I read something today that really resonated with me. The writer said “To assert who I am is the most liberating and revolutionary thing I can do.” Let me break this down. This woman was speaking in the context of who she was as a Black Puerto Rican. It seems that the ol divide and conquer strategy is alive and well. Still unweaving our histories, thus confusing us on where we stand, who we are and where our homelands are. I read that one line today, and although I consider myself a PROUD Dakota woman, it truly struck a chord with me. She is right, she’s absolutely right, and it goes for Natives today. The government, society, whomever want us to be confused, they want to shake our identities because they ultimately want us to mix in with the greater population so we eventually die out. When we die out there is no one left to protect our sacred homelands, our languages, our inherent rights. The “Indian problem” has been eradicated. Well, that was a practice back then and it still is now. However, we have not died out, we are still going strong. It is clear to see that they whittle away at the things that can make us weak, if they cause us to question ourselves and who we are, then they have gotten the best of us, to the very core of who we are. Today, you still hear us, US as Natives talking in colonizing terms such as “half breeds and full bloods.” I hate it. I don’t hate much, but there is nothing worse than the oppressed oppressing the oppressed( I think Colby Tootoosis said this). LOL…what is the sense? This reminds me of an awkward and disturbing experience I had in Walmart a few years ago. My 3 yr old daughter and I are in the smelly section, that’s the candles and air fresheners for us. So, I’m standing there smelling everything and this guy next to me is doing the same thing. He turns to make a comment about what we are doing, and we laugh. Then he said, “are you Puerto Rican?” and I could tell he was, because of his accent. I said, nope, I’m not and continued to smell a candle. So, he says, “wow, you’re not? You REALLY look like you could be.” So, finally I said, no, I’m Native.” He says, “you’re Native!? No way. But you’re not full are you?” Well that’s just rude, but I kindly replied, “no I’m not, my mom is Native and my dad is Irish.” He says “Ohhhh! Well then you should say that then! because all of the Native women I’ve seen around here are big and ugly.” And he puffs out his cheeks. Oh lord, I just turned to look at him, and I could just feel like I wanted to punch him. I just stared at him what felt like the longest few seconds of my life, figuring my next words. I said “well, that’s actually not the case, that’s kind of rude, and I won’t tell my mom you said that, because she’s not BIG or UGLY, she’s beautiful and probably would beat the shit outta you for saying that.” He starts to laugh uncomfortably and I just walked away. So, even in everyday life, people can put you in situations to cause you to think about who you are and where you come from. I have no problem stating who I am, and what blood I carry in my body, but I was raised Dakota, and it’s who I identify with. If I were to go around calling myself “half breed, quarter breed, or one sixteenth this or that” I’ve only identified with my colonizers. I’ve just proven that their tactics have succeeded. My mom actually met my dad through the Relocation Program, and here I am, a product of the era of Indian termination policy. However, they have not won, at least through me. When I can tell you or anyone for that matter “MaDakota” or I am Dakota, it is a way for me to connect myself to the land, a place that feels like home. A place that my ancestors gave their very lives for. A place that the government wanted to pull us from, down to our very roots and replant us into something that was never us. To lose that connection because someone wants to call me a “white girl” is too much to bear. It’s insulting to my ancestors. So I spit in their faces and continue to say I am Dakota. Simply, I’m just a light complected and freckle faced Dakota in my mind. And what I know myself to be is the most power I can hold over anyone. My existence cannot or will not be defined by the idiocy or ignorant. Don’t be afraid to tell people you are Yakima, Crow, Anishinabe, Cree, Hopi, Dine….Say it in your language, and throw them off, confuse them, you have every right. After all they are on OUR land :) So do me a favor, how do you say I am insert your nation in your language?
Posted on: Tue, 29 Oct 2013 14:49:18 +0000