"Instead of kids just hearing about beads and baskets and fringe, and about what 'was' and 'were,' we present Native American culture as a living contemporary culture"

Buffy Sainte-Marie expresses a crucial perspective on how Native American culture should be taught and understood. Too often, educational materials and pop culture focus on static, historical stereotypes, emphasizing objects like beads, baskets, and fringe, or framing stories in the distant past with language that isolates Native experiences from the present. Such representations reduce an expansive, diverse set of cultures into decorative artifacts and frozen moments, sidelining the ongoing vitality and evolution of Indigenous peoples.

At the heart of Sainte-Marie’s statement is a call for recognition of Native American cultures as dynamic, adaptive, and alive in the present day. She challenges the prevailing narrative that situates Native identity primarily in the past tense, confined to museums, history books, and quaint clichés. By shifting from teaching only what “was” or “were,” education can expand to highlight contemporary Native lives, achievements, struggles, and innovations. This approach allows Native American identity to be seen in a continuum, connecting ancient traditions to modern expressions in art, music, business, science, activism, and daily life.

By representing Native culture as contemporary, Sainte-Marie advocates for a fuller, more respectful understanding that gives young people, both Native and non-Native, a genuine appreciation for Indigenous presence and contributions today. It empowers Native youth to see themselves reflected in the world as agents of change rather than as relics of history. It also dismantles stereotypes, preventing reductive or romanticized views that marginalize or “other” Native communities. Valuing Native culture as contemporary sets the stage for authentic dialogue, collaboration, and respect, supporting the decolonization of education and public perception.

Ultimately, this mindset honors both the deep roots and current realities of Native Americans, ensuring their voices, experiences, and cultures are recognized as vital parts of the modern world, not just as remnants of a vanished past.