Editor’s note: This is the first of a series of monthly columns by Ryan Winn, a member of the faculty at the College of Menominee Nation. The columns will explore Native American culture and history and the impact on both native and non-native communities. The first column expands on an earlier Shawano Leader story, “Misinformation, the stories we choose to tell.”
To paraphrase Cherokee writer Diane Glancy, if America is a melting pot, then the Native cultural practices that endure today are things that wouldn’t melt — and for very good reasons. Gerald Vizenor (White Earth Anishinaabe) defines Native perseverance against settler colonialism as “survivance” — which combines both survival and resistance as a process rather than an ending point. Survivance is an active act that doesn’t succumb to assimilation—meaning that culture that endures does so to protect native people.
This preamble is to say, it is an impossible task to reduce the 574 distinct Native American nations within the United States to a single survivance response on any topic, that includes recognizing misinformation. That being noted, there are some common threads across native teachings.
First of all, misinformation is, obviously words that are intended to persuade an audience. Words are necessary for stories, and, according to Cherokee scholar Thomas King, “Stories are all we are.” This is a philosophy that is reflected in all Native American creation stories, because these stories, often told through an oral tradition, explain the worldview, beliefs, values, and culture of a given society.
Similarly, the Biblical book of John affirms the values of words (and by extension stories) in Christian’s creation beliefs — “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Since the United States is, at its heart, or at least its founding, a Judeo-Christian nation, my hope is that we can all agree that words form the foundation for core beliefs in which one steers their lifeways.
Second, one of the things that didn’t melt is that across the United States, Native people begin orations by introducing themselves. This is often done in one’s indigenous language, but I contend that it can be in English (or Spanish) and still convey the cultural practice of stating one’s name and perhaps ties to one’s community or family.
The point is this — Native people begin by staking their reputation on the words they are about to share. This predates candidates being forced to say, “I approve this message” in their campaigns, but the purpose is intended to be the same — an affirmation stating that the speaker stands behind the words being spoken. In short, honesty is a cultural value that is ingrained in communicative practice of Native people. If stories are all we are; they better be true stories.
Third, Native people’s stories are not privileged in American society. From tales of the Wild West to the battles to protect water sources, Native stories and Native views are not elevated as the most significant stories being told.
Case in point, it is impossible to tell the story of 1920s women’s suffrage without the contributions of Gertrude Simmons Bonnin (Yankton Dakota), Louise Bottineau Baldwin (Turtle Mountain Chippewa), and Laura Cornelius Kellogg (Wisconsin Oneida), but how often have we heard their names in this year’s centennial celebrations? The Native stories shared most are of people best known for giving land away — Pocahontas and Sacagawea — because they fit the narrative of Manifest Destiny.
Fourth, since their stories are not privileged, the aspects of information most interrogated by Native people are those that speak directly to their values. The Menominee tribe’s value statement reads, “As Omāēqnomenēwak (People of the Wild Rice), we value our children, elders, and each other, preserving our language, tradition, history and culture.” Misinformation that conflicts with those values are most likely to be refuted.
Fifth, native people are earning post-secondary degrees in American institutions which teach all of their students how to spot misinformation. The best schools, such as Tribal Colleges and Universities including the College of Menominee Nation, teach these principles of critical thinking in culturally affirming ways.
So, if stories are all we are — then words are sacred. People and entities who advance misinformation are therefore profane. To combat this affront, Americans could look to the First Nations people for guidance on how to spot and resist profane misinformation by privileging Native American stories. When they do, they will discover a model of how best to stake their reputation on their words, their words on their values, and their values on their future.
Ryan Winn teaches English, theater and liberal studies at the College of Menominee Nation. He also writes regular columns for the Tribal College Journal and American History Magazine.
Native American values trump ‘misinformation’
