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[CCBC-Net] Through what lips
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From: Susie Husted <shusted>
Date: Thu, 01 Feb 2001 13:17:28 -0500
I am encouraged by this discussion. Not because we've come closer to an answer on where the line is to be drawn when writing about a culture other than one's own, but because it sounds like we are coming closer to describing how large the gray area actually is.
I have some concerns that I have not seen mentioned yet and would be interested in hearing peoples opinions on. My greatest concern is the continued lack of promotion of indigenous authors and presses. My own background is in YA and children's literature by and about Native Americans. What I have found in the past is not a lack of native voices from Indian Country but a lack of willingness for mainstream presses to publish their materials as native people see fit.
It is crucial in my mind that for history to be fully understood, these voices not only need to heard (read) but also valued as truth. They are not an alternate truth but the truth about what has happened to their people. The alternative is the outsider's view.
It worries me that even today, in all our heralding of a multicultural and diverse presence in our literature, books are still being published by non-native authors about native history that are not only doing nothing to add the the knowledge already out there but are continuing to skew it.
The most recent title I can think of is: Marrin, Albert. Sitting Bull and His World published by Dutton, NY (2000) The most disturbing part of the book is the continued misrepresentation of indigenous peoples by the authors.
With the acknowledged long standing problems of the perpetuated stereotype of the Indian in America how could the publisher or the public allow a book to be published which describes the commonality of mutilation, maiming, murder as a means of gaining honor among the Plains Indians. A falsity which not only hurts native people today, but hurts non-native students who may not have other resources to go by. This is not a book a teacher can present in a framework which educates about the truth of this important historical period, it is only a book that can be shown as what not to read. And it is not alone. There are many more just like it.
(An extended review by Beverly Slapin and Doris Seale of Albert Marrin's Sitting Bull and His World is available at: http://www.oyate.org/main.html See: Books to Avoid)
I don't believe that writing about another culture is wrong, only that we need to understand that it isn't always enough to say that good research was done, and contacts were made in the community written about; but we need to ask whether this book is perpetuating a stereotype or helping to dismantle it. Especially when it comes to YA and children's literature, this issue is of the utmost importance. My comments are not meant to disagree with the discussion lines so far, only to add another element, another shade of gray to think about.
Thanks for listening, Susie Husted YA/Reference Librarian Seabrook Library, NH
****** American Indian Library Assoc. http://www.nativeculture.com/lisamitten/aila.htm If I Can Read, I Can Do Anything project http://www.gslis.utexas.edu/~ifican
******
Received on Thu 01 Feb 2001 12:17:28 PM CST
Date: Thu, 01 Feb 2001 13:17:28 -0500
I am encouraged by this discussion. Not because we've come closer to an answer on where the line is to be drawn when writing about a culture other than one's own, but because it sounds like we are coming closer to describing how large the gray area actually is.
I have some concerns that I have not seen mentioned yet and would be interested in hearing peoples opinions on. My greatest concern is the continued lack of promotion of indigenous authors and presses. My own background is in YA and children's literature by and about Native Americans. What I have found in the past is not a lack of native voices from Indian Country but a lack of willingness for mainstream presses to publish their materials as native people see fit.
It is crucial in my mind that for history to be fully understood, these voices not only need to heard (read) but also valued as truth. They are not an alternate truth but the truth about what has happened to their people. The alternative is the outsider's view.
It worries me that even today, in all our heralding of a multicultural and diverse presence in our literature, books are still being published by non-native authors about native history that are not only doing nothing to add the the knowledge already out there but are continuing to skew it.
The most recent title I can think of is: Marrin, Albert. Sitting Bull and His World published by Dutton, NY (2000) The most disturbing part of the book is the continued misrepresentation of indigenous peoples by the authors.
With the acknowledged long standing problems of the perpetuated stereotype of the Indian in America how could the publisher or the public allow a book to be published which describes the commonality of mutilation, maiming, murder as a means of gaining honor among the Plains Indians. A falsity which not only hurts native people today, but hurts non-native students who may not have other resources to go by. This is not a book a teacher can present in a framework which educates about the truth of this important historical period, it is only a book that can be shown as what not to read. And it is not alone. There are many more just like it.
(An extended review by Beverly Slapin and Doris Seale of Albert Marrin's Sitting Bull and His World is available at: http://www.oyate.org/main.html See: Books to Avoid)
I don't believe that writing about another culture is wrong, only that we need to understand that it isn't always enough to say that good research was done, and contacts were made in the community written about; but we need to ask whether this book is perpetuating a stereotype or helping to dismantle it. Especially when it comes to YA and children's literature, this issue is of the utmost importance. My comments are not meant to disagree with the discussion lines so far, only to add another element, another shade of gray to think about.
Thanks for listening, Susie Husted YA/Reference Librarian Seabrook Library, NH
****** American Indian Library Assoc. http://www.nativeculture.com/lisamitten/aila.htm If I Can Read, I Can Do Anything project http://www.gslis.utexas.edu/~ifican
******
Received on Thu 01 Feb 2001 12:17:28 PM CST
