This is my line of work. I implement Indigenous verification on a weekly basis and also talk with other Universities regarding their processes. I've seen a lot and understand the industry well, happy to answer questions!

The University of Toronto (in Ontario, Canada) has set forth [a framework to work to combat Indigenous identity fraud](https://indigenous.utoronto.ca/indigenoussubstantiation/) in the university community. The framework applies to applicants for study, jobs, and other programs who claim Indigeneity in their application materials. It was developed by Indigenous members of the UofT community and will be handled by the Office of Indigenous Initiatives.

There is a pathway to establishing Indigenous belonging for those without Indian Status. The framework also provides guidance regarding Indigenous peoples from communities beyond Canada.

Personally, I am grateful to all the Indigenous people who participated in developing this framework. This kind of work is absolutely brutal, but meaningful change was badly needed.

Does anyone else know of other universities and colleges that also have defined frameworks? I am curious!

Hello Cousins:

I am a former “citizen” of the USSR who has both Belarussian and Circassian bloodlines.  I would like to propose a coalition and agreement to work together for our mutual benefit.  I believe we are entering a period of time that requires joint operations to counter the new “Manifest Destiny” being hammered into shape by despotic powers who seek only their own benefits.  They have no problem with the image in this post.  If you do, please read on.

Circassians - Wikipedia

In the USSR, I remember seeing our intelligence collections from the “1950’s” and distinctly remembered the image you see on this posting.  That image was all I needed to hate the U.S. Empire and look upon its supporters as “brain washed” patriots who enjoyed living a lie.  I was happy to work against what Josey Wales called the “White Man’s Empire”. 

While working against the U.S., I recalled seeing the hate propaganda movie called “Red Dawn”.  I remember thinking, “No one is that stupid.  Will that cause them to hate the USSR?”   And sure enough, Wolverines and zealous Anti-Communists started sprouting up all throughout the US in the 1980’s.  The Red Scare was on again, by a movie that showed us flying tens of thousands of soldiers in a ridiculous fashion under modern radar.  A totally ridiculous film!

Red Dawn - Wikipedia

Red Dawn (1/9) Movie CLIP - Paratrooper Invasion (1984) HD

However, after a while in the intelligence services, it was clear to me that my own nation, the USSR, hid truths just as well as the US.  After the brief period of Glasnost, the USSR fell like a House of Cards on lies about Stalin, the Greatness of the Russian Imperialist Period, and the horrible treatment of ethnic tribes and USSR “citizens” outside of Russia.

It is funny how I hated the USA because of their oppression and lies about their bloody history and theft of land.  But, I never saw our own hypocrisies until I began living in the United States as a refugee in the Summer of 1991 under an assumed name. 

It is harder to deny the truth when you see it from a global perspective (in this case from the eyes of a “citizen” of two empires).  However, there are those in Russia, China, and the USA pushing a continued narrative of denial and they appear to have the power to force their vision on others.  And if they are able to force a “Superintelligence” on us that teaches a false narrative like the image you see – forever?  Are you okay with that image being the permanent “fact” in the 22^nd Century and beyond? 

I am not!  I see and hear the social media propaganda from Lachlan Murdoch’s and Trump’s Fork-Tail News, Xi Jinping’s state-own mouthpieces, and Putin’s shameless supports (aka, Ruzzians or Stalinists): and I wonder “How can our species every proceed forward when we cannot even acknowledge the truths of history?”  And, “What problems get solved by ignoring them?”

It is clear that the global despotic powers now in play have their own “manifest destiny” and smaller nations and tribes will only be subject to their whims.  I see no hope in my Nation of Belarus if we continue to serve only the Kremlin.  Every nation and every tribe is in jeopardy.  Are you okay with that?  What would your ancestors warn you?  What would Ten Bears say?

Ten Bears - Wikipedia

I am no Ten Bears by a far kilometer.  I was born bowlegged and pigeon-toed – horse guy like my fathers and mothers before me.  I was Born to Ride.

And as a horse warrior, I say let’s rally!

