In the Old Days, Everyone Who Was Born Had a Purpose
"In the old days, everyone who was born had a purpose, but that belief had faded away some over the years. Now we are working with our kids to re-instill that mind set. We want our future to remain strong and to continue to move forward." — Jennifer Porter (Kootenai) Read more at https://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/notable-quotes #Robohontas #JenniferPorter #quote #education #children #future
"Racism is rendered as the innocent daughter of Mother Nature"
"This leads us to another equally important ideal, one that Americans implicitly accept but to which they make no conscious claim. Americans believe in the reality of "race" as a defined, indubitable feature of the natural world. Racism--the need to ascribe bone-deep features to people and then humiliate, reduce, and destroy them--inevitably follows from this inalterable condition. In this way, racism is rendered as the innocent daughter of Mother Nature, and one is left to d
That’s Why I Learned My Ceremonies—To Help People
“We are all brothers and sisters on this Earth. People are similar throughout the world and we need to work together to solve problems. We need to carry on our culture, to take care of each other and our planet, not poison our atmosphere and our food. It’s not only our people, but others where people get sick and don’t know how they’re going to get well. We need to help one another, teach one another for a better way. That’s why I learned my ceremonies—to help people.” -
So I do say now that I am Indian
"So I do say now that I am Indian. But I say those words with humility. I say those words knowing that they are part of a circuitous path toward Indigeneity. I say those words knowing that I do not speak Cherokee, knowing that I do not know so much about what it means to be Cherokee. But I also say those words knowing that not having access to our oral history is an authentic Indian experience. Knowing that not being able to care for your son, giving him up for adoption, was
"Non-Native Settler Feminists Do Not Understand, Nor Do They Seem To Want To"
"You see, I do things as a strong, empowered Oceti Sakowin (Sioux) woman that non-Native settler feminists do not understand, nor do they seem to want to. Through their colonial lens, they view sacred women’s ways as submissive rather than humble. For instance, they assume that because I wear a long dress or skirt to ceremony, that I’m being treated as an inferior. Nothing could be further from the truth. I wear my floor sweeping skirt out of respect for my ancestors, the bro
In the story of American exceptionalism, Native Americans cease to exist after Manifest Destiny
"Atop the U.S. Capitol, there is a frieze depicting American history. At first, Native Americans fight an onslaught of colonists. Our final reference is the death of Tecumseh and a kneeling Native American woman, hands upraised. There is nothing after. In the story of American exceptionalism, Native Americans cease to exist after Manifest Destiny. ...But Native Americans didn’t go extinct. We’re still here. And this is the racial wallpaper we see. A largely forgotten, margina
We Never Survive Alone
"I sincerely believe that we never survive alone. I am here because of my ancestor's prayers, because of the love & prayers & woo of people I've met & hugged & people I know through the internet & even people I've never interacted with but have read my words. [And] for this I am so very grateful." --Lettie Laugher (Diné) From blog post titled "Sick Healer // Wounded Healer // Crazy Healer: Can I Really Still Be a Healer?" #quote #robohontas #LettieLaughter #survival #ancesto
How White People Only Want to See Aboriginal Art That Looks Like Aboriginal Art from Centuries Ago
"This spring, I went to Montreal to see a friend, and went to an indigenous gallery before my flight home. And I sat outside crying, having seen previews of their works online, and how they all looked like traditional pieces, and how white people only wanted to see Aboriginal art that looks like Aboriginal art from centuries ago, and I kept crying, and couldn't [go] inside." --Sarah Clark (Nanticoke) #quote #SarahClark #robohontas #art #Indigenous
I wanted to be an Indian, too -
"When I was a little girl,
I wanted to be an Indian, too -
I felt at home in the water, the
sea-salt rushing against my cheeks;
and how beautiful, and how
silent, long black hair blowing
back as stars and sequins
aligned around me; god! Didn’t
I want to be an Indian!" Excerpted from the poem To the White Woman Who Told Me, "When I was a Girl, I Wanted to Be An Indian." By Misty Shipman Ellingburg (Shoalwater) #TigerLily #quote #poetry #MistyShipmanEllingburg
Our Identities, Our Land, Our Home
"Part of that genocide plan was to take us away from our identities, our land, our home." --Florence Kay Fiddler (Ojibwe) #quote #FlorenceKayFiddler #robohontas #land #identity
