Suggested Guidelines for Institutions with Scholars Who Conduct Research on American Indians

Since contact, non-Indians have been fascinated with American Indians, and they continue to explore almost every aspect of Indians’ cultures and physiologies. Library shelves contain vast collections of books with American Indian themes. The majority of books and articles, in addition to movies, television shows, and documentaries, have been written and produced by non-Indians (some of whom attempt to pass themselves off as Indians) who have been educated and trained to conduct research by other non-Indians. Although most non-Indian scholars respect the peoples and cultures they study, many do not. Intrusive research of American Indians and publication of information that tribes do not wish disseminated to the general public constitute a major source of interracial conflict. Dissension between those who desire to keep their cultures sheltered from curious interlopers and those who cry academic freedom undermines the credibility of all scholarly studies. tenure and promotion processes exacerbate the problem. Most university faculty members are encouraged to pursue a wide range of research and scholarly creative interests, many of which focus on American Indian topics. Some researchers are intrusive in their quest for information, others are not. Some writers are genuinely concerned about their subjects’ wellbeing, and they research for the Indians’ welfare. Indeed, many Indians are grateful that scholars have documented certain aspects of their culture, and some tribes hire outsiders to conduct research for them. Most researchers, however, use the information for their own gain, that is, for tenure, promotion, grants, marketability, and prestige. Others operate under the assumption that they are the caretakers of tribal histories and cultural knowledge. These paternalistic encroachers claim that Indians are too witless to chronicle their own histories or to manage their own affairs, and they assume that it is in the Indians’ best interest to publish sensitive details of tribal life. This posturing appalls tribal historians and religious leaders who maintain that certain aspects of tribal information should not be shared with outsiders. The problem is that some people believe they should be exempt from any restrictions.