evil spirits, bad luck, and curses. The first appearance of the Indian burial ground trope appeared in the novel The Amityville Horror by Jay Ansen (1977). The Amityville Horror was allegedly based on true events that occurred in Amityville, New York. Many of the first appearances of the Indian burial ground trope, such as in The Shining, are only briefly mentioned. However, over time, the trope became more explicit in the plot of movies. Parody After gaining popularity in the horror genre in the 80s, the Indian burial ground trope became a source of irony, often referred to as dead horse trope. Lake Shawnee Amusement Park The Lake Shawnee Amusement Park was founded in 1926 in West Virginia, and was a popular source of entertainment for the local coal mining population. The first known European settlers on that plot of land were the Clay family in late eighteenth century. In 1783, three of the Clay children were rumored to have been murdered by a Native American tribe, and the family later sought vengeance and killed several Native Americans. The park, however, has generated increased suspicion and interest in the Indian burial ground trope. In the 1950s, two young children died tragically and violently during two accidents in the park, and the park was forced to close in 1966. Six people total are rumored to have died at the Lake Shawnee Amusement Park. The park was later bought and reopened in the 1980s. During development, the remains of 13 Native American bodies were found, and most of them were children. The park closed shortly after reopening, and instead holds guided tours of the allegedly haunted location. The park is widely believed to have been cursed, and it was featured on several television shows such as Scariest Places on Earth (2002), Most Terrifying Places in America (2010), Most Terrifying Places (2019), and Portals to Hell (2019). Criticism Critics of the Indian burial ground trope argue that it is deeply rooted in stereotypes and misrepresents Indigenous cultures. The Indian burial ground trope reinforces the outdated notion that Indigenous peoples are ancient, mystical, and prone to conjuring bad luck and evil spirits. Furthermore, it misrepresents the historic seizure of Indigenous lands and violence towards Indigenous bodies, artifacts and cultural sites. Native American scholar Terri Jean speculates that the Indian burial ground trope gained popularity through five theories. Her first theory is simply that the