- “Where you hide Princess Tiger Lily?”
- ―Indian Chief to the Lost Boys, Michael and John
The Indian Chief (named Great Big Little Panther in the original novel) is a character in Disney's 1953 animated feature film Peter Pan. He is Tiger Lily's father and the leader of the Neverland Indian Tribe.
Background[]
Personality[]
One look at the Chief and one is bound to be intimidated. This can be because he is in a bad mood, or if Tiger Lily is in danger, but deep down he is extremely kind and rather sweet. He often looks stern and has never been seen smiling (aside from a brief moment in which he delivered an oration in sign language). He's also very protective of his tribe and even more protective of his daughter.
Role in the film[]
In the film, when John, Michael, and the Lost Boys are out hunting Indians, they are captured by them instead, taken to their camp and, brought to the attention of the Chief, who thinks they've kidnapped his daughter, Tiger Lily (who was actually kidnapped by Captain Hook), and he orders that they will be burned at the stake if she doesn't return home by sunset. Luckily, Peter Pan rescues her and the Chief sets the Lost Boys free, makes them Honorary Indians, and Peter Chief Little Flying Eagle. He also explained through the song "What Made the Red Man Red?": how the Red Man becomes red by falling in love with a maiden, to which Peter falls in love with Tiger Lily causing Wendy to become jealous and upset. He is not seen again for the rest of the film.
Printed media[]
Christmas in Never Land[]
The Chief appears with Tiger Lily appears in Christmas in Never Land, a short story featured in 5-minute Christmas Stories. In the story, Peter Pan visit the Chief's Village as he teaches the lost boys how to make arrowheads.
Disney Parks[]
A figure of the Chief appears with Tiger Lily and some tribesmen in the appears in the Disneyland version of Peter Pan's Flight, showing them in their villag. Prior to 2024, the chief could also be seen in the Magic Kingdom version of the ride, but he was replaced with his mother in later revisions. The in-universe explanation given for the Chief's absence being that he was resting inside one of tents.
Trivia[]
- In the Italian dub of the movie, the character was renamed Capo Toro-In-Piedi (chief Standing Bull), a reference to the famous Siuox chief Sitting Bull (Toro Seduto in Italian).
- The Indian Chief's caricatured depiction, such as his bright red skin, has drawn criticism for perpetrating negative stereotypes about indigenous Americans, since the movie's release, which has increased more and more in the years since 1953. As a result, he is often excluded and even when he is included in other works, he is given a more realistic skin-tone and less caricatured appearance and way of speaking.
Gallery[]
.jpg "Christmas in Neverland (1).jpg (697 KB)")
