#i cant have a lot of connection to my indigenous heritage

[library-fae]

transitioning is me decolonising my body

[spot-the-antisemitism]

Found this little delight on tumblr

Link

from my perspective it boils down to: Zionist Evil and want genocide or at least indifferent towards it there's only a small number of 'good' jews, most jews are zionist so they want genocide. "I didn't research a whole lot into the history of Israel and Zionism and just went off what other people are telling me." Oh and Jews cant talk about Leftist Antisemitism with out providing incredibly specific examples and that they use the term leftist antisemitism as a word to attack arabs, muslims, and Palestinians.

JAWS? the one whose haggadah looks like THIS?!

Let's make Pesach about Palestinean suffering and not Jewish suffering

Why are alert knowing oppressors left the land is "jews have still live in their indigenous land" and is therefore a call for ethnic cleansin.

"we haven't learned the right lesson from the holocaust slavery in Egypt" canard

They swapped the wicked child and the righteous child making child connected with their heritage fascist and the wicked child trying to disconnect themself the revolutionary

BEYOND PARODY

Move over JVP you have a new competitor of grifters and they can spell hebrew and pass as Jewish

[whitepassingpocs]

ok, so, my family (dad, more specifically grandpas side, I dont like dicing it up like that but it’s necessary for this story) is louisiana kreyol. We have been in america since at least the early 1700s and I know our ethnic background is french, italian, native, and west african. We are culturally kreyol-ish despite living in the pnw because my grandpa brought it with him when he moved up here. He does not speak the language.

My grandpa was interested in his culture, but the rest of my dads side…isn’t, and largely identifies as white. (despite not really looking white?. their skin is very much olive/brown and my dad looks more asian if anything.)

due to the way the world works, I obviously have very little information on the native side. Even the tribe itself only has about half a page of information on google. Same thing with the west african.

I look ethnically ambiguous, and identify heavily as native (and mediterranean, i dont identify as african as much but i do want to connect to that side a bit more) but reconnecting is so hard when theres no information.

my grandpa is dead, he died in 2018 which was before i even thought much about my heritage. my grandma does have native heritage but shes not connected and she doesnt know a whole lot about my grandpas side, i tried asking her the other day but she said that our family cant be kreyol because they “dont know how to speak the language” which just,, hurt.

I just don’t know what to do, I feel like im lying if i identify as poc, but i also feel like im lying if i identify as white.

I just feel very lost, i dunno :(

hello there. my condolences for the loss of your grandpa. its really hard to lose the family member you feel is most connected to your culture. the important thing to remember is that connection is also in you because you are connected to him, regardless of how you look or what you know. you come from your grandpa. i am not kreyol (if anyone who follows is, please feel free to comment on this ask), but some general advice on feeling connected is:

do your research - honestly just use everything at your disposal to research the history and culture you’re a part of whether that’s family records, books, internet, public records -  research! research! research!

interact with other ppl of your culture - be careful with this if you’re a minor, but interacting with other ppl from your culture in real life/online can be helpful but do so safely

follow activists/influencers from your culture - this will also involve research, but the best way to learn about the issues facing your people is from the people fighting them/advocating for them

learn language and recipes - again, this will take research, but there are loads of language learning apps for learning ancestor tounges. same with recipes for indigenous foods

engage with media from your culture - watch films, tv shows, and read books about and created by your people. its the easiest way to learn about your culture. even just finding clips on youtube

follow blogs/social media about ur culture - another great way to both learn and connect with ppl is following positivity/history pages about ur culture. it’s also a great way to decolonise ur feed

be patient with yourself - reconnecting is a process that is different for everyone. it’s a never-ending process and you have to respect there will be times you’re frustrated and even wrong about certain things - that’s okay. take a deep breath and keep going

labels are not as important as your actions - a label is a word you give yourself. it does not necessarily give you culture, allyship, community, history or knowledge. that has to come from you and your actions which is why its important to keep what you do in focus over what you call yourself. at the end of the day, that’s what matters. that’s how people will see you as who you are.

listen!! - there are gonna be times you get things wrong, there are going to be times where you’ll be called out. these are moments of learning. they’re not easy, but they’re necessary. listen and learn.

remember, blood quantum is colonial - unlearning to think of your heritage as something quantifiable is a big step and one of the most important steps you’ll take. no matter how much milk you add to coffee its still coffee

otherwise, check out our reconnecting tag for asks relating to advice on reconnecting and feeling connected to your culture. wishing you the best of luck 💛

