Indigeneity (Revisited)

Because of my work in trying to decolonize so many of our oppressive systems and societies, I am often asked if I am Indigenous, or if I consider myself Indigenous. The answer to this question is complex, but the short answer is "not exactly."

See, I grew up very much with a strong understanding of and relationship to the land. This has much to do with the fact that my maternal grandmother spent the summers on a ranch in Northern Mexico, and the practices and customs that were a part of every day life were not exactly the most "European" or "American rancher" ones. Much of what I learned about respect for planet started by being raised by her in many ways.

Mexico has a complicated history with colonization. On one end, it is very proud of its mixed heritage. On the other end, we don't talk much about the gruesome bloodiness of colonization, and more importantly about the erasure of Indigenous societies. We also don't really like to mention that state sanctioned violence and oppression towards modern day living breathing Indigenous people is actually an enterprise that is alive and well in Mexico (and most of the planet).

So when asked if I consider myself Indigenous my longer response tends to be, no, I don't exactly identify myself as Indigenous. For me, the term Indigenous is very much a living term, very much tied to cultural practices and ways of life that are still being practiced. The term is not a relic of the past, it is not archaic, it is not to be romanticized, and it is not meant to promote cultural essentialism. The term Indigenous is also a political term.

I do however say that I am certain there is some sort of Indigenous influence in the culture I grew up in, and how I was raised, even if my family can't tie our roots to any one or two or three groups of people. I don't think my grandma realizes how much of her knowledge of plants, her connection to land, her strong dreams, her beliefs and values surrounding death and community are not something we inherited from European "conquistadores." These traditions and understandings however are not necessarily something that is valued over European world views in an active sense in modern day Mexico, at least in the border region that I know well. Lucky for me, that didn't stop my grandma from passing on this knowledge to anybody who would listen.

Instead of saying I'm Indigenous, I sort of view myself as a facilitator. I understand the importance of cultural connection, and I feel very fortunate to have grown up the way I did, in the gigantic family I did, and more importantly in the oral history traditions and understandings of nature I was surrounded by. So while I may not exactly feel comfortable being called Indigenous, or to call myself Indigenous, I do relate heavily to many Indigenous traditions around the world, and have had my fair share of experiences with dozens of cultures and ways of life in my short time on this earth. It's a no brainer to me why so many people hold connection to land so dear and valued.

I don't use the term Indigenous loosely out of a recognition that there are living modern day Indigenous cultures who are fighting to maintain their existence, belief systems, and ways of life. I do not want to take up any space within that fight that is not my own, and I want to learn how I can be a better accomplice in their struggles instead of calling that particular struggle my "own" oppression.

My own identity is complex, and my relationship to Indigeneity is even more complex. But I do find some "universal" truths that hold in all of this identity muddle. Our earth is in trouble. Which directly translates to we are in trouble. We have cultures and traditions that used their knowledge and understandings to coexist with the planet much more effectively than Western colonized society has. They may not have all the answers, but we need to listen to the humanity of those we continue to say we are supporting, but are actually still oppressing. We need to facilitate solutions that were designed within their own communities, and we need to not inject our voice when it is not our own lived experience. So although I am very certain that the things I believe in and the values I have take strong root in erased tribes of Northern Mexico, I still do not claim any of those tribes as my own. Instead, I see myself as a facilitator, a person who is very good at articulating deep thoughts and can change minds with one conversation. I am very connected to the land, and I understand I am usually a visitor to the land that I inhabit all around. So while I may not claim to be Indigenous, be assured that I am not only passionate about decolonization, but I am more driven to change my own ways of thinking. And that begins with one easy action: listening. And that is what I always strive to do more of.