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What Tourists Frequently Get Wrong About Indigenous Cultures Across the United States

Connecting to our country's vibrant and varied Indigenous communities begins with cultivating an understanding of their cultures.

While many travelers to the U.S. enjoy observing ceremonial dances, admiring the arts, and learning the history of Native American communities, there are many things we still unknowingly assume and get wrong about Native American cultures.

“Worldwide, Indigenous communities have been impacted by colonialization in some way, shape, or form. Travel is just one way for Indigenous communities to share their stories in their own voice and reclaim their cultures,” says Keith Henry (Métis), CEO and president of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC). “By dispelling these beliefs, travelers would better understand what the Indigenous culture really is and the many ways in which they can continue learning about it, whether through storytelling, taking part in Indigenous experiences, or attending Indigenous events.”

To begin to gain a deeper understanding of the contributions that Native Americans have made to our shared history, here are eight things that travelers frequently assume or get wrong about Native American culture.

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Myth: There’s Only One Native American Culture

“Native American culture” is often referred to as just one, though there are many—hundreds to be exact. Tony Chavarria (Santa Clara Pueblo), Curator of Ethnology at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture (MIAC) in Santa Fe, attributes this partly to TV shows and movies where only one type of Native American group is depicted.

“It’s people who wear headdresses and hunt buffalo and live in tipis. It’s been repeated over and over again, and now it’s kind of a standard,” says Chavarria. “This image became entrenched in people’s minds.”

While it is true that some Native American cultures share some commonalities, Native American culture is not a monolith. However, in the US alone, there are 574 federally recognized tribes and 63 state-recognized ones, each practicing distinct traditions, religions, and different languages.

At present, over 200 tribes across the U.S. are still fighting to be recognized, which will allow them to possess tribal sovereignty and access to government services and funding. To help museum-goers understand the vast cultural differences among Native American cultures, the Here, Now and Always exhibit at MIAC uses maps on tablets to show where the distinctly different objects in the various display cases are sourced. Oftentimes, this demonstrates that many different pueblos, the Spanish term for a village, and cultures exist in a similar region, just in New Mexico.

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Myth: 'Native American' Is the Preferred Term to Refer to All People of American Indian Descent

Though there aren’t any hard rules about which term is more appropriate to represent people of Native American descent, different individuals or nations may prefer different terms.

Samantha Honanie (Hopi-Diné), Visitor Experience Manager at the Museum of Northern Arizona, feels both “Native American” and “American Indian” are appropriate to address those of Native American descent.

“More broadly, some people are starting to use the word ‘Indigenous,’ and in some ways, that’s a lot more inclusive because it includes people from places like Canada and Mexico,” she says. “I think it’s kind of cool to be able to relate to them in that way. Even if we’re not from the same culture, it’s a shared experience that we have, being Native Americans or Indigenous peoples.”

But Honanie also notes that some individuals or nations prefer to be identified by their tribal name or cultural affiliation instead.

“I’m Hopi and Diné, so that’s how I usually introduce myself to people,” Honanie explains. “I think it’s really helpful, in one small way, of dispelling the idea that we are one big cultural group. Hopi is definitely different from Diné or Navajo, so to be able to share that helps drive the point home for people that regionally, we have different cultures.”

Hopi-Tewa artist Duane Koyawena adds that this distinction is meaningful for individuals to feel a sense of place and belonging. Because individuals differ about how they’d like to be identified, Honanie encourages those who are unsure to respectfully ask.

“Preface the question with ‘I’m visiting the area and want to learn more,’” suggests Honanie, which opens the door for conversation and clarifies your intent.

 

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Myth: Artistic and Cultural Expressions Are the Same Among All Native American Groups

“There’s quite a bit of variety in the artistic and cultural expressions created by the Native American people in the Southwest region of the US. This can include but isn’t limited to pottery, baskets, textiles, wood carving, jewelry, music, paintings, and so much more,” explains Honanie. More broadly, differences in artistic expression can also be seen between Indigenous nations worldwide.

The gift shop at the Museum of Northern Arizona groups items by culture, allowing guests to recognize the different specialties among different cultures and the specific nuances.  

“For example, a lot of Navajo silversmiths are really well known for sand cast silver work, while within the Hopi, one of the major things is a silver overlay. For Zuni, they’re really well known for their ‘fetishes,’” says Honanie of the stone animal figurines that protect and bless the owner.

Most commonly in the shape of a bear, badger, wolf, mountain lion, eagle, or mole, the Zunis believe that the spirit of each animal lives inside the fetish, which imparts its powers to the person who carries it. For example, the eagle represents power and grace, while the bear represents strength.

Koyawena notes that different cultures also have different styles. While glossy black and red finishes are characteristic of Santa Clara pottery, Acoma pottery is characterized by fine line painting, thin walls, and the extensive use of black and terracotta colors.

The growing concern that factories overseas are mass producing Native American-inspired art and selling them in art capitals like Santa Fe as authentic pieces are taking away the opportunity for visitors to support Native American artists.