[frog-wash]

is there a place for people like me in my tribe’s traditions and ceremonies? i dont know. but i do know that my identity is indigenous and that’s why i choose to call myself two-spirit. i also know that gnc people have existed in my tribe before, because there’s a story about a “feminine man” (the story was collected by a white colonizer around 1900, so the language is different) whose role in the tribe was not that of a traditional man’s role. 

i choose to call myself sa-tsa’ because i cant find anything else regarding gnc people in my tribe, so i made my own word because there might not be a word for people like me in my tribe. the language is my connection to my heritage and it’s all ive got for now, but it helps the pain and helps me feel closer to my identity as an indigenous person. two-spirit and sa-tsa’ are two things that help me feel closer to home and even though there are a lot of unknowns in my life right now, i know im reclaiming my family’s past and helping heal the wounds.

[colp76-blog]

Hello and welcome back to my Journey into Science-Fiction Part:15. I was thinking of a way to watch science-fiction films that I have never watched before, plus an opportunity to learn more about the ones I had already seen. It’s quite a simple idea really, but all have to do is find a connection with each film in order to continue my journey.

In Part:14, I watched David Cronenberg’s The Fly and if you are wondering how it brought me to Wolfgang Petersen’s Enemy Mine, please click on the link above.

Now to get started on Enemy Mine 1985, directed by Wolfgang Petersen is a film based on the novel by the same name by Barry B. Longyear. It began production in 1984 but after “creative differences” the first director Richard Loncraine stood down to let Peterson take over and create his own vision for the film. The budget for the film was originally set at $17 million but eventually cost over $40 million, resulting in Enemy Mine becoming a Box Office Bomb. Like all quality science-fiction films though, it survived and has become a cult favourite amongst fans.

I have only watched Enemy Mine once or maybe twice before in my life and that was a long time ago, but I do remember it felt special and pretty unique for its time. So, with that in mind I was really worried that the passage of time was about to ruin those memories, I guess that’s some real first world problem right there.

The film starts in the late 21st Century and mankind has achieved peace on Earth but is still at war, only this time it’s in space against a race of reptilian humanoids called the Dracs. Willis E. Davidge Dennis Quaid is a fighter pilot who spends his time living on a fortress in space and only really remembers Earth as a precious memory. Davidge is caught up in a dogfight that leaves him determined on killing his enemy, but in fact, only leaves him killing his co-pilot and leaving him and a Drac, Jeriba Shigan Louis Gossett, Jr stranded on a remote planet.

The planet is called Fryine IV and is mysterious, desolate and lifeless. Davidge after taking care of funeral arrangements for his dead friend is ready for more retribution against a species he has never even set eyes on before. Jeriba, on the other hand, decides to have a dance in the rain and go for a swim, until Davidge tries to burn him alive. Jeriba captures Davidge and instead of killing him, ties him up instead. During an argument, they realise the real enemy is, in fact, the planet itself and they both run for cover. Davidge wakes up next to Jeriba and finally has a clear chance to kill him but changes his mind at the last moment, eventually showing some compassion for his enemy. Davidge realises that if they are to survive they will have to work together and starts to build a camp, much to Jeriba’s amusement as it falls to the ground. I have to say the character development by Louis Gossett, Jr in this scene is really amazing and what a way to bring so much warmth to Jeriba and break the ice between him and Davidge.

Jeriba now known as Jerry and Davidge are talking to each other in English, but there is still some hostility between the pair until Jerry saves Davidge’s life from an indigenous creature. Davidge acknowledges to Jerry that he could he have let him die and their friendship is cemented even more, on top of that Davidge realises they can use shells from another creature to help protect their home from meteor showers, bringing some short-lasting harmony to the camp. That’s until Davidge and Jerry struggle to get back to home during yet another meteor shower and Davidge accuses Jerry of becoming fat and lazy, resulting in them nearly killing each other. Davidge says they need to move on if they are to survive but Jerry decides its safer to stay and they both go their separate ways.

Davidge is left wandering the desolate planet for days until he finally finds something of real significance, some empty Pepsi cans proving the humans have been there recently, unfortunately, there is also the skull of a Drac. He realises its scavengers that have been on the planet, and they use Dracs as slaves for mining facilities. Davidge returns to his friend and decides it’s better not to tell him about his grizzly discovery but there is some even greater news to share, Jerry is pregnant!

