Cherith Crazy Boy Smith does not put on warpaint and feathers, then chase down trains, shoot at the passengers with her bow and arrow, and scalp everyone aboard after she forces the train to stop.

She's a 17-year-old member of the Piegan Blackfoot tribe who says that most Americans have no idea what American Indians are like.

She can tell you, however, that they're nothing like they're depicted in movies and on television.

"I do believe that movies and stuff do portray a stereotype, but that just comes from ignorance," said Cherith, who was one of several American Indian youths interviewed by Children's Express last summer in Missoula, Mont.

"If you look back 20 years ago, it has greatly improved, and they're still looking to get the true image of the Native American people."

Dawn Irvine, 17, a member of the Flathead tribe, spoke about a more recent stereotyping of American Indians.

"Indians are portrayed to be drunk all the time, no jobs, on welfare. I guess more than half of them are making it just as well as anyone else," said Dawn.

Native Americans don't go around in warpaint fighting "the white man." And they aren't all drunk and jobless either. But those stereotypes persist.

Explained Katina Standing Rock, 12, of the Chippewa-Cree tribe: "I had some friends that always asked me questions. Like I'd ask them to come over for dinner, and they'd asked me what I'm having and I wouldn't know. They'd say, `Well, is it like a buffalo that your dad shot or something?'

"I've had friends that are scared of me because I'm an Indian, because they thought I'd scalp them or something," she added.

Dispelling stereotypes

She tries to set them straight. "A lot of them are interested because I'm an Indian, and they ask me questions about my life and stuff. And it's just basically the same as theirs right now."

Craig Meyers, 14, also a member of the Chippewa-Cree tribe, added some things that American Indians aren't.

"We're not like bogeymen or some things that creep around in the night and steal babies," he said. "We're just normal people trying to tough out the world like everyone else. . . .

"They think we still chase buffalo, but we don't. We go to the grocery store, we do normal stuff up on the reservation."

So what makes an American Indian an American Indian?

"My beliefs," answered Dawn, "like the way I feel about the Earth, pow-wowing, dancing."

"Taking care of the Earth is a lifestyle for Native Americans," added Cherith. "You must respect the Earth in everything you do. When you use something, when you're perhaps killing animals or whatever for hunting purposes, you give offerings for what you have taken, and you only take what you need."

Reluctant to discuss beliefs

But the children were reluctant to explain many of their cultural beliefs.

"In the past, oftentimes people have made a show out of the Native American cultures. And nowadays, it's very hard for people to talk about their beliefs because those are supposed to be kept secret," Cherith said.

"Everyone knows about the sun dances," she explained, "But you don't really talk about that outside of your own culture because there's always that fear of it being taken away or your culture being raped."

Stereotypes are not the only "rapist" of American Indian culture. Both Cherith and Dawn said alcoholism was undermining many Native American customs.

"I was born into a world where there was a lot of alcoholism," said Cherith. "My own father was an alcoholic, and my doctor at the time of delivery was stoned and he was also drunk, but he was the only doctor there. And I was his first delivery that he had ever had.

"Alcoholism is an extreme problem. It's the number one problem, because that's what leads to all these families breaking up . . . to poverty. (Alcoholism) leads to no jobs. That leads to no food. That leads to teen-age pregnancies, teen-age suicides," she continued.

"Alcoholism leads to everything."

An advocate for change

Cherith would like to change these conditions for her people. She is considering a career in education or law to further understanding of Indian culture. Likewise, Dawn wants to enter law enforcement, pre-law, or criminology, just something that has to do with people.

Both of them are intent on reaching their goals.

"I don't believe that it is going to be easy because I am Native American, and I look Native American, and I'm very into my culture," Cherith said. "But these goals that I have for me are not for myself.

"I was not put on this Earth for my own benefit. I was put on this Earth for the benefit of the Native American people as a whole, and that will make it easier to get over all of those obstacles."

Dawn believes the struggle will make her stronger.

"I think it will be harder, but I think it will be more of a reward once I get where I want," she said. "I will be respected once I get there, being a minority woman and Native American. It'll push me more. It'll be something that I feel good about accomplishing."

Dawn advises all kids to "be proud of what you are. Do what you believe. Don't change for anybody. Be educated. Know what you want and go for it.

"There's gonna be discrimination all over amongst every minority, not just Native Americans. Deal with it. You're gonna have to later. It's part of the American society. Just overcome it and you'll be better off."

EDITED BY: Joe Huser, 16