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Yá’át’ééh. I am half Native (Navajo and Colville) and half African American. I grew up on the Colville rez and during that time I faced racism from my tribe for being part black. I am visiting the Navajo rez this spring and I’m nervous about facing it aga

Yá’át’ééh, Thank you for this question, it is a challenging question to answer. It saddens me to hear that you have experienced anti-Black racism, or lateral oppression, by your Native American communities. Racism in this country is challenging to address, and anti-Black racism can be even more challenging to address…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Culture and Language, Identity, Intolerance

Why is there high rates of mental illness within the indigenous communities and what traditional and non-traditional ways can we combat it?

Dear Malia, What we know is that there is a strong connection between health disparities, including mental health issues, and the impact of colonization, primarily the impact of historical trauma on Tribal communities. Currently, Native American communities are looking to Traditional Indigenous Knowledge (TIK) and culture to address these conditions.…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Culture and Language, Identity, Mental Health

Hello I’m Métis. I’ve always felt a strong connection to my native roots. Is it wrong for me to just embrace them and not Métis culture , for example I’d rather learn jingle than jigging

I think people have a right to identify with their culture however they choose to. Go with what you’re feeling. You’ll find dancers have extensive Indigenous backgrounds. The first thing I would do is encourage you to get a mentor. This person can help guide you through all the things…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Culture and Language, Identity

I manage a shop that rents costumes, and I found two costume headdresses in our rental inventory. I pulled them and finally convinced the powers that be that we cannot rent these. Is there a respectful way to destroy these headdresses?

Hey! Thanks for you support! First, know there is a team of people behind you who are working on this same issue. We’ve got your back and together we can make a difference! As strongly as I can say this, ‘There is no circumstance where dressing up like someone from…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Activism, Culture and Language, Identity, Intolerance

Hey, I need to soundboard something – I just bought a pair of mukluks locally made in northern MN, inspired by the native Cree community. The woman who creates them is not native, yet is a staple person in the northern MN community. They are beautiful boo

By asking this question I can see that you have some concerns. Listen to your gut… and let’s talk it through. As we move forward as a society, we are starting conversations with great questions like the ones you’re asking. What was once okay or seen as normal can shift…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Culture and Language, Identity, Non-Native Allies

My boyfriend is native, but he’s fairly light skinned and his family separated from their tribe years ago. He isn’t confident in who he is and is always doubting his roots though we both know he is apache. How can I help him? What can we do to connect him

What a great friend and girlfriend you are. As Indigenous people, we have a very long and devastating history that has stolen so much of our culture, languages, and identity. But there’s no need for that anymore. With great allies like yourself and brave people like your boyfriend, we can…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Culture and Language, Education, Identity, Non-Native Allies, Relationships
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