Narrative

by Callie Riabov

Have you ever been sitting in class, or a less formal setting such as the dinner table, and truly questioned the accuracy of the historical “facts” being told to you, or even the intentions the messenger of those “facts” may have? Although not a common term one thinks of when discussing topics within Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS), narrative restraint is a concept that dominates the field. Often overlooked in terms of existing literature and discussion, it is embedded in every facet of NAIS. Oftentimes Indigenous history is stolen and retold by people who contain heavy biases and ill intent; this leads to a need for restraint to be practiced in two ways.

First, members of Native American and Indigenous communities can continue to find power in reclaiming their narratives and keeping them as their own while also coming to terms with the fact that, as author Saidiya Hartman says, they are often histories of an unrecoverable past. Second, students and educators can try to avoid filling in every unknown piece of history and practice restraint by leaving room for interpretation, or even more importantly allow space for members of Native American and Indigenous communities to reclaim their own truth. We as a community of students, learners, friends, and educators must become more aware of unjust historical biases and therefore practice restraint when discussing their stories, as nobody is better suited to tell a historical narrative than those whose relatives or community members have a direct tie.

“Narrative,” as well as how it ties in with the role of restraint, can be interpreted in several ways. In terms of etymological history, the word narrative connects back to the 1971 definition of narrativity, which relates to the act of “presenting a story.”[1] This applies directly to the way that Native American narratives, as they get retold and re-presented, become misconstrued over time, often by people who wrongfully think they have a right to present their version of these stories. The word “restraint,” defined as the action of “holding back” stems from the Latin word,restringere, meaning "draw back tightly, tie back; confine, check."[2] The act of confinement, which is the act of restricting someone or something within certain limits, is the exact technique that can be used to overcome the false narratives of Native history spread by non-Natives. By making strides to reclaim their own narratives and draw attention to these underlying issues, they can simultaneously restrict access to their history and personal narratives. As a culmination of these separate interpretations, Hartman defines “narrative restraint” as a method of “refusal to fill in the gaps and provide closure”[3] in order to “respect black noise” and “to imagine what cannot be verified” (12).

These falsified versions of Native American history come in many forms. For example, the concept of “firsting” described by historian Jean M. O’Brien illustrates how there is a common narrative among New England history which asserts that “non-Indians were the first people to erect the proper institutions of a social order worthy of notice (xii).”[4]O’Brien specifically describes this as a “scripting choice” that subtly argues that New English institutions are superior and are the epitome of modernity (6). This discussion of scripting can be seen within film, media, and the broader entertainment industry, as it is an industry that has historically skewed Native American narratives for their own benefits, placing the value of entertainment over historical accuracy and respect. When these false and negative depictions of Native Americans are seen in the media, it becomes too easy for people to consume and therefore accept them as truth.[5]

Movies are one way that this is displayed; they are made to be a fun, lighthearted form of entertainment for people of all ages to absorb at the expense of Native Americans. This is especially dangerous when shown to children, who are the most malleable and vulnerable to believing these depictions and therefore growing up with this unfavorable and inaccurate perception in their minds. For example, Disney movies, which are known and loved by people all over the world, have a poor track record in this realm. This was seen in the famous movie Peter Pan, where numerous racist statements and stereotypical elements of Native American culture and practices are portrayed.[6] Further, the character of John in the film refers to the Native Americans as “quite savage” and describes them as “less intelligent.”

This displays the harmful storytelling aspect of the term “narrative” to a tee. The detrimental spreading of false narratives has had a large impact on the Native American community and has proven to be powerful. This power can be channeled into the way in which Native Americans reclaim their truth and their personal history, which can “be done through proper storytelling where films, TV programs, and other media are generated by Indigenous people about Indigenous people.”[7] For example, this is the goal of a group called We R Native, who are actively working to tell their own stories to the world so they can literally change the narrative through film, television, and other media. Further, a whole new generation of Native directors, producers, and writers are continuing this effort in many ways.

Film producer Bird Runningwater, who belongs to the Cheyenne and Mescalero Apache Tribes, said that “it took more than 20 years to convince industry gatekeepers that there’s promise and value in Indigenous stories for film and TV.”[8] He also guided the Sundance Institute’s investment in Native American and Indigenous filmmakers and therefore helped build a global Indigenous film community for twenty years. These efforts from Native directors, writers, and filmmakers have additionally been displayed, for example, in 2020 and 2021 when three Native-themed TV comedies— “Rutherford Falls,” “Reservation Dogs,” and “Resident Alien”—earned many nominations and awards, sparking national praise from audiences and critics. What is key about these TV shows is that many of the Native writers have known each other closely for years, and the relationships in the shows are often based on these real-life relationships. Overall, Bird Runningwater’s experiences and challenges in the industry are a clear indicator of a wider issue surrounding the gatekeeping of industries (entertainment, academia, and so on) that have the power and resources to spread narratives in the ways they want. As Michael Greyeyes, a Muskeg Lake Cree Nation actor, director, scholar and choreographer puts it, there is still lots to be done in this movement, and leaders in the entertainment industry need to “get out of the way” and make room for Native people in the entertainment industry to spread their narratives to the world.

