Geela

Hello, I have a quiet worry. I am a descendant of a Southern Oregon Tribe and have always in my heart loved my Native heritage, but because I am so pale and have red hair and freckles, I have never particitpated in any gatherings. When I was young my Mother moved my sister and I away from where we were born and brought us up. I visited my family and attended Pow Wows whenever possible, but never really felt like I could be a part of it. My Father is a dancer. All my family on his side is very involved and I would REALLY like to be, but I always wonder if I will be accepted.

I am just curious what Native Americans would think if they saw a red- headed jingle dancer competing. My daughter is 12 and I am 31 and we are taking classes to learn about making our dresses, the meaning of the dances, and how to dance. I work for the Tribe where both of my parents are enrolled and part of my job is to teach the younger members of our culture and language.

My Father and I are not close and I am too timid to talk to anyone on his side about wanting to learn to dance, plus I am so old now. Ha ha ha Anyway, If someone could HONESTLY let me know what you think I would appreciate it. My heart is here with my heritage and I know that is the most important thing, but the rest of it is a challenge for me.

Thank you.

Geela
(means *Earth* in Klamath)

FancyStar

I think it is fine!On my very, very best friends who I love very much is a red-headed,freckled face jingle dress dancer!! Ignorant people sometimes give her grief until they find out who her family is and then they are all like "Oh wow I didn't realize he had a daughter. It's nice to meet you. You're a good dancer!"
She just politely nods and says thank you. She enrolled and has only lived on her fathers rez a brief while!She has 2 sons. One has inherited her red head while her other boy is just as dark as can be!
I know she gets a hard time from strangers at first but she holds her head up and smiles through it all!! She doesn't let her hair color or her freckles stop her because she knows deep in her heart she has just as much right to be there as the other women with dark brown or black hair do!!

Geela

Thank you for the encouragement! I WILL hold my head up and dance my VERY best for all the right reasons. :D Have a great day!

Tsiniti

My niece is a red head with freckles. her GGGrandmother was a red head. But she has Cherokee on her Father's side, and her Mother's side.

Now my problem with my family is just the opposite! I am the ONLY one on both sides of the family with Black hair, U]Brown[/u] eyes, and dark complexion ..... There is Blackfoot on my Father's side, and Cherokee, and Chicasaw, on Mother's side ... one sister is white as white, with blue eyes, and the other is freckly and green eyes(she can't remember her natural hair color)!Both parents had blue eyes!

You can't help what your genes say about you! It's what YOU, and your words and actions say about you that counts!

I'm sorry, I'm IDN, the more I say it, and fight for my right to say it loud and clear, the more the rest of the family is slowly admitting it, my mother and one sister actually went to the Corpus Christie Pow Wow, and I was told even danced one of the Intertribals!! I'm so totally shocked!! All these years arguing with me about how white I was!! Maybe it's rubbing off?

Be yourself!! More than anything else I can tell you![

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Your Heart Shows by how Your Words and Actions Affect Others.

Nah I ain't NO WANNABE! I don't gotta wannabe when people wannabe like me!

Redstone_Jingle4

I don't think it really matters what color your hair is, if you're native at heart, take pride and courage, clash them together and dance your heart out. You know your native, that's all that counts. Don't worry what other people think. Keep your head up high and be strong. Oh, and dance your best. lol :Angel: :p

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Dine' Native
Pride, Honor, Respect

NDNQt

Geela, You will always have people saying something. Both of my parents are Indian but my ggrandmother was 1/2 Irish so therefore I am 1/16. Guess what??? I have reddish blonde hair w/freckles (while my parents were dark w/dark hair!!). I am sure you (as my parents did!!) have taught your daughter to proud of who she is. And don't be concerned with other people just tell her to dance dance dance!!

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Becky B.

Little Hawk

I don't think it should matter what color your hair is, no one said anything to me, and I danced at a Pow Wow with blue hair, well only the tip ends of my bangs, but no one said anything bad about them, even a couple of the older people said they liked the way I had it. If I can dance in blue hair, why can't you dance in your own red hair?

There are two different guys I know who fancy dance, one is born and raised Scottish, and the other one is just a red head, they are both fire engine red hair, and freckles! no one makes fun of them, except when the scottis guy talks, they have to ask him to repeat cause he is hard to understand.

Vicki

My sister and I are both jingle dancers and we have reddish hair and are mixed bloods. We have full blood friends who are very good to us and are always encouraging my sister and I to continue our dancing.

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V.W

cali gal

I say you go girl! You know where you come from and you're doing it the right way, through your people! So represent your Klamath people to the fullest and don't let others get you down! ;)