TW — Child abuse and Racism

Fact about my tribe -
The Cherokee are represented by seven clans, Deer, Wolf, Long Hair, Paint and Wild Potato. Of course, these are rough translations of the original language which today is still used, but is almost dead.

Facts about the overall Indigenous -
The very popular and colonized tradition of Dreamcatchers originated in the Ojibwe culture, with the belief that Asibikaashi, the spider woman protected humans, especially children through her webs, containing their bad dreams. This tradition has been adopted and retold by many tribes.

Facts about colonization -
In the 17th century, the United States Government began kidnapping children from reserves and sending them to "Christian Boarding Schools." Here, they would brutally beat and torture the children until they were more aligned with the beliefs of a Christian white American. They would beat the children even for speaking their own language, referring to it as the devils tongue.

Facts about spirituality -
The Indigenous believed of life in nature. They believed every instance of nature resided it's own soul, and in turn, divine being. They cherished the Earth and it's offerings.

Thank you very much. We appreciate any food we are given. The United States Government began to push West, murdering Buffalo to push Indigenous out of the west to further colonize.

Thank you for greeting me in my native language. I appreciate your dedication to my culture.

The reserves we indigenous have been placed in by the United States government are already in poor condition. From the beginning, we have lacked clean water and supplies needed by any average society to live. The government has treated us like cavemen, lesser than human, with only slight relief granted in educational and funds for our necessities. The impact of the decline of our climate has made these resources even more scarce, and the president recently signed an executive order preventing proper water filtration, which even further inhibits our livelihood.

If you are seeking ways to help, donating to the Native American Rights Fund is a good way to start. Spreading this knowledge is another.

May you have a blessed day.

NARF: https://narf.org/support-us/

Thank you very much! It is good to see people honor their tribal blood, even if it is only traces such as rocks in our home rivers. I wish you a wonderful day.

Facts about my tribe –
The Cherokee tribe heavily valued their women and held them above all else. Women were considered sacred beings in the tribe and were held in high regard especially when compared to men.

Facts about overall Indigenous –
As of 2025, there was 574 federally recognized tribes. Members of these tribes are able to receive government assistance, such as tuition reimbursement and housing assistance. However, the system is incredibly finicky and often excludes many of the indigenous.

Facts about colonization –
Due to colonization, most modern people of indigenous descent have lost most primary features of their tribes. It is still easy to spot an Indigenous person even if their features have been whitened through generations. For example, the Cherokee tribe often boasts high cheekbones and unique nose shapes.

Facts about spirituality –
The Cherokee believed the first people were brother and sister, the brother hit his sister with a fish and demanded she multiply. Following this, she gave birth every week. Soon she overpopulated the area and women were forced to only birth one child a year.