This article, produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in collaboration with High Country News, addresses concerns about the impact of renewable energy development on Indigenous sacred sites and tribal cultures.
A journalist stands at an Indigenous sacred site, observing signs of recent ceremonies without recording details. Accompanied by a source who wishes to highlight the harm posed by both public and private sectors on tribal cultures, the journalist refrains from taking photos or detailed notes to protect these cultural sites from exposure.
In another instance, the journalist attends a tribal community event in the Pacific Northwest to build relationships. Overhearing an elder discuss a secret rite of passage at a location targeted for renewable energy development, the journalist pretends not to hear, respecting the confidentiality of the ceremony.
Engaged in a yearlong investigation between two newsrooms, the journalist documents how proposed developments threaten sacred Indigenous lands and resources. While the editors, who are not Native, seek comprehensive details to convey the significance of these sites to readers, the journalist, being Native, strives to balance transparency with cultural sensitivity.
When editors inquire about specific rock features observed in the field, the journalist cautiously describes their purposes, omitting sensitive details that could endanger these archaeological features. Past instances of non-Natives appropriating Indigenous worship and scientists destroying ancestral remains for research underscore the risks of revealing precise information.
The journalist’s editors emphasize the value of transparency in investigative journalism, a principle not universally prioritized in Indigenous cultures where information is often guarded and shared selectively. This tension is evident as the journalist navigates requests for cultural specifics while upholding the communities’ preference for discretion.
Guidelines from a tribal government outline cultural information not to be published, including the names or images of certain plants. Despite not being obligated to follow these guidelines strictly, the journalist recognizes the community’s reliance on responsible reporting to prevent misuse of sensitive data.
Interactions with other Indigenous professionals highlight the nuanced relationship-building essential in Native journalism. Personal histories and community affiliations influence professional conduct and reporting processes.
The journalist grapples with how to write about plants, sites, and ceremonies respectfully and accurately. An editor’s note questioning how to communicate the importance of Indigenous practices to readers illustrates the challenge of bridging cultural understandings.
Frustration mounts as the journalist strives to educate without oversharing, acknowledging the general lack of awareness about Native issues. Terms like “root gathering,” often perceived as primitive, are contrasted with European agricultural terms like “heirloom.” Ultimately, the journalist decides on the phrase “endemic, heirloom, organic root vegetable harvests” to maintain anonymity while conveying value to non-Native readers.
Despite editorial changes reducing the phrase to “root vegetable harvest,” the journalist manages to avoid using more contentious terms. Writing for a diverse readership presents challenges, as terms like “first foods” and “sacred” carry different connotations across cultures.
Navigating these tensions is a primary responsibility for the journalist, who must balance the amount of detail shared to maintain respect for Indigenous cultures while still engaging non-Native readers. This complex reporting landscape highlights the inherent difficulties of covering Indigenous affairs.