Navahoax

[Kire]

Another Smoking Gun length (well maybe not that long) investigation into another writer who duped the publishing industry.

Navahoax

Did a struggling white writer of gay erotica become one of multicultural literature’s most celebrated memoirists — by passing himself off as Native American?
By MATTHEW FLEISCHER
Thursday, January 26, 2006 - 10:48 pm

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Indeed, the world has had an Indian fetish since the days of P.T. Barnum. Certain steps have been taken to protect cultural integrity — the Native American Arts and Crafts Act of 1990, for instance, makes it a federal crime for anyone not enrolled in or associated with a federally recognized tribe to sell their art as “Indian.” Yet literature, strangely enough, is not covered under the Arts and Craft Act, leaving it vulnerable to exploitation.

“The backbone of multicultural literature,” says Alexie, “is the empathy of its audience — their curiosity for the condition of a group other than themselves. Nasdijj is taking advantage of that empathy.”

If Nasdijj is not Native American, he’s not only misinforming his audience, he’s making it harder for genuine work to come forward. The PEN/Beyond Margins Award is given annually to a Native American writer to help spread “racial and ethnic diversity within the literary and publishing communities.” When Nasdijj accepted the award in 2004, he accepted money and prestige specifically earmarked to help Native Americans share their story.

“The last act of colonialism is for the dominant culture to completely supplant the Native one,” says Alexie. “Nasdijj is disappearing people. With every book he writes he makes Indians disappear.”

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More: http://www.laweekly.com/index.php?option=com_lawcontent&task=view&id=12468&Itemid=47

[Journeyman]

1. Totally unrelated to this, but the story reminded me of a friend. . .

who was Dine -- Navajo -- from the Four Corners region. At the time I knew him, Gary was living in Los Angeles. Mention of the Native American Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 reminded me of him. Years before that act was passed, Gary used to sell his craftwork to local street fairs and swapmeets. He made very nice stash bags, replete with fringe at the bottom and beads on the drawstrings. At his booth, he proudly displayed his wares and had a large sign announcing himself:

Authentic American Indian Craftwork (from a kit)

He used to rake in the money, mainly from people who were happy to help a true "artist" and who always paid with a chuckle or a grin.