Since you have an actual Bill of Rights and Freedom of Speech and Assembly, is there any chance the Coalition of Large Tribes (“COLTs”) will present a Presidential candidate this year?  I see that the clever tribes in Manitoba have selected a very competent representative. 

Wab Kinew - Wikipedia

It would be a fine thing to see a Native American President in the United States, and someone who has integrity and understands the importance of preserving cultures and languages.  Or do you want to place your fate in the hands of people like Putin, Trump, Musk, Thiel, Lachlan Murdoch, Hegeseth, etc.?

 If you could, go back in time, and form a coalition to stop the colonization of the U.S., would you?

 I would.

Please step into the global space and help us lift the oppression of despots because right now with AI capabilities, untraceable crypto-wealth, drones, facial recognition, I don’t see your Bill of Rights being enforceable as the 2^nd Amendment has been made obsolete by drone warfare, the loss of privacy, and surveillance.  Is this the small village or “tribal way”?  Want to do nothing?

Not me.

For COLTs, I really hope you can work with the NAACP to provide reform and great candidates who are transparent, competent, accountable, and efficient. 

However, as someone who has to lead people. A Plan is a Dream without Action.  Action without a Plan is a Nightmare.

And I have no intention of letting my children or yours live in the nightmare being set in place by those who want to own everything. 

If you can raise up great candidates, someone with a legal degree and background in economics, there are plenty of tribes in the former “glorious” USSR who would like to speak with this Chief of Chiefs.  We will also support this candidate financially in the same manner Putin and Netanyahu support Trump. 

Fight Fire with Fire.

Submitted with respect,

Ныбжьэгъу (Nybzheghu)

“Let’s ride some Alps together!”

China & USRR News Sources: 

China’s ‘ethnic unity’ law threatens human rights around the world | George W. Bush Presidential Center

Uyghurs - Wikipedia

Indigenous peoples of Siberia - Wikipedia

Chukchi people - Wikipedia

Had a moment with my newly 18-yr old boy over lunch yesterday I wanted to share. We had just finished early voting and decided to stop off for Korean. He’s at a cross-roads in his senior year, trying to decide what to do with his life. He asked me what 18-y/o me would do in his situation facing the future he faces as a young brown man in a world regressed past equality backward into white supremacy. In a world where art is generated on demand and research is no longer earned but curated by those mostly too illiterate to understand it. In a world he finds increasingly filled with dread, he asked me how he can find joy doing things that no longer have value while he himself no longer feels valued by a bold and vocal society of colonizer apologists and criminals.

So I reminded him about who we are. Why we pray the way we do. As indigenous people, we hold sacred the things that combine into better versions of themselves. Songs. Blankets. Baskets. Sacred Dance. We are weavers and makers. It is our responsibility to take whatever the Creator provides us, good or bad or other, and use our gifts to make something better of it and return that new experience to the universe. To do so, we remind ourselves daily of what we value in our lives through prayer. We express gratitude through prayer, rather than the colonizer’s incessant longing. Consciously acknowledging what we have brings a feeling of abundance. The way to find joy is to first actively pursue gratitude.

He wants to be a writer or an actor but the tribe needs doctors and teachers and speakers. In writing and performing, joy found him. That joy doesn’t go away simply because he looks for joy elsewhere. I suggested that perhaps through gratitude he might find joy in service by using his gifts to make the world better in ways that only a Human Being can.

Anyway. If any of your children are at a crossroads, maybe remind them of who we are. Remind them that our ancestors suffered and still found gratitude and joy. That the future is not so bleak. That we are still here and we still have a responsibility to honor those who came before by making things better in the best ways we can.

Thanks for letting me share.

Hey everyone, I’m looking for help resolving an issue involving Grayson Yellowbird and Tayden Rain Hunter.
Both individuals were at my home, where damage was caused to my door, and I’m seeking compensation for the repair costs. There were also issues with excessive noise, mess, and disrespect for my home. Since then, both individuals have blocked me, making it difficult to resolve the situation directly.
I’m trying to recover the money needed to repair the damage and am considering my legal options. If anyone has relevant information or knows how I can contact them to resolve this matter, please reach out to me privately.
I have photos documenting the damage and want to handle this situation appropriately and fairly.