Davidge and Jerry really can’t catch a break as tragedy strikes again. The creature that nearly killed Davidge attacks them and destroys their home, forcing them to seek refuge in the mountains. Jerry asks Davidge to tell him about his family history and in return will share his lineage with him. Jerry asks Davidge to return his child to the Drac homeworld and share his and Jerry’s lineage with them. Jerry is in labour and is ready to die but Davidge is having none of it and explains he has no experience of raising a child. After watching his friend die, Davidge is left to cut the baby from Jerry’s warm body.

Jerry’s offspring, Zammis Bumper Robinson grows a lot quicker than a human child and is soon running around and also becoming curious about his race and the difference between him and his uncle, who he has created a very strong bond with. The scavengers return to Fryine IV and Davidge warns Zammis to keep away from them without explaining the truth about their intentions. Ignoring his uncle and wanting to know more about the visitors, Zammis goes to the mining facility and is captured by the scavengers. Davidge is not far behind and manages to kill one of the scavengers, but he is unable to save his nephew and is left for dead on the planet.

  Davidge is later found by a patrol ship and returned to the fortress he came from. After a very impersonal funeral ceremony, he wakes up speaking Drac’s language and is saved by a medical team. He is accused of working with the enemy but that will not stop him stealing a ship to go and help rescue Zammis from the scavengers. Davidge locates the mining facility on Fryine IV and with the help of the Drac’s who recognise him as “uncle” eventually finds Zammis. He also finds Stubbs, Brion James who points out that he killed his brother on their first encounter. The Drac slaves have an uprising against the scavengers, leaving Davidge to kills Stubbs. Davidge is finally reunited with his nephew as the crew from the fortress arrive and the mining facility is shut down.

Davidge and Zammis return to the Drac homeworld for Zammis’s heritage ceremony. As he had promised Jerry,  Davidge recites the complete Jeriba ancestry before the Holy Council. The narrator says, “��� and when, in the fullness of time, Zammis brought its own child before the Holy Council, the name of ‘Willis Davidge’ was added to the line of Jeriba.”

Well, I have to say, I really enjoyed going back and watching this film, it’s just a really great story. Watching Davidge transform from a soldier to Jerry’s friend, and later Zammis’s parent is quite extraordinary and really makes you think about how people interact with each other in everyday life. This is what science-fiction does best, it takes real-life issues and shows you how pointless some of these “issues” are when it comes down to the crunch. The special effects do look pretty dated but it looks like a classic B-movie and can get away with it. I guess the wonderful soundtrack by Maurice Jarre certainly helped create that feeling, as some of the music on this score took me back to some of the glorious black and white sci-fi shows of the past, amazing work. Wolfgang Peterson, the cast and everyone involved really did create a great film, and one I glad I revisited because these kinds of stories should always be told.

I can’t wait to get started on Part:16 of my Journey into Science-Fiction but what will I be watching next? I was thinking about watching Solar Crisis as Maurice Jarr wrote the score for that film also. In second place was the film Outland that was produced by  Stanley O’Toole who worked on Enemy Mine as well. But the winner is Dreamscape that stars Dennis Quaid but also has a soundtrack composed by Maurice Jarre. I actually haven’t seen this film but I cant wait to watch it.

Thank you for reading. What do you think about Enemy Mine? Please leave me a comment below and again, thanks for your time.

Enemy Mine, 1985. My Journey into Science-Fiction Part 15. Hello and welcome back to my Journey into Science-Fiction Part:15. I was thinking of a way to watch science-fiction films that I have never watched before, plus an opportunity to learn more about the ones I had already seen.

[thekimmelwindows-blog]

VOICES | Spotlight on the artist: Krystyna Printup

Krystyna Printup is a Brooklyn based artist, curator and designer whose work investigates her identity as an Indigenous woman and the issues surrounding ideal representations of the Native American community. 

We recently spoke with her about her art and artistic inspiration for the work included in VOICES and we’re so happy we did, boy did we learn a lot! 

Make sure you take the time to see her paintings on West 3rd Street, 24/7 through May 5th and then from July 1st through September 10th. She’ll be at the reception on April 17th 5:30- 8pm so come by and meet her in person then! 

I've read your work deals with representation and identity; Where did you grow up and how do you feel that contributes to the person/artist you are today?

