The issue isn't that Natives shouldn't be in games, but rather they should be represented correctly. Bravely Second's "Tomahawk Swap" is a Good Move The issue isn't that Natives shouldn't be in games, but rather they should be represented correctly. Like its predecessor, Bravely Default, the upcoming Nintendo 3DS RPG Bravely Second: End Layer is a game of jobs and costume changes. But when Bravely Second comes to the West later this year (February 26 for Europe, February 27 for Australia, and April 15 for North America -- boo), players will find the "Tomahawk" class and costume has undergone some hardcore tailoring to become the cowboy-like "Hawkeye" class. It's doubtful the switch will have any effect on how the Hawkeye class plays. The Tomahawk class is new to Bravely Second, and it primarily involves long-range attacks. Presumably the Hawkeye class does a lot of gun-slinging, another long-range activity. Nevertheless, we live in interesting social and political times, so some people are upset about the change and are citing it as another example of "political correctness gone mad" (especially since the controversy over Nintendo's removal of certain content in Fire Emblem Fates hasn't quite cooled).

Square-Enix hasn't made an official statement over the change from Tomahawk to Hawkeye, but a glance at the Tomahawk costume reveals feathers, war paint, buckskins, and other accessories out of a '60s Hollywood costume box. uoit hoodieNot the world's most sensitive portrayal of Natives, in other words.team pyrex hoodies Is Bravely Second's Tomahawk costume the worst stereotype to afflict North America's aboriginal tribes? viu hoodieOf course not -- especially not when Chief Wahoo of the Cleveland Indians is still alive and well. hawkgirl hoodieBut that doesn't mean we can't do better.hooters hoodies sale

The reason the Tomahawk class might be regarded as stereotypical is because feathers, buckskins, and tomahawks are seen as "one size fits all" symbols for aboriginals -- a group of peoples whose culture is still alive, still active, and still belittled. wtaps hoodie sizingThe Anti-Defamation League goes into more detail about Native American stereotypes, and yes, the Tomahawk class's wardrobe is present.the north face 'oso' hoodie (infant) It's already been argued that the erasure of the Tomahawk class means less representation for aboriginals. Representation is important, and when you're utterly left out of the culture you consume, sometimes you're happy to take whatever's handed to you. But, again, that doesn't mean we can't do better. And many aboriginals have made it clear that random feathers and warpaint don't cut it for representation anymore.

There are still over 500 Native groups across the United States alone, and they're hardly a hive-mind that utterly agree and disagree on social issues as a collective. However, it's a safe bet that the majority would appreciate being represented sensitively in video games (and other media). Can it be done? Aboriginals are far from "off limits" in games. They simply deserve the research necessary to prevent making a mockery (however unintentionally) out of their traditions. For instance, Killer Instinct's Chief Thunder (now just Thunder) was completely re-designed for the 2013 reboot of the game. Microsoft interacted with the Nez Perce tribe in the Pacific northwest to mold Thunder's character, movements, and costume. He still has feathers, warpaint, and battle-jewelry, but they're all unique to the tribe he belongs to. When Ubisoft made Assassin's Creed III, they consulted with Mohawks (the tribe protagonist Connor belongs to) in order to ensure they weren't doing anything disrespectful.

"There are people from all over the world on our team, but we’re very aware that we’re still pretty much a bunch of early-middle-aged white guys," Alex Hutchinson, Assassin’s Creed III‘s creative director, said. "We didn’t want to make mistakes, even well-intentioned mistakes." And then there's Never Alone, a platforming game that revolves around the fables passed down by Alaska's native peoples. Never Alone actually aims to teach outsiders about these tribes' lifestyles, not just through the game itself, but through supplementary text and video. In fact, it would be ideal if Square-Enix adjusted Bravely Second's Tomahawk class to make its costume fit in with a specific tribe (after proper consultations are made, of course). This is probably impractical for several reasons, so the company opted to change the class altogether. Regardless of how you feel about the switch, you have to admit gunslingers are pretty cool in any context. All that chasing men in black across the desert and whatnot.

This article may contain links to online retail stores. If you click on one and buy the product we may receive a small commission. For more information, go here.My tomahawk for Connor (Ratohnhak�:ton).Can you make this Tomahawk? Here is one made by Ethan. My thanks go to himm for sending in the picture. And here is a tomahawk made by Kyle. And here is the tomahawk made by Max! for this project you will need: Cut a broomstick, rake handle, or wooden dowel to the length of 20 inches. Use a drill to cut out holes to make a slot. The slot is 1 inch from the end of the dowel and 3.5 inchs in length. Trace the shape of the tomahawk onto foamboard or cardboard and cut out the shape. Insert it into the slot of the handle. Let's do the detail work: Wrap a shoelace or leather cord around the ax head to form an X shape and wrap some around the handle just below the ax head. Then wrap some colored strings or laces to make that section bigger and longer.

Paint the head of your tomahawk silver. Wrap a piece of vinyl or cloth around the ax handle where it will be held. Glue or hot glue it in place. Add the string and feather. For decorative purposes you can use hot glue to shape buttons on the vinyl handle grip and paint them. Now you're done and you have a replica of the Assassin's Creed tomahawk! CAN YOU MAKE THIS TOMAHAWK? Here is a picture of one made by Nathan! He did a terrific job and my thanks go to him for sharing this with us! Elmer's Guide-Line Foam Board 20 Inches x 30 Inches, White, 2 Foam Boards per pack I love elmers foam board, and this has light grid lines on it . Make the Assassin's Creed BeltI show you how to make the belt including how to carve the big buckle out of foam. Make the Assassin's Creed Belt Make the Assassin's Creed Altair Sword Easy project that looks great. Just need some foam and a single piece of foamboar. I have the template you can print up and make.