The Historical Predicament

What is “the historical predicament” that Indigenous communities grapple with? Author Michel-Rolph Trouillot illustrates this clearly through his statement about how “the production of historical narratives involves the uneven contribution of competing groups and individuals who have unequal access to the means for such production” (xxi).[9]One key area where these unequal power dynamics and contributions apply directly to my intended audience is the role of academic institutions. The academic world effectively uses their access and clout within their fields of expertise to institutionalize and entrench false and biased narratives. These versions of history are pushed into their communities and continue to be passed down to further generations and accepted as the uncontested truth. This role of monopoly and power dynamics within academia is supported heavily by Trouillot’s statement that “as history continues to solidify professionally… the impact of academic history increases, even if indirectly (20).[10] One should place heavy weight on the word “solidify” here, as it really illustrates the alarming impact that these institutions have; they prop up their few experts on a field, and whether or not these experts have personal background or stake in the narratives they are pushing, these narratives often face little to no pushback. They make it so that it feels highly out of the norm to dare question these experts.

The appropriate question, then, to ask here is: who gets to tell these narratives? What are the intentions of these individuals? It is important to always approach these retellings and various interpretations of Native American and Indigenous narratives with a degree of skepticism; this is crucial when the narratives are being shared by individuals who have no personal ties to what they are speaking on. Even when someone’s intentions may be good, their personal biases and interpretations can still be heavily flawed and lacking in many key areas. Being skeptical when it comes to intentions is one way that individuals can show restraint; we must not be easily swayed by every piece of information that comes our way. Restraint should also be shown on the part of these storytellers as well. When they are promoting certain narratives, they must understand that it is not always their place to fill in all of the blanks and answer unknown questions just because they think they know the answer, or they want to appear as though they do. One must understand that it is not always their job to know and share all of the answers, even if they are deemed an expert in that field.

It is okay to leave things to be figured out and interpreted by someone else; nobody has the right to tell the personal history of another individual. Rather, leaving these unanswered questions alone can be beneficial, as it makes room for a “possibility of a radical unfinished openness.”[11] This openness can then be filled by the rightful group or individual that has a personal stake in the narrative. It is up to the rightful owners of this history to reclaim their narrative exactly how and when they want to.

Reclaiming One’s Own History: Overcoming the Historical Predicament

How can restraint be used to overcome this historical predicament of problematic narratives? There are two major solutions here. First, narrative restraint can be channeled by Native American and Indigenous communities to take back what is rightfully theirs. They can take their time to decide whether or not they want to release their truth to the world, therefore exercising restraint if they choose to keep their true history private. Second, as touched on earlier in terms of the media, Native American and Indigenous communities can work together to reclaim and retell their history themselves by promoting new and accurate narratives, essentially using storytelling as a tool.

The action of “refusal” discussed by Columbia University professor and author Audra Simpson further highlights the way in which pushing back against what is accepted by the general public can be influential. Particularly, Audra asks the question of “what happens when we refuse what all (presumably) ‘sensible’ people perceive as good things?... When we add Indigenous people to this question, the assumptions and the histories that structure what is perceived to be ‘good’... shifts and stands in stark relief” (1).[12] She truly sheds light on what can be brought to the surface when people take a stand and push back against the individuals who a large majority of people look up to as “good” and correct. By refusing to accept the alleged experts who stand behind claims that what they are doing is morally right, the new, accurate, and strikingly contrasting versions of these narratives can finally come to light.

Moving Forward      

On a larger scale, a simple way to ensure that the future generations are not being given such a skewed version of history, is that they must be presented with multiple narratives in both informal settings such as their home environment, as well as formal settings like classrooms. David J. O’Connor, an American Indian studies consultant, explains how important it is to acknowledge that “conventional versions of history frequently neglect the stories of traditionally marginalized communities,” and how infusing multiple narratives into one classroom setting is a good first step in combating this.[13]This goes for any marginalized group, as O’Connor states.

Exposing children to a variety of narratives is effective, but it is only the start to a wider movement in which the monopolies that academic institutions have over these narratives are challenged so thoroughly that they no longer become the norm. Only when the power of these narratives becomes unlearned and the biases shattered, can they be reclaimed by their rightful owners. We as college students, intaking different forms of narratives each and every day whether that be in class, around friends and peers, or on social media, must remain skeptical. As we rewire our thinking, this skepticism will begin to come naturally, and from there we can question when something appears skewed or wrong. We must always remember to practice restraint, as to not cross any boundaries and fill in stories that are not ours to tell. 

Works Cited

Bruce-Jones, Eddie. “Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments: Intimate Histories of Social Upheaval.” Feminist Review, no. 125, 2020, pp. 110-116. Sage, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0141778920917910.

Eason, Arianne E., et al. “Reclaiming Representations & Interrupting the Cycle of Bias Against Native Americans.” Daedalus, 2018, pp. 70-77. AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS & SCIENCES.

