Cars!

There seems to have been a bit of an obsession by auto makers over the years in naming their cars after Native American tribes. To name a few: Dodge Dakota, Pontiac, Winnebago, and Jeep Cherokee. At first glance this association does not seem to have much to do with the nature theme I have been exploring here. Indeed, these brands often play into other American Indian stereotypes dealing with the powerful savage, but upon closer look we can discern a subtle association with the appeal of nature once again. Many of the vehicles claim to be able to take you to places that ordinary cars cannot take you; through the "miracle" of off-roading - they can, in fact, get you back to nature. Through these vehicles you can journey to become one with the natural world around you... This can especially be seen in the product photo for the 2011 Jeep Cherokee above (left side) as the vehicle sits surrounded by tall trees and lush forest. The following Jeep Cherokee commercial is also a very good example of this: Fording. (Available on YouTube.)

In this video, the Jeep Cherokee brings us back to nature - away from the highways and freeways of modern life (the highways and freeways that, according to The Crying Indian commercial, are destroying nature and the pure environment that is the habitat of the Native American). In using the American Indian name of "Cherokee" the message is that we can be brought back to nature and a simpler way of life through an association with Native Americans.