tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post1402744033524024729..comments2019-09-10T17:28:31.219-04:00Comments on From Here to Writernity: Writing About Native Americanskarastewarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17689384820233898083noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-66593721512502996622018-01-25T11:50:45.432-05:002018-01-25T11:50:45.432-05:00What a wonderful blog. Thank you, Kara, for writin...What a wonderful blog. Thank you, Kara, for writing it and thank you, Mira, for linking it. My academic training is as a cultural anthropologist and while it doesn't make me an expert in anything, it does make me incredibly aware of how much I DON'T know. I'm working on a chapter book that takes place in Portland, Oregon and includes classroom scenes. To accurately approximate one of Portland's public school classroom, I've included a Native American child. He's of the Klamath tribe and, at this point, is a minor character. Thank you for opening doors to me to thinking more about him. L_E_Marshallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14201954927272876501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-71233794913460591032016-03-17T18:33:45.208-04:002016-03-17T18:33:45.208-04:00Thank you, Donna! The more eyes we can get on this...Thank you, Donna! The more eyes we can get on this post as a gateway to the 4 resources I have listed, the better! I appreciate your sharing it.karastewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17689384820233898083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-71172737500040088862016-03-16T23:36:28.957-04:002016-03-16T23:36:28.957-04:00SHARED. Great post. Lots to chew on and consider. ...SHARED. Great post. Lots to chew on and consider. Thank you for sharing your heart and all the great resources! Donna Earnhardthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12751744053363961006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-89880446588354998682016-03-16T17:57:58.345-04:002016-03-16T17:57:58.345-04:00:) You made me smile, Caroline! So glad you found...:) You made me smile, Caroline! So glad you found the post helpful.karastewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17689384820233898083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-8590239503096857002016-03-16T17:56:49.428-04:002016-03-16T17:56:49.428-04:00Hi Nancy,
So glad you found the post informative....Hi Nancy, <br />So glad you found the post informative. I think if you dive deeply into each of the 4 resources I listed, you will see that they are each chock full of further reading and research points. I'd recommend diving into Indian 101 for Writers, all 5 parts, first, then going through the SACIE text resources, particularly training yourself with the Criteria tool I mention in the post. I am not currently set up to professionally culturally-beta read as I am working full time teaching and working on my own MG novel. My best suggestion would be for you to take advantage of the link in my post and have Debbie Reese culturally beta read for you. She has reasonable fees and is very thorough and knowledgeable. She won't steer you wrong. karastewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17689384820233898083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-14496724205176014212016-03-16T16:02:16.356-04:002016-03-16T16:02:16.356-04:00Thank you for this excellent post and the wealth o...Thank you for this excellent post and the wealth of resources listed. I am one of those writers who have written outside of my own Anglo culture and I hope I am also an author who had followed each part of your advice and instruction. Every single part. I strongly agree about your voiced concern regarding stereotypes, about not being specific regarding honoring and recognizing specific tribal identification, and also the "past-tense" and historical misrepresentation of American Indians. I have written a contemporary middle-grade novel that is set on the Navajo Nation where I have been teaching and living for the past sixteen years. If you are interested, I would be pleased to send you a copy for comment. Again, thank you for this excellent article.Nancy Bo Floodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06833698716579171540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-50314750965452774292016-03-16T11:45:31.269-04:002016-03-16T11:45:31.269-04:00This is an absolutely great post!!!!! Thank you f...This is an absolutely great post!!!!! Thank you for all of the information and resources. I will never buy Land O' Lakes butter again.Caroline McAlisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14812391806339220111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-34561998418340814982016-03-16T11:21:49.069-04:002016-03-16T11:21:49.069-04:00This is an absolutely great post!!!!! Thank you f...This is an absolutely great post!!!!! Thank you for all of the information and resources. i will never buy Land O' Lakes butter again.Caroline McAlisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14812391806339220111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-21461123797037228472016-03-16T11:21:34.182-04:002016-03-16T11:21:34.182-04:00This is an absolutely great post!!!!! Thank you f...This is an absolutely great post!!!!! Thank you for all of the information and resources. i will never buy Land O' Lakes butter again.Caroline McAlisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14812391806339220111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-37508567009023352502016-03-16T08:11:28.159-04:002016-03-16T08:11:28.159-04:00Great post, Kara. I will definitely check out the...Great post, Kara. I will definitely check out the resources you've listed.<br />In terms of the categories/reasons you listed for wanting to write about Native Americans, I definitely fall into the last category you mention. I am a non-Native who feels an affinity for Indian people and has always found them fascinating.<br />I'm not necessarily thinking of writing about Native Americans right now, but I might in the future, and I'd have your resources to help if and when I do. In addition, I would love to find other opportunities to "serve," as you say, such as volunteering or working with Native American authors. If you have ideas/know of opportunities for doing that, I would love to hear them.<br />Again, great post. I look forward to reading more of your posts.