Covering Indian Country Blog

Tribal Recognition and Identity

A Reporter’s Perspective:  Asking the Touchy Question, Looking for the Real Answer

On the first full day of the Covering Indian Country seminar and we’ve all learned this about American Indian etiquette: Never ask someone if they’re “full-blooded.”

We received this advice from Cristina Azocar and Kenneth Adams, members of the Upper Mattaponni Tribe in Virginia. (Adams is chief, and Azocar is his niece.) They were part of the final session in a day that included talks by staff members of the National Museum of the American Indian, an abbreviated but excellent tour of the museum and a personal session with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., chair of the Committee on Indian Affairs.

Even such a short time into a week of learning about American Indian issues, it’s clear that Indian Country is a specialized topic. Tribal governments, native traditions, cultural nuances.  One could spend a lifetime learning about the American-Indian experience and still have several lifetimes of material left to learn – as made clear by speaker Patricia Zell, who is into a 30-year career working on American Indian issues.

But in other ways, covering American Indians is not a unique experience: Talking about race, ethnicity and culture are touchy subjects no matter who you’re covering.

Part of the aim of the seminar is to learn to cover American Indian issues with sensitivity. So it’s good we established on the first day that the “full-blooded” question is insulting. But is it a good idea to avoid questions because they’re potentially insulting or, at the least, uncomfortable?

I, and the others in my group, say no. We’re reporters. It’s our job to ask questions. This topic reminds me of the bumper sticker “Polite women rarely make history.” I usually don’t like bumper stickers and try not to quote them, I can’t argue with this statement, even when it’s plastered on the rear-end of a car. The same can be said of reporting. Let’s modify it to, “Intimidated reporters rarely write interesting stories.”

In stories about American Indian issues, background matters. Is your dad Indian? Your mom? Do you live on a reservation? Why? Why not?  Did other kids tease you about your heritage? Does it hurt that you’re light-skinned and feel you have to justify your claim of American Indian heritage to others?  Maybe a reporter will feel self-conscious asking these questions, but in many cases asking them will result in a better and more compassionate, thoroughly reported story.

During Black History Month, my paper (The Asheville Citizen-Times in Asheville, N.C.) concentrated on covering stories important to the black community. Frank discussions about race were necessary, and the result was some very satisfying reporting. Sometimes it’s not comfortable to ask, or answer, questions like, “Do you prefer to be called black or African-American,” or, “Did you experience racism as a child?” or, “Is it at all frustrating that the small number of blacks in this community means there’s a small chance you’ll ever have a black representative in local government?” But the interviews taught me that usually, people want to talk about their experiences, especially if questions are posed in a sincere desire to learn.

American Indians throughout the day stressed that news coverage of their issues will help their cause. They said they want stories that go beyond stereotypes to the core of issues like sovereignty, gaming, health care and education that truly affect their lives. The journalists in this seminar seem truly interested in understanding the American Indian experience and want to cover the issues. But our jobs require that sometimes all involved endure discomfort to produce a relevant story.  Sure, there are tricky questions, but if any of us are going to accomplish our goals, we’ve got to ask them anyway.

Jill Ingram
Asheville (N.C.) Citizen-Times

Posted on 03.08.05 at 2:02 AM by Victor Merina