Searching for Winnetou

Join the journey as we search for the roots of an unlikely obsession and visit the Germans that make teepees and buckskin a way of life...

SEARCHING FOR WINNETOU is the story of Ojibway author and humourist Drew Hayden Taylor’s quest to understand the roots of the German Obsession with Native North Americans.

Inspired by 19th century author Karl May and his series of WINNETOU novels, thousands of Germans attempt to live and dress as First Nations people. These “Indienthusiasts” have inspired an entire industry of live performance, film, “authentic” collectibles and “Indianer camps”, (to borrow the German terminology).

This fascination forces us to confront the question of Appreciation vs. Appropriation.

Are these curious hobbyists or cultural thieves?

The eagerly anticipated project explores the controversy surrounding cultural appropriation in an innovative, hilarious, disturbing, inspiring, and touching way.