chasing_silver | LJ Idol Week #1: Indigenous Means

Indigenous is just a word they use to describe us.
Politically correct and full of heavy condescension
They can't pronounce our true names; but
Regardless, they feel proud they've given us a name that isn't derogatory.
That's enough, right?

Indigenous means feathers and sage and pow-wows
They expect us to have absorbed the culture by osmosis.
My tongue keeps twisting around the words
My grandfather spoke in his baby voice; but in adulthood
Deliberately forgotten.

Indigenous means we're unfairly and ridiculously angry.
We want things that should have been packed away long ago
History isn't part of their responsibility.
I wonder at this extraordinary ability to completely close your eyes
And ignore that history is relived, day after day.

Indigenous means part of a nation of people.
Our tears taste of sorrow and joy concurrently.
We slowly and surely plumb the depths and graves of our buried traditions
And bring them back to the light.
It is sacred, and it is the hardest work I've ever done.

Indigenous means we live among you.
It's not just about anger, it's about truth.
The damage runs deep, but we pave a way forward
And work to reconcile.
Forgiveness and love is all we have.

Indigenous means me, and it means you.
Because to be part of a nation means to be part of the world.

This has been an entry for therealljidol. This week, the writing prompt was "Someone who will love you in all your damaged glory". Thank you for reading and voting!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

n3m3sis43

Thank you for sharing this.

From:

chasing_silver

Thanks for reading!

From:

reidharriscooper

I felt these words despite not connecting personally. I have read my fair share of "Native" works and truly enjoyed these viewpoints that add to my understanding of cultures.

From:

chasing_silver

It really does seem like asking people to love us in all our damaged glory, tbh. Non-Indigenous folks so rarely see us beyond either "traditions" or "tragedy". Thank you for reading!

From:

nicholewithanh

What a way to kick off the season. Exceptionally well done and a privilege to read.

From:

chasing_silver

Thank you so much! This made me smile.

From:

cosmicjellyfish

Echoing above comment - thank you for sharing. ♥

From:

chasing_silver

Thank you for reading! <3

From:

oracne

This is AMAZING.

From:

chasing_silver

OMG, thank you! <3

From:

muchtooarrogant

Frist to post, and with a great entry as well. Thanks for sharing.

Dan

From:

chasing_silver

Had to get it out of the way before I travel! Thank you so much, Dan!

From:

adoptedwriter

This was beautifully expressed!

From:

chasing_silver

Thank you! <3

From:

thephantomq

From:

chasing_silver

From:

tamara_in_jakarta

"They can't pronounce our true names", as an eternal foreigner I feel this, it automatically makes you "other" no matter how well you pass in other ways.

From:

chasing_silver

I'm sure! I don't blame them trying to learn, I just hate when they don't even try.

From:

alycewilson

I like your use of repetition. This almost sounds like a song

From:

chasing_silver

Thank you! Kicking off with poetry I know is risky, but I'm jumping right in!

From:

night_owl_9

Beautifully done! So evocative.

From:

chasing_silver

Thank you!

From:

greghousesgf

Very moving.

From:

chasing_silver

Thank you!

From:

ragnarok_08

Thank you for sharing this!

From:

chasing_silver

Thank you for reading <3

From:

winter_time

this is wonderful and really echoes the sentiments of a friend of mine who was talking about something similar the other day, and how he is only just now as an adult getting to learn about the cultural practices of his heritage. thanks for sharing this <3

From:

chasing_silver

I really relate, as I am an adult learning now. My grandfather was an Indian Day School survivor ... he didn't talk about anything until he was close to death. It was hard to grow up that way.

From:

winter_time

I'm so sorry your grandfather went through that, and that like my friend you can understand missing out on the cultural practices. Everyone should get the chance to celebrate their heritage. I'm so sorry it's late for you but I'm glad you are getting the chance now <3

From:

yachiru

"They can't pronounce our true names"

I love that line here and how you play with the concept of language and words as it applies to culture.

From:

chasing_silver

Thank you for that! I know starting with poetry is risky in Idol, but I'm going for it!

From:

roina_arwen

This is beautiful. I like the allusion to the Trail of Tears here:

Our tears taste of sorrow and joy concurrently.
We slowly and surely plumb the depths and graves of our buried traditions

From:

fausts_dream

This is splendid

"Indigenous means we're unfairly and ridiculously angry.
We want things that should have been packed away long ago
History isn't part of their responsibility.
I wonder at this extraordinary ability to completely close your eyes
And ignore that history is relived, day after day."

This passage here is pretty nearly perfect. Thanks for the education.

From:

erulissedances

I like the perspective you chose for this entry.

Pilamaye

- Erulisse (one L)

From:

murielle

Beautiful, really beautiful!

Thank you for sharing it with us, teaching us, including us.

From:

drippedonpaper

Your piece is causing me to reflect. Thank you for sharing this.

From:

aggienaut

It's interesting I was just thinking today about how the word "aboriginal" is commonly used here in Australia but applying that same word to Native Americans I feel somehow sounds condescending. I don't know if its just because of traditions of usage or what. Similarly I think indigenous also sounds a bit condescending. Admittedly native X (I think "native" by itself for that matter also sounds problematic) has some ambiguity as to whether anyone born there is that. Aboriginal skips that ambiguity but still. I suppose what I think you're hinting at here is the truly best way, which is to actually say the ethnic group one is referring to (ie in my "native" Orange County the Tongva or Acjachemen people)

From:

bleodswean

Such a lovely pair of closing lines!

From:

pixiebelle

Beautifully written, as always ❤️

From:

halfshellvenus

So many cultures had their own languages forced out of them, and I feel the pang here of words lost in just two generations. How much of the culture and its stories are gone when the words that label and describe them are taken away?