How To Be A [Better] Native/Indigenous Ally..

by Stacy

If you're reading this blog and are not Native or Indigenous, and want to lend your voice, ear, and heart to the struggles of Native and Indigenous people, then please read this post thoroughly. And please, Native brothers and sisters, add anything I may miss (or misrepresent) in the comments.

First and foremost, what does it mean to be an ally? From www.guidetoallyship.com, to be an ally is:

1. Take on the struggle as your own.

2. Transfer the benefits of your privilege to those who lack it.

3. Amplify voices of the oppressed before your own.

4. Acknowledge that even though you feel pain, the conversation is not about you.

5. Stand up, even when you feel scared.

6. Own your mistakes and de-center yourself.

7. Understand that your education is up to you and no one else.

It's important to acknowledge that you may not fully understand the struggle of Native people. You do not share their generational/historical trauma. You do not share their culture, language, ceremony, and spirituality. You do not face the racism they face each and everyday. You do not experience the emotions that Native people feel. Being an ally does not mean that you understand the oppression of others, but it does mean that you will SELFLESSLY take on their struggle as your own.

Allyship is not fickle. It's not something you pick up or put down when you wish. It is a commitment by you to the people you wish to support. Each and every day, Native people carry the weight of genocide, rape, torture, forced sterilization, residential schools, loss of land, culture, and language, the circle of poverty, the rez to prison pipeline, poor living conditions for many, no representation, and so much more. You must always help them shoulder this burden, and you don't get to put it down if the battle is an uphill one.

As privileged allies, we all make mistakes. It is important to always listen. When you are called out for your mistake, resist the urge to be defensive. Instead, apologize for your mistake and learn from it. Make sure that your mistake has not hurt anyone, and if it has, make sure they are ok. Remember #7: It is your obligation to educate yourself. Take time to do just that, and do not ask Native people to explain things to you. If they do so voluntarily, without being asked, then see that as the gift that it is.

The limited Native history we were taught in school is incredibly skewed and whitewashed, and painfully incomplete - some are downright lies. THIS ARTICLE from Indian Country Today is the tip of the iceberg. The internet is an amazing resource for learning Native history, and keeping up with news from the Communities in the US and Canada. For example: Reclaiming Native Truth - a project by firstnations.org . Search for specific things such as "The Battle of Little Big Horn" (aka the Battle of the Greasy Grass) - then look for legit websites that can offer a TRUE account of this historical event. Want history of a specific tribe? Look up their website! It may not be a large, comprehensive history, but most tribes/reservations/reserves have websites with a history or about us section that can shed some light on their history. Many even have more educational resources listed. Know what tribes/people inhabited what areas originally - there are maps available to download and study. There are plenty of amazing books available both at your library, and for purchase online at places like Amazon.

Some places you can get started online to learn current events and get a feeling for the Native community are:

• Indian Country Today

• High Country - Indigenous affairs

• Native News Online

• Native America Today

The NCAI also has a page for allyship that can be found HERE. ncai.org is also a good resource and it is vast. (NCAI is the acronym for the National Congress of American Indians).

I highly recommend looking up indigenous organizations that take more aggressive approaches to the native cause - organizations like AIM or Indigenous Action. These organizations can really give you insight into how many people in the community feel... and what they're willing to do about it. However, make sure your white fragility is stored away, because organizations like these do not pull punches. If you are a person of empathy (and you better have that in spades if you wish to fight beside the oppressed), reading information from what are considered "radical" organizations and taking on that resentment to colonizers, you will inevitably better understand their perspective.

I hope that this information helps you to become a better ally to our Native brothers and sisters. If you have any questions, please ask in the comments, or email urbanheyoka@gmail.com.