Cigar Store Indian c. 1937

Einar Heiberg, born in Norway, made this watercolor called ‘Cigar Store Indian.’ From the mid-19th to mid-20th century, these figures stood outside tobacconists in the United States, advertising the sale of tobacco products. The irony of these figures is biting. They stand as emblems of a romanticized, yet entirely fictitious Indian. Consider the historical context: these statues proliferated during a period of intense displacement, oppression, and cultural erasure of Indigenous peoples. The ‘Cigar Store Indian’ becomes a symbol of cultural appropriation, reflecting a complex interplay of commerce, representation, and colonial power. They perpetuated harmful stereotypes while simultaneously appropriating Indigenous imagery for commercial gain. They embody the complexities of cultural exchange, exploitation, and the power dynamics inherent in representation.