Today, i listen to NAC and heard the question asked:
If offered a big salary job in the city or the opportunity to live with relatives on the reservation and be involved with cultural opportunities, what would you choose?

Live on the reservation and do what you can to help your relatives and be involved with cultural opportunity or take the job in the city?

Of course the heart says go home, yes? But, actually making that decision for some such as myself is tough. I took the job in the city. An i am still in the city.

Any thoughts?

Wóphila ečhíčiye.
Tókša akhé

Hey, How are you? I know it is a hard decision to make and you are probably are making more money in the city,but the way the world is now and If I were you, I would rather be with my family on the reservation.I would give anything to have learn the traditions, the language and the old ways of Indians first hand.I am Cherokee but my grandmother never told my family we are Indians.She was either scared or too embarrassed to tell us.She was born in 1910 and grew up in a time when things were horrible for Indians.Her family didn't sign the roll books because they didn't want the government keeping up with them.I found out recently I am an Indian. It makes me sad that I didn't know that when I was young.I am almost 59. I am Cherokee royalty and I can't be a tribal member. Please don't miss time away from your culture.It is very important.Jennifer

Greetings, I am a mutt human being and i know from personal experience sometimes we can be of more help from the outside than the inside in certain situations, each day is a new day and i try to feel it out and stay open to confirmations of the next actions, good luck

Hey,Now you have 2 different opinions and it will probably will confuse you on the inside more.It is still your decision no matter what.Hey,Pahanna ,friend, we are finally disagreeing on something LOL Jennifer PS I am a mutt, too.I am also other tribes and Scotch-Irish.Didn't mean to be uppity on the royalty thing.

hey Jennifer, friend, i enjoy your comments, peace sister, i wanted to welcome Wakalapi as much as anything, may the Great Spirit guide us all

Háu! Wóphila ečhíčiye.

I like both of your replies (pahanna/craig) ...

If neither of you don't mind, i'd like to elaborate more with an additional question?
In your humble opinion, do you think that there is an actual significant difference of learning traditional ways of life, language, etc... when one is living in the city vs one who is living or the reservation?

Tókša akhé

I guess it wouldn't be any difference,as long as you visit family often.While living in city don't get caught up in the white man's world.I know you probably like being on your own and it can appear to be fun at your age but there are a lot of backstabbers out there.They will smile in your face while they are really planning to hurt you in some way.It's been that way my whole life.I have never understood why it has to be that way.I have been called dumb because I would not go along with their games.If you stay in the city,don't forget what you learned at home.I have grown children.This is a motherly advice.Jennifer

Hau cola
it is realy very difficult choice.The city give more possibility from good job,but this is the way to loose the roots with yours people,culture and traditions.And this the way to fall in the trap of the westerization.Whatever choice you make never forget that you are ikce wicasa.
Toksa ake.

Perhaps I'm stepping out of bounds here, Wakalapi, I admit I have no personal knowledge of life on the reservation among your kin. I am white and know only that society. I live in the city, have all my life. We have none of your brothers and sisters here to show us your ways and to gift us with your traditions. I have read some history regarding people leaving the reservations, listening to the empty promises of the US government and striving to make it in the cities (Uncle Sham's attempt at assimulating native peoples) and being pushed into the chasm of white society. Such a waste for if my people could "rub shoulders" with your people and open our eyes you could give us so much more than what we could give you. I hope in the city you find welcome and respect for who you are and where you come from.

Wakalapi, It takes a lot of thought, and decisions, to be able to walk in both worlds. I'm not speaking about those who refer to some people as 'apples', I'm talking about a true cultural broker. Learn what you can that may be of personal and communal value, and take that knowledge back to your family and people in a meaningful way; thus both of you will learn and benefit from the experience.

windrider... i like what you said... but ...lol...you knew that was coming didn't you.... i do not understand this phrase ..."to be able to walk in both worlds" .... i have heard this many times and can not grasp its concept.

I walk in a "Lakota" state of mind at all times. I think Lakota...I speak Lakota ... I sing Lakota. just because i live off reservation does not change my perspective. it only changes the language i speak when i am around non Lakota speaking people.

altho I am considered a iyeska (half -breed) .... when i look in the mirror, i only see a Lakota. Many people ask me about my white side ... i tell them i am indian .... i can not be 2 things at one time. So my world is Lakota .... on or off the reservation, I see the destruction of dominant society. But as I have said in the past...its about choices .... I am Lakota....so I will live as a Lakota.

