Social Inequality and

Discourse
Workshop with Thohahente Kim Weaver
Lecture 6
Thohahente Kim Weaver
• Thohahente Kim Weaver was born in St. Catharines, Ontario in 1948.
A Mohawk from the Turtle Clan of Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, his
name Thohahente means “His path is to the forefront”, indicating a
man who sees his path and is walking it.

This Photo by Unknown Author is

licensed under CC BY-SA
Thohahente Kim Weaver
• In his life he has travelled both as a Settler in the Settler world and as
Onkwehon:we, the path he walks today.
• After working in a variety of positions in the business world including
several years for CTV, in 2010. Thohahente’s older brother discovered
that a whole mythology had been invented and developed over two
generations in order to attempt to wipe out the existence of the
family’s Mohawk roots.
Thohahente Kim Weaver
The discovery of the “missing” Mohawk
connection was transformative for the family and
Thohahente, as well as his brother and sister, have
committed to living as traditional Onkwehon:we
since 2011, connecting with both his family and
community at Tyendinaga.
Thohahente Kim Weaver
• He is also married; he and his wife maintain a
Haudenosaunee household.
Thohahente Kim Weaver
• Thohahente’s path that has encompassed both the
great privilege of the Settler executive world and
the daily struggle of life in dysfunctional or
damaged communities, giving him unique
perspectives on Racism in Mainstream Media. He
is a founding member of The Coalition Against
Racism in Mainstream Media. His work combating
racism spans 7 years with 24 months in intensive
study resulting in the workshop and materials
presented here.
 Racism in Mainstream Media
A workshop presented by Thohahente Kim Weaver
The Contributions of Mainstream Media to
Anti-Indigenous Racism
 The Contributions of Mainstream Media to
Anti-Indigenous Racism

Presented by Thohahente Kim Weaver

Copyright © 2017 by Kim P. Weaver

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by
any mean, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any other information
storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

When stories on Indigenous issues are published,

seldom is an Indigenous person involved in the
production process from writing to final published
article.
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

Despite media outlets having Indigenous staff,

such as the CBC, the majority of editors and news
management are non-Indigenous.
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

As a result, these perceptions shape the way news

is presented and the way that Canadian
Mainstream Media edits, reports and publishes
articles in turn shapes and reinforces the
perceptions of the Canadian public.
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

In fact, what you read is mainly filtered through a

white male lens based on colonial values and
concepts.
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

This means the content Canadians get to consume

is viewed through a narrow, predominantly white,
predominantly male colonial lens.
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

The processes at work in mainstream media often

produce anti-Indigenous bias.
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

Today we will be looking at a number of printed or

online media stories from mainstream media
from small town weekly newspapers to large
national papers.
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

We will analyze what is written using an

Indigenous lens or simply use critical thinking and
knowledge of the issues to disassemble the
content.
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

To start, we will work on an article together to:

1. Identify concealed bias and determine if it actually addresses the real

issue;
2. Dissemble the language to uncover the meaning or the inferences
built into the story;
3. Locate the “power words” in the writing;
4. Itemize the points of emphasis in the article;
5. Establish whether the information or content is biased against
Indigenous People;
6. Counter and refute arguments from an Indigenous worldview.
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

The first article is from the local online newspaper

MyKawartha.com
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

Kawartha Lakes receives plan to regulate rice harvest

Pigeon Lake residents among those frustrated with noisy harvesting practice

https://www.mykawartha.com/news-story/7607693-kawartha-lakes-receives-plan-
to-regulate-rice-harvest/
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

Is this headline biased or misleading?

Kawartha Lakes receives plan to regulate rice

harvest
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

What about this sub headline

Pigeon Lake residents among those frustrated with noisy

harvesting practice
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

Let’s look at the main body of the article now and

examine it sentence by sentence.

I want you to read each sentence remembering

the headline and sub headline and comment on
both components of the sentences and also on
the idea and picture the article is building.
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

Let’s summarize the results of your analysis.

1. What is the over-arching intent of the article?
2. Who was it written for as an audience?
3. Does it deal in a balanced way with the issue?
4. What would make it more balanced?
5. Does it present the essential underlying facts to provide a full
understanding of the issue?
6. What facts are left out or deliberately skewed?
7. Is this responsible journalism?
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

Please divide yourselves into 8 groups of near equal

numbers and arrange to work as a group to analyze a story,
then elect one of your group to present the group’s analysis
of the story you were given.

