Page 7 - The Native American Experience

the 318 Indian reservations located in “[Hollywood has long
35 states. The remaining 70 percent depicted] all Indians . . . as
of Native Americans live in towns, horse-riding; tipi-dwelling;
cities, suburbs, and rural areas all bow-, arrow- and rifl e-
across America. Some call them- wielding; buckskin-, feather-
selves Native Americans. Others and fringe-wearing warriors.” 1
prefer American Indians, Indians,
or indigenous Americans. Many ex- — Kevin Gover, director of the National
Museum of the American Indian
press their roots by referring to their
nation’s name in their own language,
nation’s name in their own language,
such as Diné (Navajo) or Tsalagi (Cherokee).
such as Diné (Navajo) or Tsalagi (Cherokee).

Vibrant and Thriving

While Native Americans are often viewed through a lens of nos-
talgia as part of America’s vanishing past, they remain a vibrant
part of today’s culture. In 2022 Native Americans were making the
news in media, politics, the arts, and activism. Deb Haaland of the
Pueblo of Laguna in New Mexico was chosen by President Joe
Biden to be US secretary of the interior, the fi rst Native American to
serve in a president’s cabinet. On television Reservation Dogs, co-
created by Seminole fi lmmaker Sterlin Harjo, is the fi rst show cre-
ated with an entirely indigenous cast and production team. Young
Native American environmental activists like Jasilyn Charger and
Xiuhtezcatl Martinez are fi ghting to protect the environment from
oil drilling and climate change. In the world of art, the works of es-
teemed Salish painter Jaune Quick-to-See Smith can be viewed in
prestigious museums, including the Whitney Museum of American
Art in New York City and the National Gallery of Art in Washington,
DC. Seneca sculptor Marie Watt and other indigenous artists are
presenting Native American views and voices at major exhibitions
in museums across the country.
These luminaries and others are serving as warriors for their
communities, as Robert Martin, president of the Institute of
American Indian Arts, explains: “Indigenous warriors are cultural
and spiritual leaders who are responsible for protecting the land,

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