I have walked in both worlds and not knowing I was doing so.Growing up in the white world, I walked in the white ways when I was young, trying to be materialistic.It did not make me feel good.I am not that way now since I am old. I realize that was wrong.When I was young I never tried to played their manipulative games or wanting to be in their dog eat dog world,though.It is hard being in both worlds. I stay out of the white world in my mind because I will never understand it.I thought something was wrong with me until I found out I am red. My mind is at home,now. Wakalapi all I got to say is keep your mind in the red ways,just don't sway to the white side.Some of it is no good.Don't get involved with the bad.It can get you in a lot of trouble.If you find the good take it home with you like Windrider was meaning.The good in the white world keeps on getting harder to find,though.Just be careful.Jennifer

so again... how did you walk in both worlds at one time? you lived white...and then made a choice to live ndn .... only one world .... you either live one way or another .... its like the old saying...been there done that.

most of the things i question are something that has started from either the new age community or mixed blood ndn;s that believe in the "we are all one tribe" syndrome. it is like mixed bloods that see a hawk flying over head and then ask..."i wonder what creator is trying to tell me" .... all this noble wise ndn crap is hilarious .... and then they wonder why full bloods make fun of them.

its real easy... learn your language...learn your culture...learn about your people...learn your songs...learn your ceremonies .... just think....if people that claim ndn blood looked up all this stuff...asked an Elder to help them .... went to ceremonies that were for real , and stopped worrying about drones and all this conspiracy crap.... got off the internet and spent 1 or 2 hours a day learning about thier own nation .... just think of what you would learn.... just think of how your mind set would change.

we can all sit and bitch and complain about taxes and how the gov't does this and does that...and how the ndn's on the rez won't accept me cause i am a mixed blood .... isn't it time to do something instead of whining? we live in a society that we have so many resources and we never use them .....

if you say the ndn's of your nation will not accept you...i will openly call anyone here a liar .... look at all the white people that speak our languages and go to our ceremonies .... want to know why .... they went in search of someone to help them...they didn't wait for "creator" or some "spirit" to come and help them with a teacher ....

i know there will be some that look at my words as harsh ... many call me a asshole...buts that ok .... that means they realized what i was saying and these words hit home. i do not care who is ndn and who is white...if you follow a path of a certain nation....learn learn learn .... step up and be a person of action and not a person of many words .... hetcutu welo

I don't think you are an asshole but I have had no choice to live in the white world.I am nearly 59 and found out I was an Indian in Oct.2010.I have no idea how much Indian I have in me.Just because I have lived as a white person and I have white in me don't mean I think like a white person.I will never think like a white person. That red person has been in me from birth.I am joining in as much as I can.I found out the other day that a Shawnee saw my genealogy and is trying to see if I can join them.His last name is Cornstalk and my family way back were the Cornstalks. I have gotten a schedule to join the Shawnees in their pow-wows.I am trying my best.I am proud as heck that I have a chance to join the Shawnees. Jennifer

ndnhorseman,If we don't gripe or talk about different things,I guess we don't need this forum LOL.Jennifer

internet interpertation... you missed the point... as for forums....in reality they are basically useless.... example...look at stormsrider....from bankruptcy to contentment.... another example.... Lakota language consortium .... alot of whites that follow Lakota ways learning the language to a point they are more fluent then most Lakota ....

again...i live off reservation....i live in the white world....only me and a cherokee where i work .... my nieghbors are white .... it is a choice...but not my life

i refuse to vote because the canidates are all pro dominant society and anti indian .... i read books by indian authors .... i visit my reservation when i can..... i attend ceremony in my back field .... i surround myself with other indians .....

hang with those Shawnee and you will start to understand .... its not about age...its about who you are or about who you need to be

I know I will get a different look on life when I am with the Shawnees.I am already looking at things differently and I have never voted either.Politicians are a bunch of crap- only for themselves and their rich buddies.I have been poor ,too,living without electricity or running water, only water coming from a spring.I could live like that again.That was 4 years ago.I didn't have a computer until 2 years ago.I didn't want one because I am an information freak and I knew I would be on it more than I want to be.I work 3 half days and 2 full days.I know what your point is-is to get involved and not sit on your butt.Jennifer

ndnhorseman,I know who I am and who I need to be.I have tried to be a good person for a long time,now.My passion in life is to help people with their health.That is what I do for a living with herbal medicines. I could careless if I didn't get paid for it.I love it that much.I had cancer and I know how it feels to be sick.I don't want anyone to ever be sick.To be compassionate and caring about someone and helping them is what god wants us to do.This is what he wants me to do.This is my place in life.When I had colon cancer I asked God to heal me.When I went to the chemotherapist office to get my records to take it to the ultrasound doctor.There was this lady there who I never laid eyes on before tell me I know I don't know you but God told me to tell you not to worry about a thing,that he is going to see you through this and that he is going to heal you and you won't have cancer anymore.The next week I went to get the ultrasound.The doctor told me all I had was scar tissue and I didn't have no more cancer.During the time of cancer I asked God to please send me something to help people with their health.I was given the job I have now, 6 months later.This is what I have been doing for 4 years.I considered having cancer as a blessing because God gives me the knowledge and understanding to help people everyday.Jennifer PS My age was only to show you how long I lived in the white world before I found out my Indian heritage.

Maybe my comment re: walking in both worlds may have been misinterpreted, and a poor choice of words, on my part. I'm not about to get into a battle of words over this; not my intention. To ndnhorseman, you are absolutely right. Stay off of the internet. I'm out of here. This forum is a waste of my time.