If you grew up watching the 1953 Disney classic Peter Pan, you probably remember the catchy tunes, the flying children, and the shimmering pixie dust. But there is one scene that sticks out like a sore thumb to modern audiences. It’s the sequence in the "Indian" camp where the characters sing "What Made the Red Man Red." Honestly, it’s one of those moments that makes you cringe while reaching for the remote. It isn't just a product of its time; it's a concentrated dose of every mid-century stereotype about Indigenous people packed into a three-minute musical number.
The song is awkward. It’s jarring. Yet, for many film historians and fans, understanding why Peter Pan What Made the Red Man Red exists—and why it stayed in the film for so long—is a necessary lesson in the evolution of American media.
The Origins of the Red Man Lyrics
J.M. Barrie wrote the original play and novel in the early 1900s. He wasn't trying to be a historian. He was writing about a child’s imagination, and in the early 20th century, a child’s imagination was fueled by "Penny Dreadfuls" and romanticized, often violent, tales of the American Frontier. Barrie’s "Piccaninny Tribe" was never meant to be a factual representation of the Nez Perce or the Cherokee. They were "stage Indians."
When Walt Disney’s team took over the story in the 1940s and 50s, they leaned even harder into these tropes. The song itself was written by Sammy Fain and Jack Lawrence. If you listen to the lyrics, they attempt to explain "Indian" traits through a series of mythical, nonsensical origins. Why do they say "How"? Because a Chief once asked a million questions. Why is the "Red Man" red? Because a prince blushed after kissing a girl.
It’s meant to be whimsical. In reality, it’s dehumanizing.
By the time the movie hit theaters, the Civil Rights movement was still in its infancy, and the "Western" genre was king. Audiences didn't bat an eye. To them, Tiger Lily and her tribe were just props in Peter's adventure, no different from the crocodiles or the mermaids. But that’s exactly the problem. Mermaids are myths. Indigenous people are real.
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Why Disney Kept the Scene for Decades
You’d think a company as brand-conscious as Disney would have scrubbed this from the record years ago. They didn't. Unlike Song of the South, which was locked in a vault and effectively "erased" from the US market, Peter Pan remained a flagship title. It was a bestseller on VHS. It was a staple on the Disney Channel.
Part of the reason is the character of Tiger Lily. Despite the caricatured nature of her tribe, she is one of the few characters in the film who shows genuine bravery. She refuses to betray Peter even when Hook ties her to a rock as the tide rises. Fans loved her. This created a weird paradox where the film contained a beloved female lead surrounded by a song—Peter Pan What Made the Red Man Red—that was objectively offensive.
Historian and critic Leonard Maltin often discussed these types of films in the "Walt Disney Treasures" DVD collections. He argued that removing these scenes is a form of "censorship by omission." By pretending these portrayals never happened, we lose the ability to see how far we’ve come. Or how far we haven't.
The Cultural Impact and the Backlash
Let’s be real: the song is a mess. It uses gibberish "Native" sounds and leans on the "Noble Savage" trope. For Native American viewers, this wasn't just a cartoon; it was a mockery of their ancestors. The red skin color, which the song attributes to blushing, is actually a slur derived from the history of colonial bounties. It’s heavy stuff for a kids’ movie.
The backlash didn't really peak until the 1990s and early 2000s. As cultural awareness shifted, parents began to notice that the "Indians" in Neverland were depicted with bright red skin and exaggerated features.
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Modern Revisions and the Disney+ Era
If you log into Disney+ right now and play Peter Pan, you’ll see a content warning. It doesn't skip the song. Instead, it tells you that the program includes "negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures." It’s a middle-ground approach. Disney chose to acknowledge the harm rather than delete the history.
Other versions of the story have tried to fix the "What Made the Red Man Red" problem by reimagining the tribe entirely:
- In the 2015 film Pan, the tribe was turned into a multicultural group of forest dwellers.
- The 2014 Peter Pan Live! television special replaced the song entirely with a new track called "True Blood Brothers," written with the help of Native American consultants.
- The 2023 live-action remake, Peter Pan & Wendy, completely overhauled Tiger Lily’s character. She was played by Alyssa Wapanatâhk, an actress of Cree descent, and the tribe was portrayed with dignity and actual cultural depth.
The Technical Execution of the Animation
Ignoring the lyrics for a second, the animation in this sequence is actually a masterclass in the "Golden Age" style. It was supervised by Ward Kimball, one of Disney’s "Nine Old Men." Kimball was known for his "rubbery," high-energy style. You can see it in the way the characters bounce and move.
The irony is that the high quality of the art makes the content more "sticky" in the brain. It’s hard to forget the rhythmic dancing and the vibrant colors. This is why it’s so dangerous; it’s high-quality propaganda for a worldview that treats non-white cultures as playthings.
The melody is infectious. That’s the trap. You find yourself humming a tune only to realize the lyrics are essentially a handbook on 1950s prejudice. It’s a weird feeling. It makes you realize that nostalgia is a double-edged sword.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Controversy
A common defense is, "It was just a different time." That’s a bit of a cop-out. Even in 1953, there were voices questioning the portrayal of minorities in film. The problem wasn't a lack of awareness; it was a lack of care. The creators weren't trying to be malicious. They were just lazy. They used the easiest, most recognizable stereotypes available to fill a three-minute gap in the plot.
Another misconception is that J.M. Barrie wrote the song. He didn't. The "Why, How, When" structure of the lyrics was a pure Hollywood invention. In the book, the "Redskins" (Barrie's term) are described with a mix of Victorian fascination and colonial condescension, but they aren't singing about why their skin is red. That was a specific choice made by the Disney musical team to add "humor."
Actionable Steps for Navigating Classic Media
If you’re a parent or a film buff, you don't have to throw your Blu-ray in the trash. But you shouldn't just let the credits roll without a thought.
How to Handle "What Made the Red Man Red" Today
- Use the "Teach, Don't Hide" method. If you’re watching with kids, pause the movie. Ask them if they think the characters in the movie look like real people. Explain that this was a "cartoon version" of a culture that people used to believe was okay, but we know better now.
- Compare it to modern portrayals. Watch the 1953 version and then watch the 2023 Peter Pan & Wendy. The contrast is a great way to show how storytelling evolves.
- Research the real history. Take ten minutes to look up the actual Indigenous groups of the Americas. It’s a great palate cleanser after the "blushing prince" nonsense of the song.
- Read the original text. Barrie’s writing is complex. It’s darker and weirder than the Disney movie. Seeing the source material helps you understand where the "stage Indian" trope started.
The legacy of Peter Pan What Made the Red Man Red isn't just about a bad song. It’s about how we choose to remember our cultural history. We can’t change what was animated in 1953. We can, however, change how we talk about it. Instead of singing along, we can use it as a bookmark—a reminder of a time when "entertainment" came at the expense of dignity.
By looking at the song through a critical lens, we don't "cancel" the movie. We just grow up. And isn't that what Peter Pan was always afraid of doing?
Next Steps for Deeper Insight:
- Audit your library: Check your older digital or physical Disney collections for the "Content Advisory" labels to see which films have been flagged.
- Explore Native perspectives: Seek out the documentary Reel Injun by Neil Diamond, which provides an incredible breakdown of how Hollywood created the "Hollywood Indian" and the lasting damage it caused.
- Support authentic creators: Follow Indigenous filmmakers and artists who are reclaiming their narratives in modern cinema, ensuring that the caricatures of the past stay in the past.