Most Recent Questions
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 your teacher says uncomfortable things and second, how to defend… Read More
Hello! First off I wanted to thank you for taking the time to do this & help educate others. It is greatly appreciated! My question is how I can make art & spread awareness about indigenous issues as a white woman. I grew up in the black hills of South Dakota and recently lost a friend who was m*rdered & she is now part of the long list of MMIW. I am a talented artist & want to make pieces to bring light to this issue and sell as NFTs, with all proceeds donated to MMIW & programs back home to help young women. Being white though, I want to tread carefully and do this right. Any advice and recommendations are appreciated! #MMIW #LongLiveDominiqueBrave
Hi there! Thanks for writing in. This service is for Native youth but we do try to answer all questions when we can. We appreciate you writing in and want to send our condolences to you for the friend you lost. Here is a resource for how you can help spread awareness about MMIW, https://www.niwrc.org/mmiwg-awareness. If you want to bring… Read More
How many std is there in browning
Hi there, Thanks for writing in! Since there’s many cities named Browning in different states, it can be tricky trying to look up statistics (numbers/data) for a value (thing you’re looking for/measuring) in a situation like this – because if you are not careful, you might get results for a city in a completely different state than the one you… Read More
what is the number one cause of death in youth?
Hey there! Thanks for writing in. I’m guessing you might be doing a school project. In any case, I’m happy to help! Here what I could find: Among AI/AN ages 1 – 19 years, the four leading causes of death in rank order are unintentional injuries, suicide, homicide, and cancer. Check out this IHS link. You may not have given… Read More
I am a tribal member of the Cherokee nation. I work for the federal government. I do not want to get the Covid Vaccine because I believe it the dividing the of the two trails in the Hopi Prophecy. I want to get a religious exemption but where would I get that since my religion is traditional first nation?
Hi there! Thanks for writing in. This pandemic and the responses to it have certainly brought a lot of complexity into the mix, especially now that some organizations are requiring their employees to get vaccinated. Here’s what I could find on religious exemptions: The right to request a religious exemption stems from Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,… Read More
Hello, I am from the San Pasqual Indian Reservation. We had to take are tribe to court to fight to get our Per Cap my question is do you know how long it should take in order for you to get your money. Also do you have to hire a Native America Attorney to help fight case to get your Per Cap.
Hi there! Thanks for writing in and sorry it took a while to get back to you! One of the many strengths of Indian Nations today is tribal sovereignty. Tribal sovereignty means that tribes have the power to govern themselves. Each federally recognized tribe retains the rights of an independent sovereign nation apart from the local, state or federal government…. Read More
How do I cope with Abusive/Homophobic parents?
Thank you for writing in. I am so sorry that you are having this experience and glad that you are seeking support. No one should live in fear because of who they are, or be forced to cope with an abusive situation. If your parents are reacting negatively to your sexual orientation, remember that you are valuable despite what anyone… Read More
Is it bad being trans and gay! I’m so scared to tell my mom I’m trans! Will she hate ME if i do.
For starters, I’m sending you a big virtual hug! Props to you for reaching out and taking an important first step to your person voyage of self-discovery: coming out. It can be scary and hard to come out, especially when you probably have so many other things to think about. In spite of the challenges, your sexuality is a natural… Read More
Ok so, right now there are two major variants in the United States
Hey y’all, it’s Auntie Jane and I wanna talk to you about the current state of corona. Ok so, right now there are two major variants in the United States: our old friend Delta and their new bestie, Omicron. At this point in time we know that delta spreads easily across communities and we’re pretty sure that omicron does, too…. Read More
How do I cope with Abusive/Homophobic parents?
Thank you for writing in. I am so sorry that you are having this experience and glad that you are seeking support. No one should live in fear because of who they are, or be forced to cope with an abusive situation. If your parents are reacting negatively to your sexual orientation, remember that you are valuable despite what anyone… Read More
I’m looking for new ways to spend Thankstaking…any suggestions?
A lot of us are thinking about new ways we can redefine while recognizing the myth of Thanksgiving. First, however you decide to celebrate is okay. It’s up to you! I did ask some of the “Ask Your Relative” team what they will doing and they told me: Going to Alcatraz to take Thankstaking back! Goanna create their own fam… Read More
To support my beautiful Relatives during Breast Cancer Awareness month, I’d like to share some tips for doing breast tissue self-examinations.
To support my beautiful Relatives, I’d like to share some tips for doing breast tissue self-examinations. They should be done once a month, and follow the TLC steps: “Touch, Look and Check”. T – Touch: Lie on your back. Using the fingertips of your three middle fingers, touch both breasts (and the armpits too) in circular movements to feel for… Read More
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 about to become any kind of dancer is to get… Read More
Culture is not a costume
Hi there! I’m Auntie Jane and I’ve thought a lot about your question. Your friend thinks dressing up like a Native for Halloween is harmless. At the end of the night, she can take off that costume and get dressed in her normal clothes and for her, life goes on. Cultural appropriation actually causes harm though. Like, real people are… Read More
My friend keeps getting bullied by some kids. I want to help but I don’t want to get beat up.
Thank you for writing this in. this is always a tough topic to talk about. First and foremost, safety is of the utmost importance. So make sure you are being safe in all interactions. There are usually two ways of approaching this. Indirect and Direct approaches. If you are comfortable with directly intervening please do so, but keep your emotions… Read More
