I’m considering writing the merfolk in my story as a sort of metaphor for indigenous peoples, as well as other sea-dwelling or otherwise aquatic humans. Is this inherently problematic in and of itself, or is there a way to write this that works and is respectful to actual indigenous folks? If it’s inherently disrespectful, I can nix the idea, but as of current I don’t have any other equivalents to write them in with. I’m sure I could figure something out easily enough, though.
What aspect of indigenous peoples would you want to represent? Think about that in detail, and think about whether what you want to represent might just be a stereotype.
I can imagine that this can be done tastefully. But it could also turn out really horrible. What specifically do you mean by a sort of metaphor? Do you want to go into some indigenous social constructs and living conditions? If so, WHAT groups specifically?
Do you only want to talk about stolen land and shamans? I would advise against that. The question is more nuanced and you have to be more detailed to get usable answers