I’m enrolled with my Tribe on the Yakama reservation, but I have light/white skin and it sometimes holds me back from doing things like dancing in powwows. Is this something I can come to terms with and defeat?
Absolutely! The great and challenging thing is, that you’re the only one you need to get permission from. People will have their own opinions about everything from your Indian taco toppings to your dance techniques. That doesn’t have anything to do with you. It has everything to do with the other person. That’s not your problem.
It’s not your job to change the way people see things. That’s their job. Your job is to be the best version of yourself possible. Period. If that includes fully accepting yourself as a light skinned Native, who dances like his spirit tells him… then it’s your job to work to make that happen. The rest will fall into place.
When you start to shift seeing yourself more positively, because let’s face it, telling yourself that light-skinned Natives doesn’t have a right to dance, then you move away from the negative.
You get to decide if you want to give yourself permission to live freely and authentically, as you were meant to be. I’ll be rooting for you to take that walk! Make sure to be kind to yourself along the way, taking steps forward, backward, and sideways is a part of the process. Best of luck!
Take care,
Auntie Manda