I am a Native New Yorker! (with the emphasis on Native ) Growing up within one of the largest cities in America the clash between who I AM versus what was expected to be as a "Native" has always been an internal struggle.  My work has always been around my own personal journey with my identity as an American Indian, Native, Native American - what ever you would call it- and my constant battle with how to be apart of both worlds. As a native who was raised in a city I was automatically confronted with stereotypes because of the expectation on what an "Indian" is supposed to be like/ look like. I was not from the country, I didn't know how to hunt, drive a car, swim, and not to mention my lack of any connection to mother nature. I didnt talk native, or live on the rez with my dads family, in fact aside from a couple Powwows Ive attended my culture was taught from the pieces shared via books, mentors, my non native mother and the annual visits upstate to visit my father and my native side of my family. I felt that if I grew up in the country or in a more rural area that people would of been easier to accept me as Native because of the cultural assumptions society has created on what IS native-ness. In my current work I am exploring identity but this time thru the lens of  the observer. Im using my own assumptions to create a painting based on a persons looks rather than history.

Who are the two Chief's portrayed in your pieces? Their gaze and posture are so powerful. Do they have more of a story to tell? 

My portrait paintings are inspired by real people from found photographs. I have always been drawn to the simplicity of the early 1900's photographs and the cold, hollow and  soulless stares the people are often depicted as having.  I feel a connection with these people in the sense that they are being displayed in a manner expected by the viewer yet there is no follow up on the voice of the person. You view the photo and create your own assumptions of character the same way people my whole life viewed me with certain expectations. When you view my works I want the pieces to speak, I want there to be a haunting feeling that you are connecting with a person who I have painted.

What materials did you use and can you speak a little about your artistic process? 

I work in gouache and watercolors on either paper or canvas. I like how easy it is to travel and move around with gouache and the soft fluid effects you can achieve when painting. I enjoy the constrictive unforgiving ability the material has on the canvas, that I am unable to come back to a painting to fix it, or change it, once a mark is made.  All my pieces are done in either one or two sittings. Its about the aggressive marks that I make in a manner I can compare to the act of beating a drum, it feels wild and somehow its very controlled. I never create a sketch or layout a plan prior, I just jump right into painting. I work from a visual reference in black and white, and allow my own assumptions to take control.

When did you first know you were an artist and what does creating art mean to you?

I have always been a creative of some sort throughout my life. I studied fine art at F.H LaGuardia High School( the famous FAME schooll) and followed that with going to Pratt Institute to study drawing. My voice did not begin until I was free from peer influence and had my own space to grow. Ironically looking back at art I made as a child it is strangely similar in material and subject matter to what I paint today. Creating work is second nature, I cant imagine myself not painting. There has been times when I go through what I call my "blank period" where my artistic self is just blank, and I stop creating for a certain block of time. Maybe its my creative clock restarting or something like that, but all I know is when I do snap out of the "not in the mood to painting" funk I come out with a new collection of work. If you look at my website my work is broken into different titled categories or what I like to call periods. Sometimes its a couple works large and other extend by the dozens. Currently im in the Seeing Red period and its been almost three years in this period and I am not sure when this era will end. I never do. But all I know is that its been the most powerful collection yet.

What are seven things that inspire you in life and in art-making? 

- Vintage Portraiture Photography

- Americana and the Wild West era

- the stereotypes of native iconography/ appropriation

- Tuscarora bead work and souvenir crafts

- Artists like Francis Bacon, Picasso, photographer Edward Curtis

-Social Media

Krystyna Printup (New York, 1983) is a Brooklyn based artist, curator and designer whose work investigates her identity as an Indigenous woman and the issues surrounding ideal representations of the Native American community. A member of the New York Tuscarora Turtle Clan, Printup references her tribal history throughout her paintings, sculptures and design work referencing American Indian folk art, pop culture stereotypes, and objects of everyday life which are then combined with her own traditions and history. Printup received a BFA from Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY and a MLA from StonyBrook College, Stony Brook, NY.

As a member of the Tuscaroras Tribe (Turtle Clan) of New York, Printup's SEEING  RED paintings are an exploration of Native Americana in modern America thru the lens of her cultural exposure. Presenting to the viewer as a collection of gouache paintings that act as a snapshot of her own histories. Referencing cultural objects and artifacts mixed with images pulled from social media, Printup documents her memories as a visual memoir paying homage to her American Indian heritage.

