The Vanishing IndianorVanishing Indian Myth is a stereotype regarding the depiction of Indigenous people, generally in the Americas, although the concept is found elsewhere as well, that they either are extinct or are destined to go extinct.
A common expression in everyday speech is a form of "you can't be Indian, Indians are extinct".[1] Another form is in the discussion of disappearance as inevitable, beginning this narrative in the early days of colonization.[2] It is a common theme in the arts and media as well, that dates back to early colonial times.[3][2]
Apaper genocide occurs when members of a group are removed from all records, thereby validating the belief that the group is extinct and causing harm to further generations.[4][5]
