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I am 50 percent Native American. I’ve always been told I’m Hispanic. I came to New Mexico for work and was shocked to see so many people that look like me. I feel lied to… or that something was taken from us. What should I do.

Dear Relative, Identity and knowing who we are is one of the most important journeys we can walk. I encourage you to explore your identity. This is a great start. There are many ways you can do this, yet there is no right or wrong way for doing this. I…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Culture and Language, Identity

I am believed to be a mix of Onondaga and Seneca but I can not prove my heritage because of documentation loss and dodging.My grandfather and parents have cut all ties with the Rez.I live all the way across country. How can I connect with my people?

Dear Relative, Identity and knowing who we are is one of the most important journeys we can walk. I encourage you to explore your identity. This is a great start. There are many ways you can do this, yet there is no right or wrong way for doing this. I…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Culture and Language, Identity, Mental Health, Non-Native Allies, Spirituality

I had a vivid dream where I was told my native name. This young woman I’ve seen more than once, unsure if she is my ancestor or my spirit guide, announced or gave it to me. I’m proud of my name but am curious if it’s okay to use my native name publicly?

Hi Merrick! Dreams are such a fascinating story to tap into. I too have incredibly vivid and detailed dreams. Often, I can feel, smell, and make decisions within them. They used to scare me because some of them were pretty intense. If you have an elder to talk to, start…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Culture and Language, Identity, Mental Health, Spirituality

Hello! I feel kind of embarrassed by some “full” natives saying things like “you’re not actually native if you’re half native” and things like that. My mother is native, my dad is white. What do I say or how should I feel when people say things like that?

Dear Angelique, You’re not alone in feeling this way. I have people write to me all the time about not feeling “Native enough”. Being half-Zuni, I have felt this myself. What I can tell you, is that you are enough… of everything. Many people of different backgrounds share this experience.…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Culture and Language, Identity

I looked and tried to find an answer to this but I was interested on a Native perspective. I absolutely love “southwestern” rug patterns and was hoping to buy one but cannot afford to buy one from a trading post

Dear Haley, Thank you for your question. Yes, authentic and traditional art can definitely be an investment that depending on where you are at in life, might be something to continue to dream about. But keep on dreaming! There are a couple of things you might consider: 1) are you…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Culture and Language, Identity

Hi! I have some First Nations ancestry- Im not sure how much, but it’s farther back than my grandmother-but I would like to know this: is there some sort of tattoo or something that I could get to honour my ancestors without being culturally insensitive?

I am always glad to hear when people want to explore their Indigenous identity and heritage. Indigenous cultures are diverse and beautiful. But this exploration should be conducted with respect to our ancestors, past present and future. To begin, it is important to understand who Indigenous peoples are. Across North…
Answered by Uncle Paige
Topics: Culture and Language, Identity, Spirituality
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