Label
CHIEF MOTEL
1950s
Donor unknown
This sign is unlit and obscured out of respect for the missing narratives in this gallery, acknowledging how legacies of colonialism and racism are embedded in material culture in the United States. The Museum is actively finding ways to illuminate these narratives for future projects by engaging indigenous artists and thinkers to create exhibitions, interventions, and programming that speaks specifically to this sign. MONA acknowledges that it is built upon Tongva lands and that images like this sign perpetuate a mythical narrative that erases the state-sanctioned genocide of indigenous populations.
The Chief Motel sign from Long Beach, CA romanticizes the American West with a familiar, albeit controversial, graphic icon. The feathered warbonnet of its Native American chief is similar to those worn by male leaders of the American Plains Indians. Since these headdress designs originated over a thousand miles from Long Beach, it may seem odd to have a Western-inspired motel sign in a California beach town, but the choice was a fairly common one in midcentury imagery. As opposed to thematically aligning themselves with their seaside surroundings, the Chief Motel’s sign fits in with the larger cultural context of America’s fascination with the American West during the 1950s, when "Wild West" television programming was popular and images showing stylized depictions of Native Americans were used to sell products or promote sports teams. Such images are still used today; however, many civil rights organizations and social scientists contend that the use of Native American names and/or symbols by non-natives is a form of ethnic stereotyping that promotes misunderstanding and prejudice, contributing to problems faced by Native Americans to this day.