Native American Media

Writing

Here are a few books, anthologies, and ethnographies that we have read and enjoyed that discuss Native topics and Issues.

  • Native American Poets with Tribal Affiliations c/o The Poetry Foundation

  • Beth Brant; poetry

  • Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko; novel

  • Chrystos; poetry

  • Custer Died for Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto by Vine Deloria Jr.; non-fiction

  • The Lone Ranger and Tanto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie; collection of short stories

  • The Love Medicine Series by Louise Erdrich; book series

  • Native American DNA by Kim TallBear; ethnography

  • Our Elders Lived It: American Indian Identity in the City by Deborah Davis Jackson; ethnography

  • Playing Indian by Philip J. Deloria; history non-fiction

  • Pushing the Bear by Diane Glancy; novel

  • The Road Back to Sweetgrass by Linda LeGarde Grover; novel

  • The Sharpest Sight by Louis Owens; novel

  • Sundown by John Joseph Mathews; novel

  • Talking Leaves: Contemporary Native American Short Stories edited by Craig Lesley; collection of short stories

  • Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse; fantasy novel

  • Wisdom Sits in Places: Landscape and Language Among the Western Apache by Keith Basso; ethnography

Film

We chose these films from a variety of genres that have been praised by different Native American organizations for their portrayal of Native American people and cultures. We also encourage you to rewatch films that you enjoy that include Native Representation and think about the kind of representation portrayed.


  • Hostiles revisionist western and available to stream on Netflix

  • Steven Paul Judd writes and directs several satirical short films. You can watch them here. We recommend First Contact.

  • On the Ice is about two teenage boys in a small Alaskan town who are bonded together during a terrible accident. Available to watch on Amazon Prime.

  • Reel Injun is a documentary that follows the portrayal and treatment of Native Americans in Hollywood. You can watch it here.

  • Rhymes for Young Ghouls is a fictional story that takes place during the 1970s in a Canadian Boarding School. Even though this is not the United the States several of themes and abuses endured by the Native population are the same. You can stream it with Amazon Prime

  • Shouting Secrets is a film about a novelist who leaves his life behind and alienates his family when he publishes an autobiographical bestseller. It is available to stream on Amazon Prime.

  • Smoke Signals tells the story of a young man whose parents die in a fire. It is based on a short story by Sherman Alexie. You can stream it on Amazon Prime.

Music

The following are some of the most popular Native American musicians currently

Social Media

Here are some accounts on various social media platforms that are run by Indigenous peoples. Note: These influencers may not be activists, but they are people living their lives like every one else.

TikTok

  • @dakotawinyan

  • @notoriouscree

  • @gookoosh2020

  • @the_land

  • @johnkassie


Instagram

  • @project_562

  • @thosh.collins

  • @tanayawinder

  • @martinsensmeier

  • @changingwomxn - Changing Womxn Collective, Indigenous-founded collective and magazine of college-aged WOC

  • @kinsalehues - Changing Womxn founder


Twitter

  • @NativeApprops - Dr. Adrienne Keene

  • @ALETHEA_AGGIUQ - Alethea Arnaquq Baril

  • @JayOdjick - Jay Odjick



Art

Floral Man - Self Portrait, 1986 by Frank Big Bear

Canku Ota, 2003 by Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie


Untitled, 2006 by Annie Pootoogook

“Nature Doesn't Give a Shit About You, But it's Sure Nice to Look at”, 2020 by StevenYazzie

Note: This is not anywhere close to an exhaustive list of Native media currently available, it is just a starting point. We will be continuously updating this page as the project continues. Click here if you have any suggestions!