Blood & Asia

[Maize-Grower]

If who you are is seperate from your ethnicity, what are you doing here? You might as well put on a FUBU shirt and do stand up at the Apollo, Or go on the 700 club wearing a tight tie and a toupee.

I saw on another thread you were asking about the Cherokee language.. Why don't you learn Mongolian? What part of you desires to be in touch with your NDN culture? If Cherokee is only what you are but not who you are.... you aren't Cherokee.

Maybe in February...
(Inside joke)

What's a "FUBU shirt"? Isn't Apollo a Space program and a Roman God of War? I don't own a working TV, so if it's something on Cable or regular TV, you're going to have to explain it... Or if it's a new phone app, I just have a phone that makes calls.

I know some Cherokee already, mostly plant names because mine is a family of farmers mostly. But, where we live (rural SE Ohio), there is nobody to practice with outside of the family. How can I get better at it without talking to others who know more of it?

"What part of you desires to be in touch with your NDN culture?"

Isn't it natural to be curious about your family's language and culture outside the scope of your immediate household?

[gilisi]

Isn't it natural to be curious about your family's language and culture outside the scope of your immediate household?

Maybe, but if it's not part of who you are, your identity, what's the point?

It becomes a HOBBY.

Might as well speak English.

[lbgood]

I know some Cherokee already, But, where we live (rural SE Ohio),

[Maize-Grower]

Maybe, but if it's not part of who you are, your identity, what's the point?

It becomes a HOBBY.

Might as well speak English.

I'll give that some thought. I'm still pretty young and have been thinking about my identity and how it relates to others but it ain't real clear.

What? You don't like Ohio? The weather is pretty nice and the land is fertile and green. Also lots of hickory trees. I kinda can't wait for the fall so we can go nut gathering. I love the things in soup.

[OLChemist]

Maize-Grower, can I make a suggestion?

In my younger days, I had some stress and uncertainty about my identity. I went home. I went back to the land where my people's stories happened. When I felt it in my heart, I figured it out.

Take those stories and go home. I lived in the Smokeys for five years while I was in college. When I needed Indian time, I drove through Newfound Gap over to NC. If that land can speak to a plains dweller like me, I suspect it might have volumes to say to you.

Once you've seen an entire mountain side light up in with the synchronized flash of tens of thousands of fireflies, you may find there is an spiritual dimension to Photinus carolinus reproduction. Or seen a 29" hellbender salamander, giant spiritual beetles not be too far fetched. Go to a mountain stream.

One of things that makes us Native people is our ties to this land. Our metaphorical garden of Eden is here. Our roots are deep. You said you don't know anyone at Qualla. If you know the stories, you know the land. Ohio is similar, but it is not home (in the metaphysical sense). Maybe this is why you are struggling with identity.

[Maize-Grower]

Maize-Grower, can I make a suggestion?

In my younger days, I had some stress and uncertainty about my identity. I went home. I went back to the land where my people's stories happened. When I felt it in my heart, I figured it out.

Take those stories and go home. I lived in the Smokeys for five years while I was in college. When I needed Indian time, I drove through Newfound Gap over to NC. If that land can speak to a plains dweller like me, I suspect it might have volumes to say to you.

Once you've seen an entire mountain side light up in with the synchronized flash of tens of thousands of fireflies, you may find there is an spiritual dimension to Photinus carolinus reproduction. Or seen a 29" hellbender salamander, giant spiritual beetles not be too far fetched. Go to a mountain stream.

One of things that makes us Native people is our ties to this land. Our metaphorical garden of Eden is here. Our roots are deep. You said you don't know anyone at Qualla. If you know the stories, you know the land. Ohio is similar, but it is not home (in the metaphysical sense). Maybe this is why you are struggling with identity.

Maybe next summer, instead of growing crops (have to stay and harvest this year's or I'd go tomorrow) I'll just have to walk down there or hitch a ride or something. I don't think my car could make it as it is now.