# Writing a Native American Character



## Crying (Apr 11, 2015)

So I'm very white, but I try to keep my character cast diverse, and recently I've been trying to develop a Native American character living on a Shoshone Indian reservation. I'm trying _very _hard to be respectful and considerate, but I'm also trying not to erase Shoshone culture. Does anyone have tips on writing a character like this? This is a bit vague, but anything helps- links would be appreciated! Some questions in specific I'd love answers to include:

What is a realistic name for a modern day Shoshone? Is it realistic to have a Native American character with an English name?
Is the average Native American living on a reservation particularly spiritual? What kinds of beliefs do Shoshone Indians hold?
What are attitudes towards white people within reservations?

Thanks, all!

(Side note- if I've said anything here that's offensive in some way _please _correct me! I'm trying very hard to learn and be respectful of other peoples' cultures, and corrections are part of the process!)


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## LeeC (Apr 11, 2015)

Last thing I ever expected to come up.


First thing is that this PC BS is for your dominate culture. "Native Americans" as you call them, if they have an inkling of who they are, prefer to be known by their tribal designation. 


As far as tips on writing a character like this, we're as different from each other as the people you know are. We (you and I) are all human beings, with varying beliefs and attitudes. Where you might find some more obvious characteristic differences would be the same for you. Some such character influences might be, generally speaking, where one lives and works (big city or reservation per example), what age (or regardless of age how mature) one is, what one's family and friends believe in, and so on.


Of the Shoshone people I know, some believe in the natural world, some believe in the bottle, some have adapted quite well to the corporate world, among other things, take your pick. 


Another thing you might understand, even before the dominate culture's influence, is that tribal influences are markedly different, and there are many divisions even within what you call Shoshone. For example, of my close friends there are, or at least were, a striking differences between say Eastern (not back east) Shoshone and Northern Shoshone, and even among Northern Shoshone the Mountain Shoshone (Toyahini Ne'we) are different in many ways. Did you know that the Comanche are a southwestern offshoot of Shoshone and are maybe an example of potential differences. 


The Shoshone language is not a written language, and is highly context sensitive, though sometimes written phonetically, and varies in dialects as different as night is from day. From my childhood I know a little of the Ft. Hall (dominate cultures pigeonholing relating to reservation) dialect, but couldn't necessarily understand a "native speaker" a hop, skip, and jump away, say from the Wind River Reservation. From statistics I've seen there are fewer than ten thousand people left that know much of the dialect I know. 


Even your last point, "What are attitudes towards white people within reservations?" is like trying to catch the wind. What are the attitudes of various people where you live towards blacks? 


In other words, if you're looking for pat answers only those that don't know could supply them 


Oh, and predominately dominate culture names are used, other than within a small tribal group a tribal name may be given, in my case not until early teens usually.


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## ppsage (Apr 12, 2015)

I have a passing acquaintance with some Indians, a little bit in cultural contexts and a little more in friendships. There is a rich and diverse literature to explore. I especially recommend Sherman Alexie's short story collections as a place to start. Maybe one of Erdrich's novels after that. So anyway, given my limited personal experience, I think that literature portrays the contradictory individuality of humans everywhere as well as the so-called literature of any so-called people. You will learn a lot, the answers to your questions for sure, but I don't know how helpful that will be in the long run. You'll just end up having to make characters come to life the same as for any other sort of person.


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## sailorguitar (Apr 17, 2015)

Leslie Marmon Silko.  This is a sensitive subject


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## The Green Shield (May 21, 2015)

I've nothing much to add except this: don't resort to stereotypes. They're people just like anyone else with their own likes, dislikes, and personal interests. Follow the advices of the other posts and you'll be fine. Good luck!


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## walker (Jun 4, 2015)

Yes, don't go with stereotypes would be my advice. The reason is that they don't work. A character is an individual, not a representation of a tribe or nation. 

I've only lived in one other country besides the U.S., and some people there assumed that I liked country music, supported the Vietnam War, drank Coca-Cola, was rich, dined on hot dogs or hamburgers most nights, regularly visited Disney World, etc. just because I was American. I may have done or been all of those things, or none of them, but how could they have known, before meeting me?


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## walker (Jun 4, 2015)

Google Corbin Harney, if you're looking for a model of a Western Shoshone who was spiritual. I knew him, not as a friend, or maybe as a friend, I don't know. I got some paperwork from him allowing me to be on Western Shoshone land, once upon a time.


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