Obviously, this is a topic of enormous interest to me, too (and I just remembered an old friend of mine wrote on my last post to argue with me and I haven't gotten back to him).
I have to say, first, that if you worry about offending people with your work you'll squash it down too much.
Second, and what is often lost because of the dominant culture's obession with race, culture is _culture._ It is not tied to race -- especially when it comes to American Indian cultures. Adoption and cross-tribal marriage was and is common, as is the embracing of folks outside of the tribe for cultural involvement. I think its' best to think about cultural designations as socio-linguistic designations rather than bloodlines. So, from what you say, even the purest purest snob would be hard pressed to claim you did not come by your Sioux interests honestly.
That said, especially with fiction, I believe that if you write convincingly enough, and with enough background and understanding, all bets are off. Fiction is where your characters should be able to be whomever you want them to be, and your themes and images should be whatever you want them to be. Look at Jenn Reese's Chinese Zodiac stories (most printed, I think, at Strange Horizons). They're wonderful, and ring true. And she's a white Heinz-57 (albiet with an obviously intelligent grounding in Eastern cultures and storytelling).
It is my belief that if you have a shallow and intellectually lazy connection to whatever culture you write about, it will suck, though. Even if you were 100% pureblooded Sioux, and could prove it. :-)
Unfortunately, for my own Gaelic culture in particular, there are many many shallow and intellectually lazy folks who write about our myths, customs, and culture and it really, REALLY annoys me.
no subject
I have to say, first, that if you worry about offending people with your work you'll squash it down too much.
Second, and what is often lost because of the dominant culture's obession with race, culture is _culture._ It is not tied to race -- especially when it comes to American Indian cultures. Adoption and cross-tribal marriage was and is common, as is the embracing of folks outside of the tribe for cultural involvement. I think its' best to think about cultural designations as socio-linguistic designations rather than bloodlines. So, from what you say, even the purest purest snob would be hard pressed to claim you did not come by your Sioux interests honestly.
That said, especially with fiction, I believe that if you write convincingly enough, and with enough background and understanding, all bets are off. Fiction is where your characters should be able to be whomever you want them to be, and your themes and images should be whatever you want them to be. Look at Jenn Reese's Chinese Zodiac stories (most printed, I think, at Strange Horizons). They're wonderful, and ring true. And she's a white Heinz-57 (albiet with an obviously intelligent grounding in Eastern cultures and storytelling).
It is my belief that if you have a shallow and intellectually lazy connection to whatever culture you write about, it will suck, though. Even if you were 100% pureblooded Sioux, and could prove it. :-)
Unfortunately, for my own Gaelic culture in particular, there are many many shallow and intellectually lazy folks who write about our myths, customs, and culture and it really, REALLY annoys me.