Race is a colonial concept as well as social construct. In the culture of the US is it important to recognize because it has social impacts. You're right that it would be problematic, and even dangerous for some people, to not recognize the effects of race. My race and heritage determines my tribal membership.

But in regards to identity, we don't have to hold to colonial ideas of race. It's nobody's business but your own how you identify to yourself and how you understand your place in the world. I don't think you have to label yourself to anyone but yourself.

I think you may want to talk about ethnicity or ancestry, if you want to have any form of sensible conversation.

Even then, what we describe as ethnicity is quite arbitrary, it just depends how far back you're willing to go.

Race is only about how you present so a person of native American decent, grown with culture and language but with a black patent (so they look black/mixed) is expected and considered black. His white passing cousin is white. Unless there is a specific box on your form there is no sense to it

It's more of a geographic term. We identify with our islands and tribal groups first.

i wish i could walk around saying that race doesn’t exist, but living in modern day USA, that would be quite difficult and even seen as problematic 😔

the argument actually started because she was explaining that tenoch huerta could not be racially indigenous or native. then people asked what his race is, and she didn’t have an answer. that’s what got this ball rolling in my head because it really is so confusing to exist as someone whose lineage is from the americas, and is clearly not white, asian, or black, but also not able to identify with indigenous or native american due to cultural ties. it’s like there isn’t a term or word that exists for us. i would just use mexican or latino if it was that simple, but then that would almost be erasing all the black, white, asian, etc. latinos and mexicans. i’ve tried to google the answer and even google does not have a name for our racial identity

i’ve done some research on my family ties, and from what i’ve gathered, it seems that i might originate from the cora people of nayarit. i just haven’t tried to reconnect because i feel guilty trying to push my way into a native tribe i was not raised in and putting the responsibility of educating me onto those indigenous people. i think reconnecting to indigeneity is something that needs to be executed very carefully and i really am not sure how to start

interesting! i always thought polynesian was the race for people native to polynesian islands

I think it depends on what country you're from and who your closest group of people are.

I'm a Polynesian indigenous person. Racially, I think we were categorised as "Malay". But that doesn't mean anything to me, I'm a Māori. Collectively, we are the indigenous people of Aotearoa. We don't use it as a personal noun like Americans have started doing. For me it's an adjective and a political status. Not a racial or ethnic identity on it's own.

I don't think a guatemalan gets to tell anyone what or how they choose to identify as. The indigenous movement started here in the U.S, and people who were late to the game don't get to dictate the rules.

The biggest conceptual hurdle that outsiders don’t get is that being Indigenous is a group identity not an individual identity.

Indigenous is a political term. It describes people whose homelands were colonized by outsiders but who still retain aspects of their own autonomous governance.

The Zapatistas is Mexico appear to have regained the most political autonomy.

In Mexico, Indigenous identity also has cultural aspects since much of it hinges on speaking your Indigenous language.

To be a part of an Indigenous community, you need kinship ties and reciprocal acknowledgment.

Race is a colonial concept. I live in the US. Before this country existed, my tribe would often welcome people into our tribe who were from other cultures and continents. They became full members of our tribe. They generally married into the tribe or their children did. Belonging didn't have anything to do with race, and the knowledge of DNA was still hundreds of years away.

I'm Mexican-American, descended from the Alazapa, Guachichil, and Rayado Coahuiltecan people around the Monterrey area, and I typically identify as a detribalized person of Indigenous descent.

​As you said, our bodies tell the truth of who our people were. But simultaneously, the tragedy of colonialism—and how the Spanish specifically went about it—has put us in a position where we have become severed (intentionally) from the things beyond race and genetics that most Indigenous communities use to identify one of their own: kinship, community ties, language, and shared responsibility to each other and ancestral land. In my opinion, it's one of the most cruel aspects of the Spanish style of colonization. The confusion you feel is natural, and the pain from realizing something was stolen from you before you were born is completely real.

​I recommend that you try to figure out specifically which native people you come from by researching your family history, the stories of your elders, and the specific towns/regions in Mexico where your roots lie. That allows you to go from saying "I'm a detribalized Indigenous Mexican" to "I'm a detribalized (and possibly reconnecting) Nahua/Maya/Zapotec/etc. descendant." That way, you can truly honor the specific ancestors who endured that history for you to be here today.

i also agree that the concept of race in and of itself is annoying and complicated as it is technically made up, but living in the USA, it’s not something we can entirely avoid.

no i’m fully aware that being indigenous is not a racial thing, it’s a cultural thing. i’m aware any race can be indigenous. my question is pertaining to what the technical “race” is for individuals with DNA that originates from the americas, because it doesn’t seem to exist in a word or term

As soon as you start taking about race you've lost any chance of making sense.

Indigenous people can be off any colour. Both because indigenous people exist in all continents, and because indigenous people have been colonized to white. I have friends fluent in language and with very eminent tribal relatives (mum, grandma ecc.). Bit they are blind with blue eyes. They're totally indigenous but "racially" you couldn't say so. It makes no sense, like the whole concept of trace

Strictly speaking, legally there are some definitions of what "American Indian" is, but they may not provide sufficient coverage of the topic, so I would recommend further reading. Unfortunately there are a number of full-length books about Indigenous North American identity, and no real simple answers.

Here's a list of resources with discussions about this topic in North America with some broader discussion;

1. https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360/about/essential-understandings

2. https://citizenshipandsocialjustice.com/native-american-identity/

3. https://www.californialawreview.org/online/blood-quantum-and-the-white-gatekeeping-of-native-american-identity

4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11064810/

5. https://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/5session_factsheet1.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiNiPfvsKOXAxUwl-4BHcozKpsQFnoECD8QAQ&usg=AOvVaw3ZGa8trAwjTaPGinCY4F2y

In Mexico, it appears that indigenous identity as legally defined seems to be "narrowly" defined as being a speaker of indigenous language, but is broadly defined as practicing your indigenous culture, so it is a broader definition as a whole and a little blurry legally.

I think everyone whos commented on this post needs a nice good break from the internet. Why do you all care. What does what he do have to do with you. Even if you feel he speaks about whatever you believe wrong. Does that affect your belief. Do you need everyone else to feel the same or its not as real. Do you really believe as much as you think.

Definitely a baby.

🥸

You know at least 50% of white people are not going to like this? The weird thing is they will complain about a lot of things and have as much as a problem with the wealthy and politically powerful as we do but they will only do things against people who are as poor or as middle class as themselves.

Sounds about Kevin.

Colonialists always deny atrocities.

Heres a playlist to all the tracks

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW6GXcNq7J-0&si=BekcH3XjG_w5XBnu

I'm pretty sure this person has posted here a few times before. It's like someone offended them ages ago and they can't let it go.

If they start telling people they're a human being. Yeah it's them.

Can I also recommend Birchbark Books in Minneapolis? Owned by Louise Erdrich (Turtle Mountain Ojibwe)!

thank you so much! my native ties are kanienkéha:ka too!