The major purpose of Vine Deloria's 1969 book Custer Died For Your Sins is to destroy the myths surrounding Indians (as Native Americans were called at that time). Deloria particularly attacks the myth of Indians as "noble savages" as not only incorrect but too simplistic. "If you count on the unpredictability of Indian people, you will never be sorry" (1). Deloria contends that there is no single Indian culture, but rather many varied tribal cultures. Lumping all Indians together has done more to damage the uniqueness and integrity of Indian culture than any other factor, according to Deloria. The myth of the "noble savage" as interested only in protecting land and family in a war-like fashion has placed the Indian outside the American experience, when in fact, Indians were at the heart of the experience in the first place. The author believes that modern Indians have suffered from the overgeneralizations of the white society.
The very real and human problems of the
Reservation were considered to be merely by-
Products of the failure of a warrior people to
Become domesticated. The fairly respectable
Thesis of past exploits in war, perhaps
Romanticized for morale purposes, became a
Demonic spiritual force all its own (91).
Regarding the reservation system, Deloria contends that the policies and regulations of the American government, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) failed to benefit Indians and address their concerns by insisting Indians f
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