Real representations from Real Life Indians
Despite the dominant narratives portrayed by European colonists/artists, non-Native photographers, publishers, and filmmakers, Indigenous peoples and communities are actively fighting for their seat at the table and reclaiming agency in retelling their stories. This page explores the ways in which Indigenous leaders have impacted the contemporary media landscape and representations of Indigenous peoples.
Matika Wilbur (Swinomish and Tulalip) explores the inaccuracies and falsifications in Curtis’s work, as well as his financial incentive to embark on his The North American Indian project. “Curtis was funded by J.P. Morgan to photograph the ‘vanishing race’” (Wilbur, 2018) . She also discusses the highly posed photographs that Curtis created. In Wilbur’s own work, however, she has been working on establishing current representations of Indigenous peoples through her own photography collection book: Project 562 (2023). Wilbur describes being compared to Curtis, “Each time I hear that, I want to throw up” (Wilbur 2018).
Photographer and podcast host Matika Wilbur discusses extensively Indigenous efforts to take back their place in media with filmmaker, director, and producer Sterlin Harjo (Seminole and Muscogee) within the All My Relations Podcast Episode “Rez Doggin’ with Ryan Redcorn and Sterlin Harjo” (2023). One foundational piece of film was the Youtube comedy sketch channel, the 1491s, which was developed by Harjo. The podcast participants describe how important this representation was as it was 1. An accessible form of media and 2. Reflected their true identities through the form of humor. While discussing the power of “Native Made Media”, the two Indigenous leaders discuss the hardships of portraying true stories of our people. Harjo describes feeling the need to put his “best foot forward”. Wilbur states, “I would want to cut out all the parts where people were talking about things that wouldn’t necessarily paint us in the right light as Native people – because we are so sensitive about the way we’re depicted because for so long we weren’t depicted, and if we were, it was done by white folks that was done in a way that was really stereotypical and degrading,” (Wilbur et. al 2023, 13:21).
In a different but similar way, the Maawndoonganan: Anishinaabe Resource Manual is a demonstration of Indigenous-led education. The guide includes organizational models, information regarding treaties and tribes in Michigan, maps, and and even artwork created by Indigenous students throughout Michgian. This guide is another example of Indigenous agency in representation.
References:
Confederation of Michigan Tribal Education Departments. “Maawndoonganan: Anishinaabe Resource Manual to Accompany the State of Michigan Social Studies Standards.” Michigan: Confederation of Michigan Tribal Education Departments, 2022.
Wilbur, Matika, Adrienne Keene, Sterlin Harjo, and Ryan Redcorn. “Rez Doggin' with Ryan Redcorn and Sterlin Harjo.” Audio blog. All My Relations Podcast (blog). All My Relations, March 1, 2023. https://www.allmyrelationspodcast.com/podcast/episode/7af4f895/rez-doggin-with-ryan-redcorn-and-sterlin-harjo.
Wilbur, Matika, and LRInspire. Edward S. Curtis.. again? . LRInspire, May 8, 2018. https://lrinspire.com/2018/05/08/edward-s-curtis-again-by-matika-wilbur/.