February 16, 2012   35 notes

What it Means to be a Native Woman, By Ruth Hopkins

“Whenever I hear Native women discussed, mainly in non-Native circles, I’m always surprised at how many misconceptions there are out there about us.  Generally, we’re either romanticized or demonized, but stereotypes regarding Native womanhood abound.  Tawdry, hipster photographs of half-naked non-Native women in nonspecific war paint and counterfeit headdresses would have the public believe that indigenous women are merely sex kittens, meant to be degraded and objectified.  Others have placed Native women on the pedestal of martyrs as helpless, submissive, downtrodden, and doomed to be perpetual victims.  Others have accused Native women of being addicts, abusers, enablers, too stupid or too smart, too weak or too strong- you name it.  In truth, we are none of these things, and all of these things.”

“What does it mean to be a true Native woman?  We are spiritual with a sacred purpose, like Pteskanwin (White Buffalo Calf Woman).  We are fierce, yet humble- like No Moccasins.  We are capable leaders, like Wilma Mankiller, and Cecilia Fire Thunder.  We are defenders of Mother Earth, like Saint Kateri Tekawitha.  We are scholars and intellectuals, like Ella Deloria.”

(Source: lastrealindians, via nakkyy)

  1. louque reblogged this from lastrealindians
  2. arrangedcognition reblogged this from missgreyday
  3. douce--amere reblogged this from adailyriot
  4. emmapetersen reblogged this from missgreyday
  5. nishnabin reblogged this from adailyriot
  6. theprairiescall reblogged this from missgreyday
  7. adailyriot reblogged this from lastrealindians
  8. tzoc-che reblogged this from nakkyy
  9. ibloominjoon reblogged this from missgreyday
  10. alittlerecklessandstupid reblogged this from lastrealindians
  11. missgreyday reblogged this from nakkyy and added:
    “Whenever I hear Native women discussed, mainly in non-Native circles, I’m always surprised at how many misconceptions...
  12. nakkyy reblogged this from lastrealindians
  13. myownremedy reblogged this from lastrealindians
  14. brintty reblogged this from emeraldtriangleprincess and added:
    So much love for this.
  15. jimmysthename reblogged this from emeraldtriangleprincess
  16. emeraldtriangleprincess reblogged this from jalwhite
  17. jalwhite reblogged this from lastrealindians and added:
    I imagine we all have our ideas. I wish I could read reflections on this from all of the Native women in my life.
  18. lastrealindians posted this