BEING INDIAN

Being Indian Is...


Being Indian Is......

feeding anyone and everyone who

comes to your door hungry, with whatever you have.

Being Indian Is......

knowing to duck or hide

when you see the cops from a mile away,

even when you were a kid!

Being Indian Is......

being broke all year long

because you try to make every Pow Wow,

gathering, and ceremony.

Being Indian Is......

loving frybread and soup.

Being Indian Is.....

knowing history started before 1492.

Being Indian Is......

full of acronyms that affect your world

(BIA, FBI, IHS, CDIB,etc) 

Being Indian Is......

losing your job after the grant ends. 

Being Indian is .......

getting to go to a conference

because you work for a new grant program.

Being Indian Is.......

knowing how to snag and then lie about it.

Being Indian is.......

knowing all the quick remedies to get rid of hickies.

Being Indian Is......

playing outside, unsupervised on the REZ til 3:00 am.

Being Indian is ........

either borrowing or lending money

to your NDN brothers and sisters at least once a week.

Being Indian Is......

having people ask if they can touch your hair

or take your picture

or how long have your been growing your hair...

and so on... 

Being Indian is......

to be asked constantly if you still live in tee-pees

or ride horses every where you go.

Being Indian is......

worrying about diabetes.

Being Indian is......

knowing why the REZ car

in "Smoke Signals" was funny!

Being Indian is.......

knowing why in "Smoke Signals," the line

'do you have your passports?'

is funny!

Being Indian is......

knowing how to barter or trade

for things you need and things you don't!

Being Indian is.......

having more cousins than trees have leaves.

Being Indian is......

laughing with your friends

so much your facial muscles hurt.

Being Indian is......

singing 49er songs

using a garbage can for a drum

or remembering the days.

Being Indian is......

road trips cross country, back home,

or just because!

Being Indian is......

knowing your treaty rights,

and political JURISDICTIONS!

Being Indian is.......

having the strength to move your family

at any given moment, and making it.

Being Indian is......

reading about your ancestors and relations

in an anthropologists paper.

Being Indian is......

knowing someone in Pawhuska, Anadarko,

SanCarlos, Browning, Pine Ridge or Window Rock

and hoping to make friends with a dividend Indian from California ...

Being Indian is.......

losing your job because you're different

or think your different

Being Indian is......

having a song come to you at the oddest times.

A-ho!!!

Being Indian is......

celebrating the buffalo hunt,

or the ripening of the corn, Indian days,

or the time of year!

Being Indian is.......

not a part time thing....

ALL DAY, EVERY DAY!

Being Indian Is.......PRIDE

Being Indian is.......BEAUTIFUL

Being Indian is.......FOREVER