskar and has both the look and the magical powers of the trope, but his personality--an idiot lecher who doesn't want to fulfill his responsibilities, even outright running from them--defies it. He defies the [[Squishy Wizard]] trope to a "T", as well.

* The [[Pokémon]] Xatu is made to resemble a Totem Pole creature, and coincidentally, is a Psychic-type.

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[[Category:Race Tropes]]

[[Category:Romance Novel Tropes]]

[[Category:Magical Native American]]

[[Category:Magical Native American]][[Category:Pages with comment tags]]

[[Category:Trope]][[Category:Pages with comment tags]]