Voices of Representation Still Much In Need

Re/presentation is much related to Agent/cy in that there is a power relationship at play with regards to who is enabled the voice in the representation. As Cooper and Johnson express, it can be detrimental to a people if the person providing a representation about them is uninformed and ill-intentioned.

I am actually preparing to complete my student teaching on the Navajo Reservation next Fall, so during my coursework for the program, I have reviewed various representations of American Indians in the media and learned about their history and contemporary issues. Johnson touches upon some of the stereotypes, but certainly there are more, and though this was written over 100 years ago, I'm sure we all know that the stereotypes still exist. When I tell people I'm going to the reservation, people "joke" that I'm going to teach little Injuns and ask me if I'm going to use peyote. Yeah, this bothers me, but it is much worse for those who actually are of Native American descent.

Johnson is correct in her assertion that often the inclusion of an Indian character in literature is to "lend a dash of vivid coloring to an otherwise tame and somber picture of colonial life" (Johnson 388). You know, because Indians are wild savages, and that always makes for a fascinating tale.

But there is hope. As Johnson suggests that "voices like her own were needed to correct false impressions that had a damning effect on the 'Redman [who] has suffered enough," today Native Americans push for "self-determination" (Johnson 385). For good reason, they want more control and agency over their lives. With regards to education, there is a desire for the curriculum to involve Indians voices and address topics and issues pertinent to the lives of Native Americans. This a move away from assimilation. What this means for me as someone who will be teaching children on the reservation is that I will need to create culturally relevant lessons, and certainly that will include looking at stereotyped and truthful representations of American Indians and providing an avenue for students to share their voices.