Diversity Toolbox
Watch Your Language
Tom Arviso Jr.
The field of journalism is a colorful one, especially when it comes to covering
the people and cultures of the world. Here in the United States, the culture
that seems to be the most misunderstood by reporters and editors is the Native
American people. Thats because what most of these journalists learned
and know about Native Americans probably came from watching old John Wayne westerns
on television. This is evident in the choice of words and terms used when writing
stories about Native Americans.
The most offensive term, used to address Native American women, is squaw.
This word came from French fur trappers and means female genitalia. Another
is redskin, which is the equivalent of using the n-word
when addressing a person of Native American ancestry. The word chief
is often misused when addressing tribal leaders a chief is a person who
has earned his or her distinguished honor by displaying strong leadership skills
within his or her specific tribe. But not all Native tribes have chiefs. Some
tribes have a chairman or chairwoman, president, and principal chief. It is
disrespectful and insulting to call someone a chief when he or she
is not.
Read The Reading Red Report, a content analysis of Native Americans in the news produced by the Native American Journalists Association and NewsWatch. [PDF]
The authors found that the best stories simply reflected good-quality and fair-minded reporting; writing and editing applied to Native America. They treated Native Americans as people rather than historical figures.
Often, though, attempts to summarize the history of U.S. relations with tribes slipped into bland generalizations because reporters lacked knowledge of federal Indian law, tribal histories and local geography.
For help on what words are best to use when, try these excellent resources:
Language
and usage overview related to disability issues
Latinos
in the United States; words and facts to know
Terminology
related to covering gay and lesbian issues, plus contact listings for various organizations
Covering
South Asia and the South Asian diaspora
It is most appropriate and respectful to identify a Native American person
by their particular tribe, band or pueblo. I am of Navajo heritage and would
rather be known as, Tom Arviso Jr., a member of the Navajo tribe,
instead of Arviso, a Native American or American Indian. This gives
an authentic description of my heritage, rather than lumping me into a whole
race of people just like African-American, Asian American or Hispanic, which
is too broad of a term and not generally used to identify someone unless absolutely
necessary.
Also, the use of American Indian and Native American are both basically correct,
as Native people use both. American Indian is the more modern term used but
the Native American Journalists Association endorses the use of Native American
as being the most appropriate, especially when covering a story.
It is important to always be aware and respectful of a persons culture
and heritage when you are writing about them. If you are not, then your story
or broadcast is basically untrue and inaccurate, and you are adding to the longstanding
ignorance of non-Native media as well as perpetuating stereotypes of Native
Americans. Most importantly, though, you will lose the respect of the Native
person you are writing about as well as those who are aware of your ignorance.
Tom Arviso Jr. is the publisher and editor of The Navajo Times, the largest Native American-owned weekly newspaper.