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Tim Tingle's work/ Jason's post re social media, and a question about invisibility
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From: Debbie Reese <dreese.nambe_at_gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2014 05:47:36 -0600
Hi Judith,
A few US states--Montana, for example--have made American Indians part of the curriculum. Wisconsin is supposed to (a state mandate), but there's not enough resources for it to be meaningful (someone in Wisconsin can say more about that if they wish).
For the most part, though, American Indians are bit players in the curriculum. No national television shows like you describe, though there is going to be one on HBO called The Red Road. It premieres on Feb 27th. Here's what the creator says http://www.geekexchange.com/the-red-road-jason-momoa-moves-on-from-game-of-thrones-101511.html:
It’s an interesting world people haven’t seen before. This particular Indian tribe lives close to New York City, close to the modern world, and yet is still living off the land. It’s a small tribe that doesn’t have federal recognition. There are a lot of things that make them unique. That was a hugely attractive place to set this story. – Aaron Guzikowski
Guzikowski's words (living off the land) give me pause as to what the show will be like. I can't tell much by viewing the trailer. A few years ago the Ramapough (that is the tribe featured in the film) sued a film studio for misrepresenting them. Some details on the suit and the new show here: http://www.indianz.com/News/2014/012203.asp
In terms of high profile Native writers, that would be Louise Erdrich amongst the more literary crowd and Sherman Alexie amongst the more pop culture crowd (I acknowledge that those two categories are a bit crass), but I wonder how much name recognition they'd have with a 'person-on-the-street' sort of interview.
Real Native people/history in the US is invisible. Romantic/historic/tragic ones (Last of the Mohicans) and otherwise troubling ones (mascots) are highly visible.
Thanks for pointing out that Aboriginal should be capitalized. Such things matter.
To bring this back to Tim Tingle... did each person on child_lit buy his book yet? I hope so! And I hope you do some library programming on it, and that you put a big photo of him alongside it, and that you use present tense verbs when introducing the book and Tim's work in general. A photo of Tim in his ball cap... Now THAT counters the Indian-in-headdress image! His twitter pic (yes, Tim is on Twitter _at_tim_tingle) has him in his ball cap AND a tux. How cool is that? Looking at his twitter page, there's one of him talking to N. Scott Momaday.
Debbie
__________________________________________________________ Debbie Reese, PhD Tribally enrolled: Nambe Pueblo
Email: dreese.nambe_at_gmail.com
Website: American Indians in Children's Literature
_at_ http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.net
Now: Studying for MLIS at San Jose State University Then: Assistant Professor in American Indian Studies, University of Illinois
On Feb 20, 2014, at 10:34 PM, Judith Ridge wrote:
>
>
>
> On 19 February 2014 03:42, Debbie Reese <dreese.nambe_at_gmail.com> wrote:
> Off list, I was asked why Native people in the US, in comparison to aboriginal people in Australia, are so invisible.
>
>
>
>
> My curiosity has been piqued by this, Debbie! I wonder if it's true that Native Americans are less visible than Aboriginal Australians (and please note that in reference to Australia's First Nations people, Aboriginal and Aborigine is always capitalised) and what led the person to ask the question.
>
> It is true that Aboriginal studies are a compulsory part of our curriculum, so children can't go through school without some knowledge of Aboriginal history and culture, and social and political issues related to Aboriginal Australia are quite present in our media and cultural discourse. Is this not the case with Native Americans? And one of the most highly awarded Australian TV shows of recent times is Redfern Now, a series of inter-connected but stand-alone one hour dramas, all written and performed by Aboriginal screenwriters and actors, set in the inner Sydney suburb of Redfern, which has long had a large Aboriginal community living there.
>
> In terms of children's literature, one of our first Children's Laureates (we had two the first time around) was Monty Boori Pryor, who descends from the Birrigubba, Kungganji and Kukuimudji people of northern Queensland, and who is one of our best-loved and hardest-working children's authors. He has visited damn near every school in the country over the past 20 years! Boori has published around half a dozen children's books, as well as a memoir, Maybe Tomorrow, which I urge you all to read if you can find a copy. (And I can suggest some Australian online booksellers if required.)
>
> Apart from Boori, there are a number of Aboriginal writers and illustrators for children, but not nearly enough. I am still waiting for some fantastic Aboriginal writer to emerge to write strong contemporary urban fiction about Aboriginal children and teens--many of the existing books are set in rural/outback Australia, or are traditional Dreamtime stories, or memoirs of childhoods from many decades ago. So there's still work to be done. (Having said that, Ambelin Kwaymullina is writing interesting dystopian YA fiction from within the context of her Aboriginal cultural perspective, which is a very welcome addition to the field!)