“Indigenous art is not mass produced. Anywhere,” says Patsy Phillips (Cherokee Nation), Director of the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) in Santa Fe. To ensure you’re buying authentic pieces and that your dollars support Native American communities, Phillips suggests sticking to shopping at museums, and galleries that represent Native American artists and from the artists directly.
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Myth: Native Americans All Live in the Same Kind of Home

While the Plains peoples generally lived in tipis, tents made of wooden poles and dressed in animal hides, the Navajo lived in hogans, which are dome-shaped dwellings made of mud and logs. The Hopi lived in adobe houses, multi-story complexes shaped from clay, straw, and stone. In the Eastern USA, the Haudenosaunee, also known as the Iroquois, lived in longhouses, rectangular-shaped homes mostly made of timber.

“The types of homes people historically lived in were dependent on the materials available, and many of the elements of the homes have deep cultural meaning,” explains Honanie. “For example, when people are building their homes in Navajo culture, the door has to face the east. The sun coming up is a really important part of the day. So the idea is that you get up to greet the sun.”

Honanie stresses the importance of helping visitors create that separation between the traditional and more urban lifestyles that Native Americans experience.  

“Now, when people come to our region, I think it’s important to express that I don’t live in a traditional home. I live in the city.”

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Myth: Native American Cultures Are Stuck in Time

Often Native American cultures are depicted in the past tense instead of in modern-day terms.

“A lot of museums stopped collecting extensively by the Second World War, and others even before that. And so when they’re displaying items, things were often made a hundred years ago, if not more. They’re often these big headdresses, tipis, and buffalo robes, which reinforces the narrative that Native people are from the past,” suggests Chavarria of the origin of this myth.

“It’s like today if we were expecting everyone in New York to still be wearing straw boater hats, striped swimwear at the beach, and getting around in horse-drawn carriages,” Chavarria chuckles as he draws the parallel.

To help change this narrative for visitors, MIAC is collecting and displaying both older and newer objects, often side by side, to demonstrate cultural continuity and that Native American cultures, like any other, are not static. For example, a flowy satin dress by fashion designer and artist Loren Aragon (Acoma Pueblo) is displayed next to a clay jar made circa 1910 from Acoma or Laguna Pueblo, from which the dress takes inspiration. In this way, MIAC hopes to demonstrate the ability of Native American artists to create contemporary expressions using traditional objects.

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Myth: All Native American Nations Have Casinos

“A lot of people think that all Natives have casinos, and so now they’re wealthy,” says Phillips of this seemingly prevalent idea.

There are 515 tribal casinos operated by 250 tribes currently in 29 states across the U.S., with $39 billion in gross revenue reported for the 2021 fiscal year. Apart from providing career opportunities for Native Americans, profits are invested back into infrastructure on tribal land, as well as local businesses.

However, Phillips notes that not all casinos are profitable, as a lot of the success depends on its location, which needs to be within easy access to an urban center. Because most nations that profit from casinos reinvest it into their own infrastructure, very few receive payouts

“People may not support Indigenous tribes thinking they’re rich,” shares Phillips. In turn, this could undermine a visitor’s ability to form accurate or meaningful opinions about Native American cultures.

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Myth: All Native Americans Go to Powwows

Thought to have derived from the Algonquin word pau-wau, which translates to “medicine man,” powwows are a time for people to get together and honor their culture by feasting, singing, and dancing. This tradition has existed in Native American cultures for centuries under different names like “Celebration” and “Festival Gathering.” The modern “powwow,” which has gained massive popularity, is a valuable way for travelers to gain insight into Native American cultures through food, handicrafts, and song and dance.

“Powwows are ceremonies. They’re a traditional practice, and not all tribes practice this,” says Phillips of this term that’s historically reserved for celebratory purposes, like name-giving. Though nations like the Cherokee had dances called “Stomps” instead, many now take part in the powwow tradition. Often, this requires months of preparation, from working out how to travel to the site of the powwow to designing regalia for dances and practicing for drumming competitions.

“The general population will frequently say, ‘Let’s powwow,’” says Phillips. “And if used in this way to refer to a meeting, the term is disrespectful.” Because powwow doesn’t just refer to a social get-together, using it outside of its context diminishes its longstanding cultural significance.

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Myth: Traditional Knowledge Is for Everyone

Though our enthusiasm to tour pueblos and explore natural wonders like Havasu Falls and Monument Valley is well-intentioned, we often forget that access to tribal lands and knowledge is a privilege. Not all tribal lands are open to the public. The same goes for knowledge about Native American cultures.

“There are plenty of other places apart from museums where travelers can learn about Indigenous cultures. Many Indigenous-owned businesses offer immersive experiences, including culture and heritage, wildlife, nature and adventure, wellness, culinary arts and gifts, and events. Not only do these businesses offer Indigenous experiences, but they’re led by Indigenous peoples who invite you to see the beauty of their culture through their eyes,” says Henry.

But not all stories are meant to be told. As Koyawena points out, individuals in different clans assume various social and political responsibilities, but these aren’t widely displayed or talked about with the public and instead kept to themselves to protect and honor the traditional ways.

Honanie echos the sentiment: “Certain things are for people to know, and if you’re not part of that group, then you don’t know it. Everybody’s not entitled to all the traditional knowledge that there is. In greater academia, there’s the idea that people should know and have to know everything. And within our tribal groups, we have great respect that some knowledge is not for us, and that’s okay.”

1 Comments
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purepisces May 10, 2023

This is a terrific article. I experienced American Indian culture in a whole new way before writing this AAA story, Naturally Native: http://services.autoclubmo.aaa.com/traveler/mid/2013/01/naturally-native.html