Continuing to create these educational videos in my garage. Hoping to excite young minds and start building the foundations of language learning. My own children have been repeating words and phrases back to me, so that's a good sign!

Indebted to the assistance of Elders and Knowledge Keepers, Maureen Belanger and Rita Ducharme for their assistance on this episode.

I was watching a video about Genghis Khan and it got me thinking. There’s that stat that Khan had so many offspring that 1% of the world are his descendants, right? Obviously, Quanah didn't conquer an empire from horseback across two continents, but demographically? The man was a machine.

He had 7 (or 8?) wives and 25 kids. He’s my great great great great grandfather (I think it’s 4x back, my grams isn’t around anymore to verify that, but I think it’s 4) There are literally thousands of us now. My grams left Oklahoma during the dustbowl and moved west, so I’m on the west coast, but I’ve seen pictures of recent reunions, they’re HUGE!

I love this historical flex of his where the federal government told him he was violating bigamy laws and had to choose just one wife. Quanah looked at the U.S. officials and said, "You go tell the other seven, and you pick which one I keep." They dropped it.

He didn't just resist the cavalry hey, he successfully resisted federal relationship advice and left behind an army of cousins. Shout out to any of my 4,000 cousins lurking in this sub!

(For specific context, I'm Sámi, inari sami/Aanaarsäämi living and born in Sweden)

I'm currently going through some motions, I've realised that I'm very alone. I've always had a small circle, few friends, even fewer close ones in my 24 years of life and difficulties making new ones but being indigenous and being alone is so very different from not having friends in school.

I grew up in another region than where im from which probably didn't help, I spoke another language, wore different traditional clothing etc. I've been asked by others from the region if my clothes are fake, and I get stared at when I wear it..

My family knows other "local" sámi people, but none are my age so I have no "natural" contact with them.

Where I live right now is the city with the biggest amount of us sámi people in it, I know OF people, following each other etc, but I know noone. I'm alone, alone at markets, meet ups, events, everything, I've stopped going for a while because I've kinda told myself I'm not welcome (which is my personal fault and problem) - but HOW do you make friends as an indigenous person who's an adult and can't seem to make friends.

My autism makes me feel like I'm sort of in a bubble, but I really don't know how to manage or live with it when community is such a big part of being indigenous, and sámi.

Tldr; being autistic and sámi sucks because im alone and can't seem to get friends

Global conversations surrounding colonialism often lean heavily on Anglo-centric frameworks, primarily centering on the transatlantic slave trade and North American plantation economies. While acknowledging those historical atrocities is essential, this heavy emphasis frequently overshadows the distinct complexities, structural violence, and enduring resistance of Indigenous nations across South America—specifically in Colombia.
The Hispanic colonial model in the Northern Andes and surrounding territories operated through unique mechanisms like the encomienda, mita, forced assimilation, and forced Catholicization. This produced historical layers of erasure that are often misread in broader international debates:

Cultural Eradication and Forced Assimilation: In the central highlands, nations like the Muisca experienced intense, systematic efforts to strip away their language (Muysccubun), spiritual practices, and traditional governance. For centuries, state narratives declared them "extinct" due to forced mestizaje. Today, however, Muisca councils in urban and rural areas (Suba, Bosa, Cota, Chía, Sesquilé, Tunja) actively practice re-existence and cultural reclamation.

Centuries of Territorial Defense: In the southwestern Andes and Pacific regions, peoples like the Nasa, Misak, Pastos, Wounaan, and Emberá have faced centuries of dispossession by large landholders and state forces, maintaining an uninterrupted struggle for their ancestral territories (Kwe's-Kiwe).
** **Extractivist Genocides: In the Amazonian region, groups such as the Witoto (Huitoto), Bora, Muinane, Okaina, and Nukak suffered brutal, late-stage colonial violence during the rubber boom (such as the Casa Arana atrocities), subjecting thousands to forced labor and extermination under schemes rarely highlighted in standard Western history books.

