Native American Culture

Native American Culture in the film is stripped of its purpose and used only in artifice. We have no idea what the symbols mean that line the windows of The Colorado Lounge, but the “authenticity” of them would signify there was meaning.

The medicine man symbol is shown in significance use: in a red and black blanket (and corresponding pattern) shown No.53, No.66/No.83 and No.91. It’s also engraved in the walls and shown as Jack witnesses balloons and streamers in the Lobby, in a green blanket, No.51.

The use of Native American blankets— at all—let alone decoration— signifies not only the genocide of an entire people, but the boasting of it.

The importance of the absence of actual culture is shown in No.10’s comment: “All the best people”. Delivered in front of a Native American chief, it’s a nod to the saying that until the lion learns how to write, history will always be written by the hunter.

We may not all be research history buffs but you can believe Kubrick was. He had entire card catalogs of research for his films.

The visual correspondences are part of this reading. Specific cultural meanings assigned to motifs, including “medicine man” and “enclosure for ceremonial dances,” remain provisional until tied to the relevant nation, maker, and source. They should not be treated as a universal Indigenous symbol dictionary.