Twenty years ago, I knew an art dealer in Toronto who specialised in native art and he was the first to tell me that Germans were nuts about Inuit soapstone carvings, Haida totem pole miniatures, and ceremonial drums. Never really got the connection; still don't get the connection but I can tell you it's for real and very much alive.
Just received notice that the 2013 Rieger Tuning calendar is almost ready for release and this year's theme is "cowboys and indians." Cars, models, crew, and production equipment were taken on location to the German tourist attraction Pullman City in Bavaria - a theme park re-creation of a 19th century town in the American wild west. You can get an idea of the locale (there's lots of pix) off the news link http://www.rieger-tuning.de/de/news/RIEGER_Making_of_Kalender_2013.php
Coincidentally an article came to our attention at the same time featuring a story on Hartmut Lutz, a visiting scholar teaching at the University of Calgary. His course centers around German enthusiasm for North American aboriginals. The article in the National Post states: "Not far from The Lone Ranger and other Spaghetti Westerns, the writings of Karl May managed to inspire a fervor for North American aboriginal culture that survives in Germany today. There are an estimated 80,000 Indian enthusiasts in Germany: white people who dress up in war paint and feathers, live in tipi camps, bead artifacts, hold powwows and learn traditional dances."