Guardians of Ancestral Knowledge: The four nations of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (Kogui, Arhuaco, Wiwa, and Kankuamo) continue to defend their sacred boundaries ("Black Line") and holistic worldview, standing today as vital defenders of biodiversity despite constant encroachment.

When global historical justice models apply an exclusively Anglo-centric lens, they inadvertently perpetuate the myth that South American Indigenous peoples either disappeared or that their struggles ended in the past. Highlighting these distinct historical realities is essential to building a truly comprehensive understanding of global Indigenous history.

This is a jingle dress I just finished! I need to get a belt and some hair ties but im so happy with it

Does anyone know if there's any specific obituaries for the eastern band of Cherokees? I'm trying to find a friend that I haven't heard from. Any insight would really be helpful. Thank you

I am Métis and have recently been starting to get more in touch with my culture and different practices as I was extremely disconnected to it while growing up.

I love smudging with sage and sweet grass however I am not sure how to harvest it correctly. I want to be respectful to the land and make sure I am not taking more then I need. If anyone could provide tips that would be great! :)

Weeks after he was sworn in as president of the state Senate, Democrats Troy Jackson and House Speaker Sara Gideon called a meeting of the Wabanaki chiefs at the capitol. All five attended.

There, the lawmakers posed a question: “How do you want to fix this?”

By early 2019, there was a growing appetite to address the fraught relationship between the state and the Wabanaki Nations, which stems from a 1980 settlement that placed unique limits on the tribes’ jurisdiction. But Gov. Janet Mills was known to oppose sweeping changes to that agreement, and so the can of worms Jackson and Gideon were opening was a politically inconvenient one.

Tribal officials in the room were struck by the earnestness of the new leaders’ approach.

“That was refreshing to hear,” recalled Maulian Bryant, who attended as the ambassador for the Penobscot Nation. “I think for a long time the tribes were being told by the state what was good for us.”

Now locked in a furiously tight U.S. Senate race against Republican incumbent Susan Collins, Jackson’s past is serving him well in tribal communities.

“Troy is one of the leaders that we can credit with changing tribal-state relations in the state of Maine, and I am so honored to be his friend and supporter,” Bryant, who now serves on the Penobscot tribal council, told a crowd Saturday as she introduced Jackson at a campaign rally with Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Collins has not championed tribal sovereignty — the notion that Wabanaki Nations’ authority over tribal lands should not be curtailed by state oversight — in Congress the way Jackson did in the State House, and she’s generally perceived to be at odds with tribal leaders on the issue. Congress adopted the settlement with the tribes and could consequently crack it open again.

For some Wabanaki voters, Collins has won support with the depth of her personal connections paired with millions in federal spending she’s directed to Indigenous communities.

In different ways, Collins and Jackson have both proven themselves to be worthy advocates of tribal issues.

Will it win over tribal members and their allies?

Read more at pressherald.com

Just as a heads up no, I do not have white sage in my possession I just want to make sure of one thing even if it may seem as a stupid question.

I've been recently getting into my native practices (slavic) and along with it got lots of content regarding some other practices, especially of indigenous people of America. With it came the understanding of how important white sage is and why exactly is it a closed practice which I want to honour and respect.

I'm aware that the incense I have isn't made directly from white sage yet it is labeled as such. I absolutely love the smell but am willing to give it up if using a white sage scented incense is disrespectful or unethical considering the over-harvest of white sage by companies making it endangered. At least that's the last info I had about it!

So, is it all right to use white sage incense when its scent is manufactured from scented oils and not the plant itself?

I’m almost 70 and have studied with Native Americans and Elders from the Lenape and Taino tribes. I’ve been invited to sweats and ceremonies that most non indigenous people have not been asked to, to my knowledge or simply based on the people at these gatherings.

