Battling the stereotypes of Native Americans and Indigenizing the News with Meghanlata Gupta
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (CW50) - Frustrated with the lack of Indigenous education offered in media and educational institutions, Meghanlata Gupta created a space where Indigenous peoples and allies could build a community dedicated to growing representation in news.
That space is called Indigenizing the News, a digital news organization dedicated to Native American and Indigenous cultures, histories, and contemporary issues.
Gupta is a journalist and historian at Yale University, who created the organization out of a project while attending Yale as a student. The project has grown into an outlet used by Indigenous peoples and allies with the founding principle that education in these topics are important to all.
Gupta joined Community Connect to discuss the founding of Indigenizing the News, the importance of teaching Native American histories and cultures in schools and debunking the stereotypes of Native Americans.
Some of the stereotypes she debunked included the fact that some believe that Native Americans no longer exist, all indigenous peoples are the same, they only live on reservations, and they all look like the caricatures we see in cartoons and on sports logos, and that their cultures are for everyone. All of these beliefs are false and harmful to these nations and peoples. Especially the belief that their cultures and practices are OK for everyone to partake in.
"It is not OK to dress up as an Indian chief, princess or any variation of that. It is not OK to wear war paint, headdresses, or engage in Native-inspired ceremonies."
She also discussed the common use of terms like "powwow" for meetings, "Indian giver," "spirit animal," and "off the reservation" and how they are offensive.
Gupta also talked about the power allies can have in making a difference in stereotypes, and peoples self-education on Native American nations, histories, and contemporary lives.
Learn more at IndigenizingTheNews.com
See Meghanlata Gupta's full interview on Community Connect, Saturday at 7 a.m. on CW50