Printup’s HOMELAND paintings are an exploration of Native Americana thru the lens of her own identity growing up as an urban Indigenous woman. Printup references found photographs and historical documents for her vibrant depictions of both fiction and non- fiction narratives. Printup’s signature bold and expressive lines pay homage to what she feels “is symbolic to the act of a beating drum” a display of aggression, energy, and unity.

[viralhottopics]

Indigenous surfing rides high: ‘The ocean is my people’s totem’

Otis Carey, Soli Bailey and a new generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander surfers are challenging for the top and embracing country traditions

Otis Carey cant really tell you when he started surfing but his connection to the sea is clearly ingrained. I was two days old when I first touched saltwater, he says. Recently signed to Billabong on a deal that combines his love of surfing with his passion for contemporary Aboriginal art, he is part of a new generation of Indigenous Australians who have taken to the water to celebrate connections to country and culture, and to stake a claim to Indigenous lands and survival.

Exciting and unpredictable in the water, Carey is a great surfer by any standard. But with every session, he is conscious of the fact that he represents his people and culture. On each of his boards, he paints an Aboriginal flag as a small homage to his heritage. And when he scored the March cover of Tracks magazine, that flag, roughly drawn on the underside of his board, was front and centre.

With roots in the Gumbaynggirr and Bundjalung clans of present-day New South Wales, Careys connection to the sea runs deep. My peoples totem is the ocean, so its a very spiritual place for me, he says.

As a child, surfing helped Carey cope with the harsh realities of racism in Australia. Its really easy to get into trouble as an Indigenous kid. Youre surrounded by a lot of non-Indigenous people who say a lot of mean things to you because youre different, Carey says. Surfing kept me out of trouble and away from negative things. The ocean is so positive and has a lot of healing elements.

Indeed, while Indigenous communities continue to bear the burden of Australias legacy of colonialism and the continued pressures of racial inequality, surfing has emerged as a way to empower Indigenous youth along Australias coastlines.

I think a lot of people can relate to the cleansing feeling that you get as soon as you jump in the water, says Yorta Yorta surfer Cormach Evans. Still in his wetsuit, Evans dries off after his heat at the Woorrangalook Victorian Koorie Surf Titles, a family-oriented competition run by Surfing Victoria.

Evans learned to surf as a 12-year-old, through Surfing Victorias Indigenous Aquatics program. At the time, the program was run by volunteers, but these days, Surfing Victoria employs two full-time Aboriginal staff members and Evans has grown into a regular on the Indigenous competition circuit. Throughout the year, he participates in events such as Woorrangalook, as well as higher-performance competitions such as Wandiyali in Newcastle and the Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles at Bells Beach.

Now, Evans is a health worker at the Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative. Passionate about confronting the intergenerational trauma that contributes to Indigenous health issues, Evans incorporates surfing as a tool in his counselling work. Looking out at the water, he says, I think for Indigenous people, when they jump into the ocean, its a feeling of being connected to culture and feeling a sense of belonging when that first wave washes over you.

Destiny Murphy, left, competing at the at the Woorrangalook surfing competition in Victoria. Photograph: Surfing Victoria

Naomi Murphy, a Waka Waka woman based in Traralgon, agrees. She brought her daughter Destiny and niece Coco to compete in Woorrangalooks under-10 division. As a community worker at the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Corporation, Murphy has been involved with Surfing Victorias Indigenous program for seven years.

I usually bring a busload of girls from East Gippsland to participate in this event, she says, Surfing has so many benefits. Building confidence, learning new skills. All of those things are important because we have such high rates of incarceration among our youth.

This year, Murphy was unable to secure funding to bring other children from her community. Several other community groups are absent for the same reason. With roughly 75 participants, Woorrangalook is significantly smaller than in previous years, partly because Surfing Victoria now holds regional competitions around the state, but also because resources are increasingly difficult to come by.

Murphy is frustrated by the scarcity of funding. Theyre building a new youth Supermax prison, she says. Why dont you strip it right back and get those kids before they get to that point? Prevention is always better than a cure.

Surfing Victoria has itself lost $100,000 in funding this year, and may lose another $50,000 in the near future. Still, the organisation remains committed to the program. We see the merit in it, says Indigenous surfing officer Jordie Campbell, who grew up in the program before joining the staff. Were going to keep doing it for as long as the community wants it.

