These college institutions were not meant for Indigenous students. We were not supposed to survive generations and generations after 1492.
Native Americans, Aboriginals, and Indigenous peoples is some of the terms we call ourselves now. I think it is funny. Last year, my Grandma and I were sitting at a restaurant eating. My brother started talking about 'Indigenous' and my Grandma looked up from her plate and said, "Indigenous? Is that what they are calling us now?" To my Grandma, we are just Navajo, or Dine. Sometimes she says Indian, like my Grandpa, because when they were my age, that was still the term used in American Society. When thinking about these terms, I think of how meaningless they are to our elders. Sure, we are Indigenous or Native to this land. But, clumping us all into one term disregards the individuality of each Nation across North and South America.
On campus, there is so much diversity. I love this aspect of UW's campus. This is one of the reasons I chose to go here — I wanted diversity. But sometimes I feel like a sore thumb. I just do not belong sometimes. I cannot be the only one who feels this way. I am not sure if it is because of my thoughts on the land and the changes that continually happen to the land on and around campus. Or if I just can feel eyes set on me. People wondering what I am. Sometimes I just need to wear a "Fry Bread Power" or "Make America Native Again" shirt to let people know I am, in fact, Native. But this becomes so exhausting.
Taking an American Indian studies course is supposed to be fun right? Decolonization is supposed to just thrive in these courses. Well sometimes, I just feel the polar opposite. In most of these courses only 1/4 of the students are Indigenous. That sounds great from the outside looking in. We have representation in the classroom! And the other 3/4 of the class are learning about Native Americans and they get their diversity credit and an easy-A right? I am tired of the concept that American Indian studies are seen as an easy-A.
These courses are so much more than turning in short answers and skimming articles provided by your professor. Critical thinking, persuasive writing and research is some of the tasks us Indigenous Studies majors do. It is not as easy as it appears but we do it for future generations to come. You take an Indigenous course once, pass it and move on from it. This is our life. Every day we are trying to puncture into academia. On and off campus, this is our lives. We are proud of who we are. With challenges comes greater opportunities. I am thankful for being able to go beyond my studies in the United States and study in Iceland. Not many Indigenous students get that opportunity.
