Storytelling Sovereignty : Indigenous Peoples and the Media

Indigenous journalism has proliferated in Indigenous communities for almost 200 years. But it has only gained global prominence in non-Indigenous communities for a little over a decade, revealing unique cultural pathways of communication that have existed for generations. At the same time, social media, streaming platforms, and other interactive digital media proliferated, enabling and empowering Native voices to connect, mobilize, and share stories internationally. In Storytelling Sovereignty, volume editors Cristina L. Azocar and Meta G. Carstarphen build upon the 2012 book American Indians and the Mass Media with a brand-new volume to showcase the diversity and resilience of Indigenous storytelling in today's media context. Together, their contributors—ranging from media scholars to Indigenous content creators—document experiences, analyze representations, and provide a platform for a conversation about how mass media can lead consumers toward social justice.

Azocar and Carstarphen elegantly combine scholarly chapters with interviews with well-known Indigenous authors and media practitioners, including—among others—journalists Mark N. Trahant (Shoshone-Bannock Tribes) and Tsanavi Spoonhunter (Northern Arapaho Tribe and Northern Paiute descendant); actor, writer, and producer Tai Leclaire (Mohawk Nation); and rappers LiL Mike and FunnyBone (Pawnee Nation). Indigenous voices and experiences therefore frame and ground the scholarship. Part one, "News," examines news-gathering about Indigenous communities and explores media and Native identity through the framework of Indigenous Standpoint Theory, which centers Indigenous knowledge, experiences, and perspectives. Part two, "Multimedia," spotlights Indigenous perspectives about social media, radio, television, and filmmaking. And in part three, "Influence," an array of media producers and scholars demonstrate how Indigenous identities use media, from rap to documentary filmmaking, to reflect authentic experiences and reject harmful stereotypes.

At a time when media serve as a particularly powerful tool for cultural expression and political agency, it has also played an indelible role in Indigenous storytelling. Storytelling Sovereignty helps readers not only understand Indigenous-produced media but also why it is so vital. Storytelling Sovereignty is a crucial contribution to the field.