Indigenous surfing events are less about competition, and more about fostering connections between saltwater mobs coastal Indigenous nations that have relied on the ocean for countless generations. Koorie competitions are like family gatherings, says Carey. And its true, Woorrangalook is a multi-generational event, a chance for youth to learn from their elders.

Womens open winner Amber Harrison came to the event to compete along with her little sister and her father. Harrison sees surfing as a way to honour her ancestors. I can see middens at most of the beaches I surf at. Middens are old shell piles from when Aboriginals used to go out to get food like abalone, she explains. The middens are visible reminders that Harrisons people have long been tied to the sea. Seeing those makes me feel connected to the past and what we can change in the future.

Soli Bailey in action in A Corua, Galicia, Spain, last year. Photograph: NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images

With more and more kids like Harrison finding their place in the ocean, the future looks bright for Indigenous surfing in Australia. And as the sport takes hold among saltwater mobs, there are, in fact, a handful of Indigenous surfers making their mark on the wider industry.

The Indigenous surfing world is abuzz with talk of Soli Bailey, an up-and-coming Indigenous surfer who won the Volcom Pipe Pro in Hawaii just a few weeks ago.

Bailey took home the Australian Indigenous surf title in 2015, and has been steadily making a name for himself in the World Surf Leagues Qualifying Series. This year may finally be his chance to compete in the Championship Tour. Though all eyes are on him now, hes watched the Indigenous surf community grow alongside his own career.

I think youll find that the next five years will be the best five years in Indigenous surfing history, Bailey says.

Otis Carey shares Baileys excitement. It just comes down to talent, he says, with the easy confidence of a real natural. Weve been supporting each other so much, and it pushed us to the point where people have to acknowledge us.

Read more: http://ift.tt/2mLEHou

from Indigenous surfing rides high: ‘The ocean is my people’s totem’

[whitepassingpocs]

im Mexican right im super light skinned and racially ambiguous (people mistake me for east asian a lot). n while i grew up in mexico i speak spanish etc but i still feel. disconnected and like a fake bc of how I look. my grandparents are so carreer focused they didnt pass down any traditions, and were so disconnected from out family. and even if im Mexican i feel like i have No culture bc mex culture is stolen from indigenous culture, basically, and while im not white, i dont know which pueblos and people im descended from so i feel like i cant reconnect. i cant ask my grandparents bc were so removed from our roots and family, and genealogy in mexico sucks. im not sure what to do bc i feel so lost and i want to connect with Any culture that might be mine but it all feels like im stealing from someone in the end. any tips? haha thank you

hello!

if you have no way of contacting family, and geneology or public records that may help you are unavaliable to you then I am really sorry but, as far as I know, your options are quite limited. sometimes you have to make peace with an undefined otherness but keep your mind open and ear to the ground for avenues of connection when talking to family and researching. i understand that you feel disconnected but maybe having hard conversations with family members, or even doing research about your region will help you feel less disconnected. connecting is the act of trying to connect. its the effort and the journey, as much as the destination. if you're asking yourself these questions it means you are trying to connect and by definition are not as disconnected as you may feel. you are not fake, or false, or stealing you're part of something. just because you don't quite know what yet, that doesn't mean you aren't. also, sometimes reconnecting is hard and frustrating, but that doesn't mean its wrong. keep asking questions, whether its via research or to your family. ask them for records, for dates, memories. it's YOUR heritage too so don't take excuses from anyone, including yourself that reconnecting isn't worth it. wishing you all the best. x

ps. if anyone from mexico has advice for anon, please reach out in the replies or via message

[sereniv]

So I say this a lot on reddit, but ill write it again

But firstly, if this is going off of a DNA test: This is why we dont go on blood quantum, among other reasons. Because dna tests just aren't reliable. They are best used as a way to connect with family, and for fun, and maybe for some basic guidance. The other reason BQ shouldn't be used is because its literally a colonialist concept put into action to whittle down native populations by not only turning natives against each other, but also making laws and rules on who is white and who is not. With native people, you weren't native under a certain blood percentage, therefor you were white, therefor one less native person therefor less native culture. For black people it was the 1 drop rule. Anyone that could be traced back to having a black ancestor (1 drop) would be considered black. Different yet similar

Secondly, PoC, alongside racial/ethnic identity is complicated. Its all a social construct, but one we use right now and need safe spaces for specific people. PoC means different things for different people, but the bottom line is how you feel identifying as a person of color.

