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Tags: 02 - Identity, 13 - Life Tips

Hi! I’m trying to reconnect with my indigenous background, I know my grandfather is Mescalero Apache and Navajo, my grandfather and my great grandfather were disconnected from their culture so my mother doesn’t know much about it either. I want to ask my grandfather about our culture but he’s in his 80s now and suffers from dementia. Also I’ve only ever met him 2 times as far as I can remember. I just don’t want out heritage and ancestors to be lost, I’m trying to hold on and reconnect. Do you have any advice at what I can do?

Dear Darby, 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 for doing this. I am always glad to hear when…

I am 1/4th native American Indian how do I apply for tribal money?

Hey there. Well, there are a couple things to keep in mind. First thing, you’ll need to register with your tribe. Second thing, not all tribes and tribal members receive dividends or revenues. So if you haven’t already registered with your tribe you’ll need to do that. Just Google your tribes official website. For example, Rosebud Sioux tribal enrollment. Every…

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 for doing this. I am always glad to hear when…

Hello. My name is Rosi. My mom is not Native, but she’s Romanian and has dark hair, hazel eyes, and tan skin. So has her mom and grandmother. My father is Native (Oglala Lakota). I am very, very pasty white, with green eyes, and redish/blonde/light brown hair. I am very involved in my culture, but I still get those natives that treat me like some wannabe wasicu. It is not my fault that I am so white, and I cannot change my skin color, although many times I wish I could. How can I try to make them see that I am just as Native as they are??

Dear Rosalia, 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. However, it’s particularly difficult for American Indians and Alaska Native people. This is due to the…

Hi I’m a Pit River Native. I got a roll number, how do I get my tribal money?

Dear Mikas, Thanks for reaching out! There are a couple things to keep in mind. Not all tribes and tribal members receive dividends or revenues. I encourage you to reach out to your tribe to ask them about potential dividends or revenues that tribal members might be eligible for. You can go to this website for the Pit River Tribe:…

Hello Auntie, I’m 1/64 Cherokee and my parents don’t know much about the culture, and I don’t know my grandparents. I was wondering if it was still okay for me to learn about my culture and if I could, where do I start?

Hi Oak, 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 for doing this. I am always glad to hear when…

I’m a Chumash native Americans on my mother’s side. I live in Sacramento. Both my mother and grandmother has enrollment numbers. I am being harass by the legal officials here in Sacramento. Like hacking my phone constantly being followed. ECT… Im homeless and have been trying to get out of my situation. Ever place I get refused or ECT. I need help

Dear Dan, Thanks for writing in. It sounds like you are in a really stressful situation and I’m glad you reached out for help. I’m happy to help in any way I can. To start off, if you are being harassed by legal officials, it can be helpful to know what rights you have. This webpage has information about how…

Hi Auntie. So I want to start with saying my family is very diverse and disconnected I’m very white passing but on my moms side we have a lot of indigenous blood from multiple tribes how do I find where I fit in and with who? Also what’s the best way to learn more about my family since we are so disconnected?

Dear Akecheta, 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 for doing this. I am always glad to hear when…

Dear Auntie, I heard someone say that rez water can turn you gay. Is that true?

Hey there! Thanks for writing in. If you’ve heard someone say that tainted water can “turn you gay”, or maybe you heard about frogs that switch sexes. But we’re not frogs and water won’t change your sexuality. Nothing can make you turn gay and nothing will turn you straight. You simply are. Sexuality is a spectrum and wherever you land…
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