The following story was written and reported by David Michaud, Native Sun
News Correspondent. All content © Native Sun News.
Brandon Ecoffey, Native Sun News Managing Editor, will be one of the guest speakers at the forum.
Media topic of Native forum
By David Michaud
Native Sun News Correspondent
RAPID CITY - With widespread under representation and misrepresentation in the media, a forum has been set up to address this age-old problem.
Business and community representatives are coming together to discuss ways to update the image of Native Americans in media and advertising at the Ite Sni: Natives in Advertising Discussion and Public Forum. Natives have only been shown as being a part of history and not a member of current society and this discussion, held at South Dakota School of Mines at 5:30 p.m. on July 1, will try to rectify that.
“Topics include the historical perception of Natives in the media and how advertisers utilized those images, either positively or negatively,” said Oglala Lakota journalist and discussion attendee Karin Eagle. “We will also discuss how those created images have affected the Native communities.”
These perceived images, such as of the savage Indian, have kept Native Americans from advancing into mainstream media in a contemporary manner. This keeps Natives from being seen by those not familiar with them how they really are and actually live, like every day Americans.
“Native people have either been misrepresented or completely left out of mainstream media for decades,” said Brandon Ecoffey, managing editor of Native Sun News. “Until newspapers that were Native-owned, papers such as the original Lakota Times and Indian Country Today, came along, Indians in South Dakota did not have a recognizable voice,” Ecoffey said.
“With the emergence of Native owned and Native run media outlets we now have an opportunity to reclaim and reassert our own voice in print, radio and advertising,” said Ecoffey.
Having Native owned media outlets allow for more Natives to tell their own stories and help to be active contributors in telling their own stories.
“I think as natural storytellers Natives would be quite excellent in advertising. Our almost instinctive creativity would be invaluable in all forms of media and advertising,” said Eagle. “I would hope that our own people would take the initiative in creating more accurate images coming out of our communities, but also that non-Native professionals would be aware of the fact that we care how we are portrayed and that we are here to consult with.”
To help reach out in the media Advertisers have been invited to come to the discussion, which was started by Jason Alley who owns an advertising firm in Rapid City. Alley had a great amount of input into setting up this event.
“Jason Alley is the person pulling the event together, along with Jesse Abernathy, Charise Abernathy, Elizabeth Cook-Lynn and Brandon Ecoffey who will round out the panel, along with myself,” said Eagle.
The panel will be asked questions by Alley and will be offered a chance to comment on each of them, adding whatever their feelings are on the issue. The discussion is not only for the panelists and business leaders invited though.
“I’m hoping that we have many of our youth show up with questions of their own who are interested in recognizing the history of how we, as Natives, have been portrayed or ignored. More importantly in what options are available currently to change that course,” said Eagle.
“I’d love to see a genuine debate occur between the panel and the audience that enlightens both sides. I want to learn more, as a journalist, how this young generation needs me to help define or redefine them!” said Eagle.
One thing that is agreed upon by all attendees though is that this should have been done before today.
“Actually, it was done before,” countered Tim Giago, founder of the Native American Journalists Association. “I founded NAJA 30 years ago and built it into a national organization that addresses this very issue. We held a forum in Rapid City in 1990 sponsored by my newspaper Indian Country Today that was titled, ‘Native Americans and the Media.’” Giago said that it was a long time ago and people have a tendency to forget.
The Native American Journalists Association will be holding their 30th Anniversary Convention in Phoenix on July 18 – 20 and Giago will keynote the luncheon session on July 19.
“I’m glad to see that some of the younger Indian journalists are stepping forward to reinvest their efforts into this longtime and ongoing problem. Most of them weren’t even born when veteran Indian journalists like Harriet Skye, Ron Holt, Avis Little Eagle, Amanda Takes War Bonnett, Jodi Lee Rave, Richard LaCourse, Suzanne Harjo, Chuck Trimble, Ivan Starr, Doris Giago, and I were making the first efforts to break down many of the barriers that are still standing,” Giago said. “We may not get the credit for it today, but our efforts did bring about many positive changes.”
“There would never have been a Year of Reconciliation nor would South Dakota be the only State in the Union to celebrate a State holiday called Native American Day if an Indian newspaper named Indian Country Today hadn’t fought tooth and nail to make it happen,” Giago said.
He encouraged anyone interested in seeing a more balanced media in South Dakota to attend the forum and make it a two-way conversation.
(Contact David Michaud at www.facebook.com/BulldawgMichaud)
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