The Wasp — 1890 — page 132: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts a grizzled pioneer (labeled "Pioneer Holland" on his hat) addressing a Native American child. The caption reads: "Don't cry, my little son; I'll go out for a walk with you on Admission Day!" The satire appears to mock white settlers' paternalistic and dishonest treatment of Native Americans. The pioneer's friendly promise rings hollow given the historical context—European colonization devastated indigenous populations. The reference to "Admission Day" (California's statehood anniversary, celebrated August 2) underscores the irony: the pioneer represents the settlement that displaced Native peoples from their lands. The cartoon critiques how Euro-American narratives romanticized frontier expansion while erasing or minimizing indigenous suffering and dispossession. The character's sympathetic pose contrasts with the brutal historical reality settlers enacted.