Mihio Manus, the newly hired managing editor of the Hopi Tutuveni, holds one of the last editions of the newspaper before it was shut down in December 2009. Photo by P. Brandon Coochyouma.
“Although this was a long process, we are excited to have an experienced editor and look forward to working closely with the new staff,” Hopi chairman LeRoy Shingoitewa said in a statement.
Manus previously served for four-and-a-half years as editor of another tribal paper, the Gila River Indian News in Sacaton, Ariz. Before that, he worked in pre-press production at the Arizona Daily Sun and wrote for the entertainment weekly Flagstaff Live. He also taught communications and photography classes at his alma mater, Northern Arizona University.
Manus, who is of Navajo, Cherokee, and Omaha descent, said he sees his new position as an opportunity to build on what he learned from his previous experience and start a paper from the ground up.
The first issue of the eight-page broadsheet paper hit newsstands in April and will continue as a biweekly publication. Manus said Hopi Tutuveni will include tribal government happenings, features, and sports. It will also cover local, state, and national news pertaining to the tribal community.
Along with Manus, the staff includes a receptionist and a reporter.
As editor, Manus said his goals are to provide content that will be informative, not only to community members but also to those outside the tribe. He also wants to create a more contemporary print layout and develop a website in order to make the paper more accessible.
“People in the Native American community, particularly in the Southwest, they want their newspaper,” Manus said. “It’s an important part of their community, so there is a place for it here.”