It works best if someone is the note taker and organizes the

observations
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

Headlines
1. Prayers, song for wild rice pulled from lake
2. Rice farming in Ontario lake sparks fight over treaty and
property rights
3. Wild rice harvest begins on Pigeon Lake, Black Duck Wild Rice
plans to seed Rice Lake too
4. Canada's wild rice wars
5. Whatever Happened to the Rice in Rice Lake?
6. Property owners, First Nations square off over rice farming in
Ontario lake
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

Present Your Group Results

1. What is the consensus opinion of your group?
2. Do all members of the group agree?
3. What is the basis of the consensus opinion?
4. What power words determined the reader view?
5. Does the article express elements of racism?
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

Defining Racism

Racism refers to a variety of practices, beliefs, social relations, and phenomena

that work to reproduce a racial hierarchy and social structure that yield
superiority, power, and privilege for some, and discrimination and oppression for
others. It can take several forms, including representational, ideological,
discursive, interactional, institutional, structural, and systemic.

The Definition of Racism

A System of Power, Privilege, and Oppression
by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.
Updated July 24, 2017
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

Does the bias or degree of balance in mainstream

stories affect the views of readers and what they
might say publicly or online?
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

Kawartha Lakes receives plan to regulate rice harvest

MyKawartha.com
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

Rice farming in Ontario lake sparks fight over treaty and

property rights
The Globe and Mail
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

In the past year, online and traditional newspapers have made

some improvements in how they report on Indigenous stories.
Their “style books” still need to be updated; for example, there
is no consensus on the capitalization of “Indigenous”,
“Aboriginal” or “Native”.
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

The greatest changes we have seen is how publishers treat

reader comment sections. Three years ago there were virtually
no controls and the result was unfiltered expressions of racist
ideology.

Many publications no longer allow comments except on their

Facebook pages. Others use heavy moderation; however, it is
clear they don’t have training in recognizing anti-Indigenous
racism.
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

The Facebook presence of most mainstream media outlets is

almost completely ungoverned. The dialogue can be brutal.
Anti-Indigenous groups use techniques like:
1. Collective up-voting of posts from members of their
groups;
2. Swarming of specific individuals with aggressive multiple
posts;
3. Direct physical threats;
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

If you choose to get involved in fighting anti-Indigenous racism

in mainstream media – be careful.
1. Make sure you have a good support network;
2. Protect yourself from identity theft;
3. Conceal your location, where you live, where you work,
where you go to school;
4. You may choose to use an alias.
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

The examples we looked at today are from diverse sources

from small and local to international.

A good exercise is to take an Indigenous story with wider cross

cultural implications like pipelines and perform the analysis we
used tonight
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

If the publication allows comments look at these and weigh the

impact of writer/editor/publisher bias on what readers feel
entitled to say.
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism
Sometimes we do have signs the tide is changing

To the editor:

re: Kawartha Lakes receives plan to regulate rice harvest, October 11, 2017

I was disappointed that myKawartha.com shared the painfully ironic quote from Joanna
Augustyniak — “The situation has been terrible this year and Mr. Whetung is showing no
respect for our rights” — without questioning the statement or providing any corrective
context.

Despite entitled cottagers’ sense that Whetung’s harvesting is “an ongoing nightmare,” they
are clearly unaware of the failure of non-Indigenous society to come to terms with Aboriginal
and treaty rights, which, Mrs. Augustyniak should know, are the rights actually not being
respected — with life and death consequences for many — not just inconveniences to
vacationers.
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

Aboriginal rights protect Indigenous peoples’ right to practise traditional

harvesting (even if they use modern technologies). Treaties and land surrenders
do not eliminate these rights unless they are explicitly extinguished in the
treaty. No such stipulations are made in the Rice Lake Treaty (1818).

Whetung is practising his right to harvest and the vehement reaction he has
faced is no different than the reaction Indigenous fishers received when
cottagers wore T-shirts with slogans like “Save a pickerel, Kill an Indian.”
Cottagers, get over yourselves. And reporters, do better.

Alex Boulet

Sudbury
-2-
A Discourse Analysis of Journalism in Mainstream Media as a Root
Cause of Anti-Indigenous Racism

Copyright © 2017 by Kim P. Weaver

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
mean, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any other information storage and
retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.

Published in 2017 by
Kim P. Weaver (Thohahente)
 Assignment 7
Choose a mainstream media article on the topic of Indigenous cultures
or peoples. Does the article demonstrate othering within its discourse?
If so, how?