EchoHawk, Crystal. “Using Narrative to Shift the Culture of Indigenous Representation.” Stanford Social Innovation Review, 25 February 2021, https://ssir.org/articles/entry/stolen_land_stolen_bodies_and_stolen_stories#. Accessed 1 May 2024.

Hartman, Saidiya. “Venus in Two Acts.” Small Axe, vol. 12, no. 2, 2008, pp. 1-14. Project Muse, https://muse.jhu.edu/article/241115.

Hunter, Robert D. Reclaiming Indigenous Narratives through Critical Discourses and the Autonomy of the Trickster. 2014. Digital Commons at Michigan Tech, Michigan Technological University, https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1752&context=etds.

Kelley, Devon. “What is Ledger Art? – Eighth Generation.” Eighth Generation, 26 January 2023, https://eighthgeneration.com/blogs/blog/what-is-ledger-art. Accessed 29 May 2024.

“Narrative.” Oxford English Dictionary, https://www.oed.com/search/dictionary/?scope=Entries&q=narrative&tl=true.

O'Brien, Jean M. Firsting and Lasting: Writing Indians Out of Existence in New England. University of Minnesota Press, 2010.

O'Connor, David J. “Infusing Multiple Narratives in History Classrooms: Native American Studies.” HMH, 4 November 2021, https://www.hmhco.com/blog/infusing-multiple-narratives-in-history-classrooms-native-american-studies. Accessed 1 May 2024.

“Reclaiming Our Stories Through Media and Film.” We R Native, https://www.wernative.org/articles/reclaiming-our-stories-through-media-and-film. Accessed 1 May 2024.

“Reclaiming Our Stories Through Media and Film.” We R Native, https://www.wernative.org/articles/reclaiming-our-stories-through-media-and-film. Accessed 25 May 2024.

“restraint | Etymology of restraint by etymonline.” Online Etymology Dictionary, 26 July 2021, https://www.etymonline.com/word/restraint#etymonline_v_30045. Accessed 1 May 2024.

Simpson, Audra. Mohawk Interruptus: Political Life Across the Borders of Settler States. Duke University Press, 2014.

Taliman, Valerie. “The Paradigm Shifters: Showing Real Native Lives on Screen | NMAI Magazine.” American Indian Magazine, 2021, https://www.americanindianmagazine.org/story/Indigenous-produced-television. Accessed 29 May 2024.

Trouillot, Michel-Rolph. Silencing the past: power and the production of history. Beacon Press, 1995.

20-person Advisory Committee. “Research | Reclaiming Native Truth.” Reclaiming Native Truth, https://rnt.firstnations.org/research/. Accessed 1 May 2024.

[1] “Narrative.” Oxford English Dictionary, https://www.oed.com/search/dictionary/?scope=Entries&q=narrative&tl=true.

[2] “restraint | Etymology of restraint by etymonline.” Online Etymology Dictionary, 26 July 2021, https://www.etymonline.com/word/restraint#etymonline_v_30045. Accessed 1 May 2024.

[3] Hartman, Saidiya. “Venus in Two Acts.” Small Axe, vol. 12, no. 2, 2008, pp. 1-14. Project Muse, https://muse.jhu.edu/article/241115.

[4] O'Brien, Jean M. Firsting and Lasting: Writing Indians Out of Existence in New England. University of Minnesota Press, 2010.

[5] Eason, Arianne E., et al. “Reclaiming Representations & Interrupting the Cycle of Bias Against Native Americans.” Daedalus, 2018, pp. 70-77. AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS & SCIENCES.

[6] “Reclaiming Our Stories Through Media and Film.” We R Native, https://www.wernative.org/articles/reclaiming-our-stories-through-media-and-film. Accessed 25 May 2024.

[7] “Reclaiming Our Stories Through Media and Film.” We R Native, https://www.wernative.org/articles/reclaiming-our-stories-through-media-and-film. Accessed 25 May 2024. 

[8] Taliman, Valerie. “The Paradigm Shifters: Showing Real Native Lives on Screen | NMAI Magazine.” American Indian Magazine, 2021, https://www.americanindianmagazine.org/story/Indigenous-produced-television. Accessed 29 May 2024.

[9] Trouillot, Michel-Rolph. Silencing the past: power and the production of history. Beacon Press, 1995.

[10] Trouillot, Michel-Rolph. Silencing the past: power and the production of history. Beacon Press, 1995.

[11] Bruce-Jones, Eddie. “Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments: Intimate Histories of Social Upheaval.” Feminist Review, no. 125, 2020, pp. 110-116. Sage, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0141778920917910. 

[12] Simpson, Audra. Mohawk Interruptus: Political Life Across the Borders of Settler States. Duke University Press, 2014.

[13] O'Connor, David J. “Infusing Multiple Narratives in History Classrooms: Native American Studies.” HMH, 4 November 2021, https://www.hmhco.com/blog/infusing-multiple-narratives-in-history-classrooms-native-american-studies. Accessed 1 May 2024.