Cal Black
asked
Cal Black:
Anonymizing this so no one gets singled out: "I was really uncomfortable about the Ghost elf clan living in tipis, using smudges, and appearing to be First Nations . It felt like— I hate to say it— cultural appropriation."?
Cal Black
I understand this concern is coming from a place of wanting to help, but it confuses representation and appropriation in a way that can actually lead to harm in an unintended way.
I have indigenous readers both sensitivity ones and regular, and have had multiple extensive conversations with folks of different first nations or folks who are involved in the communities of nations to ensure that the Ghost Eye Clan portrayal is respectful and not portraying anything sacred that should not be shared with settler folks. While the Six Fires people live in tipis and use smudging to clear the air, those are not what defines a nation's culture. All the beliefs mentioned in the book are fiction, and are not taken from a real-world culture.
No Land for Heroes is a western at heart, and a key factor in the 'wild west' is the presence of indigenous peoples who have traditionally been represented negatively or as the 'noble savage'. While this has changed over the years, a new trend has emerged that is equally concerning: the erasure of indigenous people from western stories completely. Instead of erasing a group that is already facing difficulty gaining recognition in popular culture, I chose to portray a group that has it's own motivations, goals, and subvert the typical tropes of a western, similar to how Millie subverts the grizzled pariah who lives on the edge of town.
If you are first nations, metis, or inuit and would like to discuss this or even just let me know if you disagree, you are welcome to reach out. I promise to listen with the intent to improve. However if you are not from these cultures, I respectfully request that you trust the voices I have engaged to know how they would prefer to be represented.
I have indigenous readers both sensitivity ones and regular, and have had multiple extensive conversations with folks of different first nations or folks who are involved in the communities of nations to ensure that the Ghost Eye Clan portrayal is respectful and not portraying anything sacred that should not be shared with settler folks. While the Six Fires people live in tipis and use smudging to clear the air, those are not what defines a nation's culture. All the beliefs mentioned in the book are fiction, and are not taken from a real-world culture.
No Land for Heroes is a western at heart, and a key factor in the 'wild west' is the presence of indigenous peoples who have traditionally been represented negatively or as the 'noble savage'. While this has changed over the years, a new trend has emerged that is equally concerning: the erasure of indigenous people from western stories completely. Instead of erasing a group that is already facing difficulty gaining recognition in popular culture, I chose to portray a group that has it's own motivations, goals, and subvert the typical tropes of a western, similar to how Millie subverts the grizzled pariah who lives on the edge of town.
If you are first nations, metis, or inuit and would like to discuss this or even just let me know if you disagree, you are welcome to reach out. I promise to listen with the intent to improve. However if you are not from these cultures, I respectfully request that you trust the voices I have engaged to know how they would prefer to be represented.
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