Native American Genocide The dominant image of Indians in the media used to be of savages, of John Wayne leading the U.S. Cavalry against the Indians. Today the stereotype has shifted to noble savage, which portrays Indians as part of a once-great but now-dying culture; a culture that could talk to the trees and the animals and that protected nature. But sadly, a losing culture, which has not kept up with our dynamic times. We see this stereotype now in many commercials. The Indian is on a horse, gazing nobly over the land he protects. Then there is a quick cut to today: To oil company workers walking alongside the hot-oil pipeline in Alaska.