Magazine Debuts

A group of Native American students at Harvard last week published the first issue of Native Voices, a magazine devoted to their culture.

In its first issue, the editors write that they see the magazine as "a forum in which native students are allowed to voice their opinions to those who misrepresent, marginalize and even fail to recognize our existence."

The magazine's staff includes half of the 30 Native Americans in the College.

"The fact that 15 students put this magazine together shows a great deal of motivation, energy and commitment," said Wenona T. Singel '95, one of three co-editors.

The Native American students said they make up Harvard's smallest ethnic minority group, but that they should not be overlooked simply because of their scarce ranks. Singel said she hopes the magazine convinces the community of this.

"People don't think Native Americans exist in the University," Singel said. "We do exist, and we work just as hard as everyone else."

The magazine editors said they strove to publish a wide variety of views in their first issue, including discussions of community, corporations and individual experiences at Harvard.

One article, for example, profiles a Phillips Brooks House program which reaches out to inner-city Boston Native American youth. Another critiques that negative health effect of uranium mining on the Navajo nation over a 30-year period.

In the magazine's "Issues" section, Singel chronicles one Native American's campaign against Old Crazy Horse Malt Liquor.

"If malt liquor was named Pope John Paul of Malcolm X," he says, "it would be off the shelf."

The editors of the magazine said they hope the magazine will help people realize Native Americans "do exist" at Harvard.

"There's no way you're going to change stereotypes overnight," Jeremy J. Radtke '95, another co-editor, said.

Ronald W. Niezen, assistant professor of anthropology and social studies, and Jeffrey L. Hamley, director of the Harvard Native American Program at the Graduate School of Education, serve as faculty advisors for the publication.