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Dear Relatives, I have recently started to seriously try to reconnect with my Choctaw culture. Something complicates my existence is the fact that I’m transgender. Perhaps, this is another reason why I feel lost. Not only do I want to feel like a whole woman, I want to feel like a whole person. Anyway, do you have any advice?

Hi there, Halito relative! Yakoke for writing in – I always get a lil extra excited when I see other Choctaws reach out 🙂 Let’s see where I can support you! I definitely want to acknowledge what youv’e written, because there’s so much there – goodness. I want to give…
Answered by Cousin Asia
Topics: 2SLGBTQ, Identity, Intolerance, Mental Health, Spirituality

I’m an native elder (Pomo) my older grandchildren were given a Indian name and younger ones do not. I no longer know of spiritual person to do that. So would love to give my grandchildren a Indian name is it proper for me to have that privilege.

Hello! Thank you for writing in! There are several bands of Pomo Indians that are Federally-recognized Indian Nations, many who have Culture & Heritage departments or tribal programs to provide individual, specific guidance on tribal naming traditions and protocols. Identity and knowing who we are is one of the most…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Identity, Spirituality

Hi Auntie! I recently have been using crystals but am curious about Native American religion since I am Native American myself, I don’t want to betray any religion but I just want to know if I can believe in both!

Gunalchéesh, thank you for reaching out. You are not the only person who is finding balance in their traditional and personal spiritualities. You can believe in whatever you like! As indigenous people, we constantly walk in two worlds. With one eye we see the western and eastern ways, with the…
Answered by Uncle Paige
Topics: Culture and Language, Spirituality

Hi, I have a difficulty with one of my teachers at school. She often puts down my religion by comparing it to other Abrahamic religions and talks about in in an unflattering light. In my country, my religion is the majority but in my opinion, faces a lot of bigotry, more so than the minorities. We don’t have control over our religious sites, we can’t endorse schools based on our religion, and we are often portrayed as fascist when I can guarantee that we are the furthest from that label. I want to confront my teacher and tell her how her misinformed and one sided statements are offensive, not only to me but to other students of my religion as well. However I don’t want to be seen as a bigot, or rigid in my beliefs. This is difficult since majority of my peer group are exposed to media that deliberately manipulates information to distort my religion, which is indigenous to my country and has survived both the Mughal Invasion as well as the British Empire. Can I have some advice on how to make my stance and concerns clear without being labelled as a bigot?

Hey there! Thank you for writing in and I hope you were able to find a caring adult who could help you specifically  with that question. I’ve been thinking about your question and I feel like we can break this down into two fundamental issues: first, how to deal when…
Answered by Auntie Jane
Topics: Education, Intolerance, Spirituality

I’m Navajo but was raised in the corn pollen way. We live in Southern California now because we’re in the military however I want our son to be involved with his Native roots. How do I find him a mentor to start being in powwows?

Yá’ateeh, hello, my name is Cousin Corey. I am Ask Auntie/Relatives Navajo cousin here to help with some questions. I’m glad your reaching out to us with this question. Living away from Native communities does get a little tough connecting to cultural practices of all sorts. Some things to think…
Answered by Cousin Corey
Topics: Culture and Language, Identity, Life Tips, Spirituality

I’m a 19 year old Two-Spirit who identifies as male. For me to feel comfortable I cut my hair because growing up even on my Rez girls had long hair and unless you have “Native hair” boys have short hair. I want to grow my hair but I don’t want my tribes people to start calling me female names/pronouns. Any tips?

Greetings! First off, congratulations on reaching such clarity in your gender identity. It can take people years, well into adulthood, to understand our genders given how little gender diversity we tend to be taught about at a young age. For me, I have found that the way people perceive my…
Answered by Itai
Topics: 2SLGBTQ, Identity, Intolerance, Spirituality

hello, My name is Jasmin and for the sake of a longer story i will just say that I am Latina. I am on a journey of reconnecting with my ancestral roots and, through no real evidence, I believe that those roots are, at least, partially indigenous. I am working on decolonizing my mind and have lost my faith in the religion that i grew up in (which is catholicism) I want to explore the faith and culture of my indigenous ancestors but I do not know if they have survived today and if they are how I can reach out and if they are not how it is i can find that identity that I am desperate to find because right now I’m so lost and lonely. I don’t know what to do or how to start. Please help?

Dear Jasmin, Thanks for reaching out! 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…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Identity, Life Tips, Spirituality

Hi Auntie! I recently have been using crystals but am curious about Native American religion since I am Native American myself, I don’t want to betray any religion, but I just want to know if I can believe in both!

Hey there! Thanks for writing in. Spiritual well-being is best defined by each person. Each person has a right to experiment and discover what makes most sense for them and their life goals. This ‘well-being’ will look different from person to person but does have similar themes which may include:…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Education, Identity, Non-Native Allies, Spirituality
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