This “sober Indian” romanticism was created out of the “drunk Indian” myth and both are essentially untrue. But the difference is one was created for us and another was created by us in response. Still based on some very colonial tropes and carry their own stigmas.

I think the sober Indian myth was created in anti-thesis to drunk Indian tropes. I know because I’ve personally bought into it, and it does perpetuates stigma against those suffering from substance addictions. It’s a romantic notion of unattainable bodily and spiritual purity.

While yes we should appreciate abstinence as a choice, sobriety as an action to overcome illness, we don’t need tropes that dehumanize our people who can’t be sober, aren’t receptive to treatment. We can’t uphold sober natives above others, ignore reality and revise history.

The sober Indian romanticism is something we replaced the drunk Indian myth with, I don’t think it was intended to harm our people but inadvertently it does. When you entertain colonial ideas of spiritual/mental/physical purity that none of us can truly attain within colonialism.

I think what needs to happen is addressing all romanticisms and tropes directly, dismantling them and replacing them with actual ideas that support harm reduction for those using/consuming, safe centers, more treatment options and support for those not receptive to treatment.