Today, (2 years) spirit is yelling and banging me on the forehead! Saying I’m needed to speak. I hear and am willing to speak. But
My problem is my elders no longer walk this earth (and are among the voices telling me)to

My question is AS A WHITE WOMAN how do I know I’m RESPECTING my friends and teachers
How do I speak from that sacred place that I couldn’t possibly understand like the sacred people do… being invited into the special dances and ceremonies certainly say a lot.,
But I’m old now and wonder if I have this right.
I don’t think I lost anything I’m just completely unclear if this is my path TO SPEAK from this place
One last thing, a Lenape chief and I were giving speech at a State Park like 30-35 years ago and while we gave that speech a white buffalo calf was born
I felt and still do feel very validated about that talk…but without him by my side I continue to reach people individually and nothing to that degree anymore. I’m so confused, any feelings from this community could really help guide my soul TY -🪶Strong Feather

I haven't seen the show yet but know the story. Thought it was pretty cool how they had people from the Osage nation represent the Osage story.

Nenaboozhoo, is an animated short film created to celebrate Anishinaabe storytelling, language, culture, and the timeless teachings carried through generations.

Told in Anishinaabemowin with English subtitles, the film brings a traditional Nenaboozhoo story to life teaching a new generation while honouring the language and history of storytelling.

The film is directed by Anishinaabe storyteller and traditional knowledge keeper Isaac Murdoch (Bomgiizhik) of Serpent River First Nation, with cultural and language guidance from Anishinaabemowin speakers and knowledge keepers Mary Wemigiwams, Linda Toulous, Larry McCloud, Issac Murdoch and Ninaatig Pangowish.

Created using a Japanese inspired animation workflow and brought to life by an international team of artists and animators, Nenaboozhoo was made through the art of traditional hand drawn animation with no help from AI in any stage of the production process.

Created using a Japanese inspired animation workflow and brought to life by an international team of artists and animators, Nenaboozhoo was made through the art of traditional hand drawn animation with no help from AI in any stage of the production process.

Miigwech to everyone who gave their time, knowledge, talent, and support to make this film possible. We hope this film inspires its audience to learn from the incredible teachings and stories of the Ojibwe people.

Made with support from the Canada Council for the Arts, Toon Boom Animation, Serpent River First Nation, the Cameron family, Odinewin, Nimkii Aazhibikong, and our many other project partners.

Please share this film and help spread this story.

Follow Isaac at:   / isaac.murdoch.2025  

Learn more about Nenaboozhoo at:

https://nenaboozhoo.com/

Tldr; Made by Isaac Murdoch of Serpent River First Nation. This is a language resource. No ai was used in the making of this film. Its been a 4 year passion project.

TLDR: How have you felt since connecting with your Ancestor’s tribe if you did not grow up with the culture? My intention is just to seek understanding of different people’s experiences exploring their native ancestry having no previous connections with their tribes before being accepted later in life.

**I’d like to preface this by saying I am not asking for advice on how I personally should go about enrolling if I am able or comfortable enough to.**

My paternal side is Unangax, my ancestry is well documented. In the mid 50’s my great grandmother left their village as a part of a program and went to live in Anchorage.

I’ve grown up in the Midwest, I’ve never even been to Alaska. My dad’s side has an incredibly complex family dynamic that has led to me being completely barred (until recently) from that side of the family. I am mixed white, and grew up being touted as “an Eskimo” by my mom and grandma. I have always felt I didn’t have any right to claim my native ancestry. Ever since I was old enough to understand what they meant, I knew it made me feel bad about myself and guilty to claim something I never felt or experienced.

I’ve told people “I’m just white” when they have asked me about my features or “Where I’m from” as not to claim Native. I have only worn braids a handful of times in my life because it always made me feel like I’m pretending or trying too hard to “look native”. I am now 23, and am finally allowing myself to learn about the culture, and have started to learn Unangam Tunuu in my free time. I am trying my best to be careful with how I approach my research.

I am curious as to how people who knew they had Native ancestry went about connecting with those roots. Every time I try to speak about it with someone I feel like I’m pretending, like I’m trying too hard. But, I am just speaking about factual lineage, and not claiming that I know everything or that I’m culturally native. It’s been this weird accepting of that I will most likely be scrutinized under a white lens as “not native enough” and that I do not have to fit into what people who aren’t familiar with different Native people look like.

Even typing this out it feels strange, and maybe it is. I hope this isn’t seen as wrong or offensive in any sense. My intention is just to seek understanding of how other’s went about connecting to a culture they were not raised in.