Hey auntie, I’m Native and European, what should I do when people call me a “half breed”?
How do you feel about it?
It’s always a good to think hard about exactly how you feel about things. I say this because when you get to the point of being comfortable talking to people about this, it should be your words and thoughts behind it. You chose the words you will and will not let people define you as.
Nowadays, ‘half-breed’ is generally considered derogatory. The term was originally used by the US and Canadian governments. And of course we know that there was policy to breed out Native Americans by forcibly removing women and children from their families.
However, just like other derogatory terms used for other cultures and ethnicities, some people and groups try to take the power back by being the guardians of their terms. And the meanings of terms change depending on the people using them and where they come from.
Dig a little deeper by talking to others… and certainly continue talking to yourself about what you think.
Thanks for writing in.
Auntie Manda
