You probably remember the flute music. Or the bright red face paint. For many of us, Disney’s 1953 animated classic was a childhood staple, a whimsical trip to Neverland that felt totally innocent. But if you try to stream it on Disney+ today, you’ll hit a content warning before the first frame even flickers. It's not just a "product of its time" disclaimer. It’s a direct response to the deep-seated racism in Peter Pan that has made the story a lightning rod for controversy for over a century.
J.M. Barrie wasn't trying to be a villain. Honestly, he was writing for an Edwardian audience that viewed the world through a very specific, colonial lens. But looking back? The depiction of the "Redskins" (a slur used casually throughout the book and film) isn't just a minor slip-up. It's a foundational part of the story's DNA.
The "Pickaninny Tribe" and the Problem with Neverland
When Barrie published Peter and Wendy in 1911, he didn't just include Native American characters. He created a caricature. He referred to them as the "Pickaninny tribe," a term that is deeply offensive and carries a heavy history of anti-Black and anti-Indigenous prejudice. In the book, Barrie describes them as "carrying tomahawks and knives" and "their bodies naked and greased."
It was a fantasy.
The problem is that this fantasy was built on the "Noble Savage" trope. They were portrayed as silent, stoic, and existing only to be the "other" to the Lost Boys’ "civilization."
The 1953 Disney Influence
While the book laid the groundwork, the 1953 movie solidified the racism in Peter Pan for the modern era. Think about the song "What Made the Red Man Red?" It’s a sequence that, by today’s standards, is jaw-droppingly blunt. The lyrics attempt to explain Indigenous physical traits and culture through nonsensical, slapstick myths.
- The "Ugh!" sounds.
- The exaggerated, bright red skin tones.
- The gibberish language used by the Chief.
Marc Davis, one of Disney’s legendary "Nine Old Men" animators, later admitted in interviews that he wasn't sure if they would have done the Indians that way if they were making the movie later. But at the time, it was just... standard. It was how Hollywood "did" Native Americans.
Why This Isn't Just "Harmless Fun"
Some people argue we're being too sensitive. They say it's a fairy tale. But experts in child development and media studies, like those at the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, point out that these images are often the very first exposure children have to Indigenous people.
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When a kid sees Tiger Lily—who is basically a silent damsel in distress—and her father, a hulking caricature who smokes a "peace pipe" while making guttural noises, it creates a "schema." Basically, it’s a mental shortcut. If the only Native American you know is a cartoon with red skin and a feather, that's how you’ll view real-world Indigenous communities.
Dr. Adrienne Keene, a scholar and writer of the Native Appropriations blog, has spoken extensively about how these "frozen in time" stereotypes prevent people from seeing Native Americans as contemporary, living humans. In Neverland, they are props. They aren't characters with agency; they are obstacles or allies for Peter.
The Tiger Lily Problem
Tiger Lily is a weird one. In some ways, she’s "brave." She refuses to tell Hook where Peter is, even when she’s about to drown at Skull Rock. But she’s also a voiceless prize. She doesn't speak. She dances. She looks at Peter with adoration.
Actually, in the 1953 film, she has exactly zero lines of dialogue.
Contrast that with the 2015 movie Pan. They tried to "fix" the racism in Peter Pan by casting Rooney Mara, a white actress, as Tiger Lily. People were furious. It was called whitewashing. Instead of fixing the stereotype by hiring an Indigenous actress and giving her a real personality, the studio just erased the identity altogether. It was a mess.
Concrete Examples of the Change
If you watch the 2023 live-action Peter Pan & Wendy, you’ll see a massive shift. Disney hired Alyssa Wapanatâhk, a Cree actress, to play Tiger Lily. They actually consulted with Indigenous groups.
- The "Redskins" name is gone.
- Tiger Lily speaks her native Cree language.
- She isn't a background decoration; she’s a leader.
But even with these fixes, the shadow of the original work remains. You can't really talk about the history of children's literature without acknowledging how Barrie’s world was built on the bones of British imperialism. The idea of "Neverland" itself—a place where you go to have adventures and fight "savages" and "pirates"—is a very colonial concept. It’s the British Empire’s playground.
The Statistics of Representation
According to a 2019 report by the Reclaiming Native Truth project, 62% of non-Native Americans report not knowing a single Native person. When people don't have real-life connections, media like Peter Pan fills the gap.
In a study of the 1,600 most popular films from 2007 to 2022, less than 1% of speaking characters were Native American/Alaska Native. When the representation is that low, the few images that do exist—even old ones—carry an immense amount of weight. They become the "truth" by default.
Navigating Neverland Today
So, what do you do? Do you burn the books? Stop watching the movie?
Most experts say no. Instead, they suggest "active viewing." If you’re a parent, it’s about having a conversation. You don't have to be a professor to say, "Hey, the way they show these people is based on old, mean ideas that aren't true."
Honestly, kids are pretty smart. They can handle the truth that people in the past were often wrong about each other.
Actionable Steps for Modern Viewers
If you're revisiting the story of the boy who wouldn't grow up, keep these practical approaches in mind:
- Contextualize the content: Before watching the 1953 version, read the Disney+ content warning aloud. Discuss what "harmful stereotypes" means in plain language.
- Seek out authentic voices: Balance the experience. If you’re reading Peter Pan, also read books by Indigenous authors like Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard or We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell.
- Identify the tropes: Look for the "silent Indian" or the "magical flute" tropes together. Ask, "Does this person feel like a real human with a family and a life, or just a costume?"
- Support modern adaptations: When movies like Peter Pan & Wendy try to do the work of fixing these historical wrongs, engage with them. See how the character of Tiger Lily changes when she's given a voice and a specific heritage.
The racism in Peter Pan isn't a secret anymore. It’s a documented part of literary and cinematic history. Acknowledging it doesn't mean you have to hate the story or the feeling of flying over London. It just means you’re choosing to grow up—even if Peter never did.
By understanding the history of the "Pickaninny tribe" and the impact of 1950s animation, we can enjoy the magic of Neverland without ignoring the real-world harm that those "harmless" cartoons caused. The goal isn't to erase the past, but to make sure the future of storytelling is actually inclusive, rather than just a different kind of fantasy.