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I had a question recently about evaluating books written by non-Indians about Indians, so I invited our friend Mike Jetty, Indian Education Specialist at OPI, to write a guest post. For some great information--and a signature Mike Jetty joke--read on!
Guest Post from Mike Jetty
Hau Mitakuyapi – hello my relatives. I am pleased to share some IEFA resources with you today regarding American Indian literature. First, as you continue to integrate IEFA content into your curriculum I want to encourage you to share literature written by American Indian authors. Looking for a good place to start? OPI has classroom sets of books you can borrow!
Sometimes you will want to use a book about Indians that was written by a non-Indian. When you do that, there are some important factors to consider, and we have developed some good tips for evaluating materials for authenticity. (See below).
Our stories play a decisive role in defining our identities; they shape how we view ourselves, the world around us, and our place within it. Just as tribal oral traditions have shaped the identities, views, and values of tribal people, written histories have shaped the identities, views, and values of Americans and historically most of these print resources did not include Indigenous perspectives.
In thinking about perspective, it reminds me of this story…. And so it was many years ago there was a gentleman from France attending the North American Indian Days Powwow and he had a parrot on his shoulder. The parrot drew many curious looks and so the Arena Director came up to the man and asked, “Hey, where did you get that?” And the parrot answered, “Over in France – they have millions of these guys over there.” So, there is something to get you started thinking about perspectives 😊.
Teachers, librarians, and curriculum coordinators should analyze and evaluate potential instructional materials to ensure that American Indian topics are treated fairly, objectively, and accurately. Debbie Reece's website American Indians in Children's Literature is a good source for information, including about books that she doesn't recommend, like Sign of the Beaver and other classics. (You can use the search bar on her blog to search individual titles.)
And so now I present the following recommendations from our Evaluating American Indian Materials and Resources for the Classroom publication.
General Questions
- Which tribe or tribes are identified in this resource?
- If the creator of this resource is not a tribal member, were tribal members, cultural committees, or knowledgeable experts consulted about the American Indian content in this resource? (This information is often in the acknowledgements, front matter, or back matter.)
- Has this resource been reviewed by a tribal cultural committee, tribal historian, or other well-qualified reviewer? (If it has, the publishers will likely have boasted about this somewhere in the book.)
- Is there anything about this resource that leads you to question the validity, accuracy, or authenticity of the information it presents about American Indians?
Helpful Tips for Evaluation of Authors and Illustrators
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Connection: Does the author or illustrator have a genuine and solid connection to the culture or tribal nation featured in the book, illustration, or film? If not, did a tribal member, historian, or cultural committee provide consultation or review the product for accurate and respectful representation of that specific tribe? Look for reviews by American Indian media reviewers and by members of the tribe the resource claims to be about. Be wary of authors or illustrators whose connections are dubious or insubstantial.
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Acknowledgement: Does the author or illustrator acknowledge the indigenous source of the story or images? Is the author or illustrator seeking to make a profit off someone else’s tradition and culture?
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Insider viewpoint: Does the author or illustrator of the product have a genuine understanding of the story or image, and can she/he present it from a cultural insider’s point-of-view? Avoid materials by authors or illustrators who present American Indian characters or themes from a non-Indian perspective while claiming to represent an American Indian perspective, those who claim a generic “American Indian” identity, and those who seek to validate their “expertise” by claiming a remote indigenous ancestor.
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Non-indigenous variations on traditional stories: Some non-Native authors or illustrators superimpose non-indigenous themes, values, and behaviors on indigenous characters, sometimes altering an indigenous tradition to make it appeal to non-Indian audiences. Close scrutiny of the author or illustrator might reveal a likelihood of this bias, as might checking with a reputable reviewer.
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Judgment: Superimposing an outsider’s judgment over another culture’s subject matter can be as subtle as calling an indigenous oral history a “myth.” Look for value-based language, stereotyping, and overt or implicit shaming, as well as the author’s tone.
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Imitation: In the early twentieth century, American and European composers, fashion designers, and choreographers created musical scores, textiles, dresses, and dances that mimicked indigenous artistic elements, mixing and matching attributes from many different tribes. Often, these imitations more closely resembled the non-Indians’ perceptions of indigenous material, leading to generic “Indian” themes.
Additional Recommended Resources
Please reach out to any of the IEFA staff if you have any questions and we will do our best to provide you with assistance to help with your implementation of IEFA in your classrooms and schools. Pidamaya – Thanks for all you do on behalf of our Montana students!
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