<br />Take care.Lilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15521002666185990825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-37681681994375825992016-03-10T10:38:39.966-05:002016-03-10T10:38:39.966-05:00Thank you so much, Ann!Thank you so much, Ann!karastewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17689384820233898083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-65191344829691123752016-03-10T10:38:03.819-05:002016-03-10T10:38:03.819-05:00Hi Jackie! Nice to meet you. Thank you for your ki...Hi Jackie! Nice to meet you. Thank you for your kind words and insight. Perhaps we are kindred spirits. I subscribed to your blog! karastewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17689384820233898083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-48518966208988756012016-03-10T10:01:54.371-05:002016-03-10T10:01:54.371-05:00Thank you, Kara. Thank you for encouraging writers...Thank you, Kara. Thank you for encouraging writers to breathe cultural truth into everything we write. This is a wonderful piece. Congratulations!Ann Eisensteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04582750605756195380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-90709805758442086232016-03-10T00:34:45.682-05:002016-03-10T00:34:45.682-05:00A friend and fellow winner of the 2015 Emerging Vo...A friend and fellow winner of the 2015 Emerging Voices Award from SCBWI sent me the link to your post... And I'm glad she has because this is exactly how I feel. I am a member of the Northern Arapaho and write about our tribe because it's what I know best. Ask me to write about the Bronx and I would be lost! Research can only cover so much and it's thru my conversations with our elders and my own experiences that have breathed life into my story. I have just started blogging again on my site - ArapahoLegends.com - and have been amazed by the encouragement I've been getting from my tribe. One of the things I always say is that we need to be the ones telling our story and it's been exciting to see people listening to our side... Thanks again for sharing your blog and a shout out to Judy Allen Dodson for sharing it with me! Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01510268271225769152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-17241692470150017352016-03-08T14:49:10.802-05:002016-03-08T14:49:10.802-05:00Keep speaking up for accurate storytelling and rep...Keep speaking up for accurate storytelling and representation of Native Americans. Linda A.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16517546647672781332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-84077752970617738002016-03-07T12:30:19.287-05:002016-03-07T12:30:19.287-05:00Much appreciated!Much appreciated!karastewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17689384820233898083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-886965082444227972016-03-07T08:38:11.989-05:002016-03-07T08:38:11.989-05:00thanks so much for this thoughtful and enlightenin...thanks so much for this thoughtful and enlightening piece. Sharing on facebook and twitter. <br />Margaret H. Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10381192568329576871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-39090521414463890932016-03-06T19:43:05.227-05:002016-03-06T19:43:05.227-05:00Thank you, Alison!Thank you, Alison!karastewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17689384820233898083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-29055135951144798692016-03-06T19:23:36.306-05:002016-03-06T19:23:36.306-05:00Wonderful, informative blog, Kara! This needed to ...Wonderful, informative blog, Kara! This needed to be said. Alison DeLucahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06979026382091362305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-76839461040017668102016-03-06T18:08:02.284-05:002016-03-06T18:08:02.284-05:00Thank you, Mira! Our life's missions are align...Thank you, Mira! Our life's missions are aligned. :)karastewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17689384820233898083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-1943813465140454202016-03-06T17:48:31.365-05:002016-03-06T17:48:31.365-05:00Kara, I'd be delighted to include a link to th...Kara, I'd be delighted to include a link to this on all of our writing courses! As you know, making the world a better place through kid lit and anti-racist education is my life's work, hence all the scholarships that we give and group discussions of these issues. Really happy to know you and be part of each others' journeys.Mira Reisberg AKA The Picture Book Whispererhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15380813949651552996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-70090256617812793042016-03-06T10:59:37.034-05:002016-03-06T10:59:37.034-05:00Hi Ann, thank you so much for reading my article a...Hi Ann, thank you so much for reading my article and for your thoughtful comment. First, I'd say your observation "For some it is a story. For some it is true." is really the crux of the whole issue. We are trying to get people to see that it IS life and does have enormous impact on living people. As for your question about how should white people and black people discuss the topic tactfully, I'd say the first step is to make friends outside of your race. Make African American friends. Care about them. Get to know them and their families. Have the discussion. Many times, the white person is afraid to bring it up, but the person of another race welcomes the frank discussion as a way to share information and feelings. As far as a list of Native consultants, the best I can do is to ask you to take full advantage of Debbie Reese's article about beta readers, which will mean some investigatory research on your part. And yes, tribes are very different. Not just very different but a good analogy would be that you wouldn't expect a French, a German and a Spanish character to be the same because they are all European. Tribes are like that. So very different. In language, customs, traditions, people, looks, regions, norms, etc. So you wouldn't expect to find a 'European consultant' who could guide you through writing all characters of European descent. You'd have to do some investigating and immersing yourself in each culture and getting to know the people and being aware that they may be suspicious of your intent. It's the same for Natives. Thank you again for your thoughtful comment. "For some it is story. For some it is true." This one line could have replaced my entire blog post! :)<br />karastewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17689384820233898083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4355384921028593826.post-39624110971902884122016-03-06T10:44:14.774-05:002016-03-06T10:44:14.774-05:00I entered this territory in curiosity and due to a...I entered this territory in curiosity and due to a character of a story I have written. I changed the character from native american ancestry to african american. Since I've never published, it is really not a strong concern. <br />I know native americans abhor wannabees. In the Southeast, everybody and their brother has a family story of native americans in their family tree.<br />This is too much to ask one person I know. But how should whites and blacks go about discussing this topic tactfully. For some it is a story. For some it is true. <br />I guess I am asking for a list of native american consultants. I have followed Debbie Reese's blog and it is informative. However, there is a huge difference between different native american tribes. <br />My mother is from DeKalb County Alabama to give you a frame of reference. Ann Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17759967601352382204noreply@blogger.com