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In Maine, many native children were taken and placed in non-native families up until the 1970s. I believe my late grandmother was one of these children, but I don’t know if these records were kept. How can we reconnect when there was so much displacement?

Yes, our history of being colonized has left a dark cloud over our identities and familial ties, but the good news is that there is a large community of folks with similar stories who have got your back. I applaud you for beginning your journey of discovering more about who…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Education, Identity, Intolerance, Non-Native Allies

Could spirits be trying to tell me something? I’m not Native American as far as I know, but things keep happening so often that I can’t ignore it anymore!

Dear Cody, Thanks for writing in. Well, I can’t speak to your experience, only you can do this. What I can say, is that as Indigenous people, we believe that all things both inanimate and alive hold a lifeforce or energy, especially the land we occupy. Many people, including myself…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Culture and Language, Identity, Non-Native Allies, Spirituality

i’m 16 and pregnant. my parents love my boyfriend. he’s 19 and has his own place. i’m already graduated and work full time. i practically live with him. but i fear when they find out they’ll make me move back home and keep the baby from him.

Thanks for writing in! You might find that you will need a lot of support during this time, so I am proud of you for taking such a positive step by reaching out. You’re doing the right thing by looking for help and support. There’s no reason you should go…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Physical Health, Relationships, Sexual Health

Why to hawks and turkey vultures keep appearing in my dreams? Why did a vulture actually drop a feather to the ground right in front of me and not fly away? It’s feather landed less than a foot from a hawk feather! I’m not Native American but much respect

Dear Cody, Every tribe has different associations with animals, so what may mean one thing to me may mean something completely different to another tribe. For example, in my tribe owls are considered good luck because they used to warn us of invading tribes. Whereas, the Navajo consider owls to…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Culture and Language, Spirituality

My father is full native(secwepemc and cherokee) my mother is full white (german) i was born very light skinned. I do not look native even tho i am status indian and live on reserve. Is it disrespectful if i learnt to dance jingle i feel wrong even asking

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 you’ll need to know about jingle dancing. They can coach you on dancing with the traditions of style, meaning, and…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Culture and Language, Identity, Spirituality

Dear auntie my uncle is going crazy and he is verbally abusive to my auntie and my first cousins. Im scared of it becoming physical . I want them to move over here with me and they do too . How do I get them away from this?

I want to first thank you for having the courage to write this question. It sounds like you care for your Auntie a lot. They are going to need your strength and compassion during this time. This question is a difficult question to answer. There are a lot of different…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Mental Health, Physical Health, Relationships, Sexual Health

I’m about 4’11-5ft tall i’ve been trying to lose weight for a long time i weigh about 180-220 I’ve done sports all my life yet still the weight won’t come off I’m only 13 will i grow into it?

This is a very important question. You cannot get the full picture of your health by looking at weight or a single point on a growth chart. Children’s bodies change as they grow, throughout childhood and you may experience “growth spurt” (periods of fast growth). What is important right now…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Identity, Physical Health

Hi, Auntie. As an undocumented Native (Cherokee/Osage/Senca) married to Choctaw Native, what clothing is acceptable to wear? My daughters wear Choctaw diamonds and ribbon skirts.

Hi there and thanks for writing in! There are all types of identities: personal, group, cultural, racial, ethnic identity… and the list goes on. The really great thing about identity, is that ultimately you get to decide how you want to see yourself. If you have a strong connection to…
Answered by Auntie Manda
Topics: Culture and Language, Education, Identity, Non-Native Allies
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