I found this very helpful, thank you! It's really affirming to get this advice, for all the reasons you mentioned, not wanting to take up space in an already marginalized community, fear of being called out, and just basic imposter syndrome. For those on your reconnection journey, the biggest key is patience. My father died when I was 9, he had no connection to his father's family, the native side as so our connection was also severed. It wasn't until I was about 25 that resources became available to me in order to reconnect with that side of my family. It's important to remember that the colonial project was successful in a lot of ways, in that it did create disconnection-that for a lot of indigenous peoples, our stories of disconnection ARE the indigenous story. And it is our responsibility to do the decolonial work of reconnection. Which will be our life work, so patience is key. Also no one is going to stand there and tell you, hey you've made it, you are now native enough. No one is going to come tell you that, you have to claim it yourself (respectfully of course).
I have such a hard time with this. I always hit a wall because I’m very white passing. I have status, I know my clan, I know my nation, I’ve been to my community and spent time there. I even started learning the language a bit and have some knowledge of our cultural practices, my clan responsibilities, my family’s history… and yet I feel like I’ll never really get over that imposter syndrome thing, but I’m trying. I’ve always been embraced when I’ve been around other Indigenous people too. It’s just me. I don’t really know how to get over that.
I think for those of us that aren't connected in the way we should be or want to be we feel guilty, like it's our fault. It's not, assimilation did that. We need to give ourselves grace
I could really use some guidance on this subject. I'm Cherokee native 25 percent enough to get all of the benefits needed. I've already connected past that as a heyoka I'm in contact with the Thunder beings and am a practicing shaman so it's vital I seek guidance from an elder But I was kicked out of the state of Oklahoma illegally for Marijuana at 21 am now 37 And my family I have no contact with due to their way of being and not accepting me for all of me. Thus I got my paperwork to fill out family tree but cannot and no one is willing to help. Making matters harder my mother was adopted and I have no clue who gave her up for adoption so have been stuck in the research phase for almost 20 years and don't know what to do and could truly use some help here
I was hoping this video would help more than it did, but I'm still feeling pretty lost. What do you do if you're adopted and all you have to go on is whatever's on your papers? I don't live close to my community and I don't drive, and everything in my city caters to Six Nations people, and I'm Mississauga.
You are in a bit of a tough spot. however I’d recommend sending out an email to your communities friendship centre. You could ask for some general information or questions. Im not sure how this would work online as apposed to in person but it wouldn’t hurt to request to sit with an elder on zoom.
I feel you there since I'm also adopted and my dad is indigenous from a rural part of mexico. Because of that all i know is that I'm 45-50% indigenous and no way of knowing what people i come from, my best assumption is that i come from the Otomi in southwest Hidalgo Mx. On top of that anyone i could find to talk to are spanish speakers and i dont know spanish.
I am so thankful I came across your page
Right where I am. Awkward place to be. Thanks for posting!
I found this very helpful, thank you! It's really affirming to get this advice, for all the reasons you mentioned, not wanting to take up space in an already marginalized community, fear of being called out, and just basic imposter syndrome. For those on your reconnection journey, the biggest key is patience. My father died when I was 9, he had no connection to his father's family, the native side as so our connection was also severed. It wasn't until I was about 25 that resources became available to me in order to reconnect with that side of my family. It's important to remember that the colonial project was successful in a lot of ways, in that it did create disconnection-that for a lot of indigenous peoples, our stories of disconnection ARE the indigenous story. And it is our responsibility to do the decolonial work of reconnection. Which will be our life work, so patience is key. Also no one is going to stand there and tell you, hey you've made it, you are now native enough. No one is going to come tell you that, you have to claim it yourself (respectfully of course).
I have such a hard time with this. I always hit a wall because I’m very white passing. I have status, I know my clan, I know my nation, I’ve been to my community and spent time there. I even started learning the language a bit and have some knowledge of our cultural practices, my clan responsibilities, my family’s history… and yet I feel like I’ll never really get over that imposter syndrome thing, but I’m trying. I’ve always been embraced when I’ve been around other Indigenous people too. It’s just me. I don’t really know how to get over that.
I think for those of us that aren't connected in the way we should be or want to be we feel guilty, like it's our fault. It's not, assimilation did that. We need to give ourselves grace
I could really use some guidance on this subject. I'm Cherokee native 25 percent enough to get all of the benefits needed.
I've already connected past that as a heyoka I'm in contact with the Thunder beings and am a practicing shaman so it's vital I seek guidance from an elder
But I was kicked out of the state of Oklahoma illegally for Marijuana at 21 am now 37
And my family I have no contact with due to their way of being and not accepting me for all of me. Thus I got my paperwork to fill out family tree but cannot and no one is willing to help. Making matters harder my mother was adopted and I have no clue who gave her up for adoption so have been stuck in the research phase for almost 20 years and don't know what to do and could truly use some help here
I was hoping this video would help more than it did, but I'm still feeling pretty lost. What do you do if you're adopted and all you have to go on is whatever's on your papers? I don't live close to my community and I don't drive, and everything in my city caters to Six Nations people, and I'm Mississauga.
You are in a bit of a tough spot. however I’d recommend sending out an email to your communities friendship centre. You could ask for some general information or questions. Im not sure how this would work online as apposed to in person but it wouldn’t hurt to request to sit with an elder on zoom.
I feel you there since I'm also adopted and my dad is indigenous from a rural part of mexico. Because of that all i know is that I'm 45-50% indigenous and no way of knowing what people i come from, my best assumption is that i come from the Otomi in southwest Hidalgo Mx. On top of that anyone i could find to talk to are spanish speakers and i dont know spanish.
Thank you for this video, it's exactly what I was wanting to know! 🫶✌️