Do you experience direct racism? meaning racism directed at you specifically. Thats the biggest point of safe spaces for PoC is the connection of racial and ethnic predjudice and racism.

Basically, its a term that won't cover everyone, especially mixed white appearing people. Because this question is asked on reddit constantly, therefor it its obviously a hazy definition.

I dont experience direct racism. I dont consider myself a PoC. But I also don't consider myself exactly white. because I'm not, I'm mixed. My dad could enroll in the Pascua Yaqui Tribe if he wanted to. But again that doesn't make me a person of color. And even if it does I dont personally feel comfortable using it.

Its about knowing where you fit in a conversation and uplifting the voices of those who experience racism. Know your privilege and use it, and also listen.

So the question should be less if you are a person of color, and more of where you fit in your own community and collective communities. Where do you fit amongst white people? Where do you fit amongst native people or black people or asian people?

Not to mention that you can also be an ally within your own community

Being white appearing but having indigenous parents and family can be hard especially if they pass as indigenous more than you. White appearing mixed people have unique experiences, and so do passing mixed people and monoracial people.

You have to look st your options. You can be white and indigenous. You can say you are mixed. You can even say you are white and poc, and you dont owe anyone an explanation.

But also dont hate those that say those things. it can hurt and you can hate them in a way, but understand from their point of view. I cant hate monoracial and poc passing people who say im just white. I also can't say they are wrong because there is no non societal construction that is fact. I could be half and still some people would see me as not native enough. But who says? Colonialism?

I always tell people to look at their other heritage and connect with that first. Most of the time the other half is a 'white' culture like italian or Norwegian or Spanish. But they see it as the default and White, as in association with white people, as in racism, and theres that want to distance yourself from it.

And id you have any ounce of that feeling, work on that first and indulge in the Swedish or Italian or Spanish culture. learn the language. connect with others of that ethnicity. Find pride, not in being white, but in being Swedish/French/etc.

So that when you think of France or the French language you feel family and home, even if you didnt grow up with that. Only then do I think you'll be able to look at a 'identity of color' and not fetishize or try and run away from privilege

I've told this to some people and they eventually came to the idea that being an ally feels best, different than what they originally wanted

you can honor your ancestors by bring an ally to the tribe you come from, without identifying as indigenous. But in your case id say go ahead

but again ask yourself what native means to you. lurk in the subreddit r/NativeAmerican and r/IndianCountry and connect from a difference

Being native, as I'm sure is any identity, is community, culture, language, and a feeling that is unique to you.

You are what native looks like.

I encourage, regardless if blood quantum, people to try and connect and if along the way they realize (before they claim native) that being an ally is how they identify then great.

Just racial/ethnic identity isnt something light. it should be something that makes you think and feel.

people often bring up Rachel Dolezal and Warren but the difference is the lack of struggle. Did they ever once lay awake at night struggling back and forth about if they should call themselves native/ black? did they connect with the community did they drop the identity easily, did they feel remorse?

Id keep typing but this is long enough. But look in the mirror and know that you are enough and that goes for every white appearing/ambiguous mixed person. You belong and you are the identity you say you are.

My dad is 1/4th Yaqui, my grandma is 1/2 Yaqui, my great grandma and grandpa were half Yaqui (Maybe Mayo also), and my great great grandma was a full Yaqui woman who assimilated from Mexico to California possibly bc of the Yaqui war with the Mexican government. My great grandma knew spanish and didn't teach a single word to my grandma. She couldn't be native and she couldn't be mexican.

I am very fortunate that my cousin (who is 1/4th also and looks exactly like me, except he's the one that could enroll) has our tribal name. Not everyone is fortunate

But you can still say you are indigenous, and you can still connect to the community and help your local tribes out.

Ok sorry enough writing!

So I'm anywhere from 25 to 50 percent native and my nation's are Cherokee, Creek, and Sioux.. and I'm quite pale and all of my friends say I'm too pale to be considered a poc. And I guess what I'm asking is would I be or no?

hello!! it's not possible for someone to be directly descended from Native American peoples and be white. You may be white passing but you can't be white. Passing for white means you have non-white heritage, but you LOOK white (not that you are white). You are a white passing PoC. Your friends don't define who you are, your family and connection to your family's culture does. Also, blood quantification is an ugly tool of colonialism designed to devalue your Native identity, best to get out of the habit of quantifying your indigeneity. It's better for your relationship to your culture. x