>
> Anyway, just some meandering thoughts. I haven't had a chance to follow as much of the discussion this month as I'd have liked, but what I have read has been challenging and stiumulating, so thanks to everyone on the list.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Judith
>
> <image.png>
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2014 05:47:36 -0600
Hi Judith,
A few US states--Montana, for example--have made American Indians part of the curriculum. Wisconsin is supposed to (a state mandate), but there's not enough resources for it to be meaningful (someone in Wisconsin can say more about that if they wish).
For the most part, though, American Indians are bit players in the curriculum. No national television shows like you describe, though there is going to be one on HBO called The Red Road. It premieres on Feb 27th. Here's what the creator says http://www.geekexchange.com/the-red-road-jason-momoa-moves-on-from-game-of-thrones-101511.html:
It’s an interesting world people haven’t seen before. This particular Indian tribe lives close to New York City, close to the modern world, and yet is still living off the land. It’s a small tribe that doesn’t have federal recognition. There are a lot of things that make them unique. That was a hugely attractive place to set this story. – Aaron Guzikowski
Guzikowski's words (living off the land) give me pause as to what the show will be like. I can't tell much by viewing the trailer. A few years ago the Ramapough (that is the tribe featured in the film) sued a film studio for misrepresenting them. Some details on the suit and the new show here: http://www.indianz.com/News/2014/012203.asp
In terms of high profile Native writers, that would be Louise Erdrich amongst the more literary crowd and Sherman Alexie amongst the more pop culture crowd (I acknowledge that those two categories are a bit crass), but I wonder how much name recognition they'd have with a 'person-on-the-street' sort of interview.
Real Native people/history in the US is invisible. Romantic/historic/tragic ones (Last of the Mohicans) and otherwise troubling ones (mascots) are highly visible.
Thanks for pointing out that Aboriginal should be capitalized. Such things matter.
To bring this back to Tim Tingle... did each person on child_lit buy his book yet? I hope so! And I hope you do some library programming on it, and that you put a big photo of him alongside it, and that you use present tense verbs when introducing the book and Tim's work in general. A photo of Tim in his ball cap... Now THAT counters the Indian-in-headdress image! His twitter pic (yes, Tim is on Twitter _at_tim_tingle) has him in his ball cap AND a tux. How cool is that? Looking at his twitter page, there's one of him talking to N. Scott Momaday.
Debbie
__________________________________________________________ Debbie Reese, PhD Tribally enrolled: Nambe Pueblo
Email: dreese.nambe_at_gmail.com
Website: American Indians in Children's Literature
_at_ http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.net
Now: Studying for MLIS at San Jose State University Then: Assistant Professor in American Indian Studies, University of Illinois
On Feb 20, 2014, at 10:34 PM, Judith Ridge wrote:
>
>
>
> On 19 February 2014 03:42, Debbie Reese <dreese.nambe_at_gmail.com> wrote:
> Off list, I was asked why Native people in the US, in comparison to aboriginal people in Australia, are so invisible.
>
>
>
>
> My curiosity has been piqued by this, Debbie! I wonder if it's true that Native Americans are less visible than Aboriginal Australians (and please note that in reference to Australia's First Nations people, Aboriginal and Aborigine is always capitalised) and what led the person to ask the question.
>
> It is true that Aboriginal studies are a compulsory part of our curriculum, so children can't go through school without some knowledge of Aboriginal history and culture, and social and political issues related to Aboriginal Australia are quite present in our media and cultural discourse. Is this not the case with Native Americans? And one of the most highly awarded Australian TV shows of recent times is Redfern Now, a series of inter-connected but stand-alone one hour dramas, all written and performed by Aboriginal screenwriters and actors, set in the inner Sydney suburb of Redfern, which has long had a large Aboriginal community living there.
>
> In terms of children's literature, one of our first Children's Laureates (we had two the first time around) was Monty Boori Pryor, who descends from the Birrigubba, Kungganji and Kukuimudji people of northern Queensland, and who is one of our best-loved and hardest-working children's authors. He has visited damn near every school in the country over the past 20 years! Boori has published around half a dozen children's books, as well as a memoir, Maybe Tomorrow, which I urge you all to read if you can find a copy. (And I can suggest some Australian online booksellers if required.)
>
> Apart from Boori, there are a number of Aboriginal writers and illustrators for children, but not nearly enough. I am still waiting for some fantastic Aboriginal writer to emerge to write strong contemporary urban fiction about Aboriginal children and teens--many of the existing books are set in rural/outback Australia, or are traditional Dreamtime stories, or memoirs of childhoods from many decades ago. So there's still work to be done. (Having said that, Ambelin Kwaymullina is writing interesting dystopian YA fiction from within the context of her Aboriginal cultural perspective, which is a very welcome addition to the field!)
>
> Anyway, just some meandering thoughts. I haven't had a chance to follow as much of the discussion this month as I'd have liked, but what I have read has been challenging and stiumulating, so thanks to everyone on the list.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Judith
>
> <image.png>
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Received on Fri 21 Feb 2014 05:48:39 AM CST
