We sometimes get posts here from non-Natives who want to include NDNs as characters in their fiction, or incorporate symbolism from Indigenous cultures in other media. Unfortunately, these inquiries have usually come from authors and artists who don't know any NDNs they can ask about this, and they are anywhere from disappointed to hostile when NDNs here have politely informed them that they shouldn't be trying to write about, or depict, cultures they are not a part of.
Here's a story about a situation that looks to have gone much better, where the game designers hired Native consultants to work on the project. I think the reason this went better is that the Native participants were involved as collaborators, not tokens, and given the freedom to veto things that were culturally inappropriate.
The Awesome Mohawk Teacher and Consultant Behind Ratonhnhaké:tonhttp://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelvenables/2012/11/25/the-consultants-behind-ratonhnhaketon/Akwiratékha Martin of
the Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center : "During my work with the game, the writers (Corey May) gave me full permission to change anything that I found inappropriate or any dialogue that just didn’t sound very “Kanien’kéha”. It was freeing and I felt very respected. Even during the recording of the dialogue (I was the voice coach also for the Kanien’kéha VA), I was very respected and they didn’t hinder me from needing to re-translate or change anything in the dialogue. They were all very open."
