Indian burial ground trope

The Indian burial ground trope is frequently used to explain supernatural events and hauntings in American popular culture.

Over time the Indian burial ground trope has become viewed as a cliche and in its current usage it commonly functions as a satirical element.

[1] Such interpretations appear in Our Miss Brooks and Petticoat Junction; in these representations, the characters are delighted to have stumbled upon Indian burial grounds and ancient artifacts as they could potentially bring revenue or notoriety.

However, contrary to the Indian burial ground trope, the Navajo do not believe that the spirit returns to wreak havoc on the living.

[6] Under NAGPRA, all federally funded government organizations are required to consult with the relevant Indigenous groups before beginning development on sites or after any unexpected cultural items are found.

[6] Historically, developers in the United States have desecrated traditional Native American land including burial grounds to build homes, businesses, or exploit resources.

[10] The Trump Administration circumvented NAGPRA protections through federal waivers and did not consult with the Tohono O’odham tribe prior to beginning development.

[10] In response to their actions, Ned Norris Jr, a representative of the Tohono O’odham asked "How would you feel if someone brought a bulldozer to your family graveyard and started uprooting the graves there?

[1] The Lake Shawnee Amusement Park was founded in 1926 in West Virginia, and was a popular source of entertainment for the local coal mining population.

[12] Accidental deaths at the amusement park during the 1950s, and its closure after failing a health inspection, are claimed by paranormal enthusiasts to be the result of a supernatural curse on the land.

The Indian burial ground trope reinforces the outdated notion that Indigenous peoples are ancient, mystical, and prone to conjuring bad luck and evil spirits.

Native American scholar Terri Jean speculates that the Indian burial ground trope gained popularity through five theories.

[19] Her first theory is simply that the Indian burial ground trope was so successful in its early appearance, that others continued to use it as a reliable and lucrative plot device.

[19] The fifth and final theory argues that the Indian burial ground trope grew out of the excessive guilt of white settlers for the destruction of Indigenous peoples and cultures.

[19] In this theory, the Indian burial ground trope is a manifestation of the fear that Indigenous groups will seek retribution for the atrocities committed over the past several centuries.