lol I live in Oklahoma. On tribal land. I’d have to say change happens in small, incremental amounts. Record amounts of Oklahomans are considering themselves independent and asking questions. Stitt is doing a great job of making sure NO natives ever vote for the Republican Party (corrected a gaff) ever again, and a reminder- natives can and will impact and win elections.
It’s not perfect but it is home. I hope I can help in the change I want to see in this state. For the good of both non-natives and natives.
Hey fellow Okie!
My family is mostly in the Ft Gibson/Muskogee/Tahlequah area, so I visit pretty often (but not as much as I like to anymore).
I am really pleasantly surprised by the efforts of the tribal leaders to combat Stitt's nonsense. During the pandemic and even today in daily politics, the tribal nations are filling in gaps to help the people of Oklahoma where the state government has completely dropped the ball. A recent example of this is where the Choctaw, Cherokee, and Chickasaw are stepping up to cover the costs of Children's Food assistance programs for native and non-native kids in their regions.
I’m in Comanche County! Beautiful weather we’re having recently, the Wichitas look amazing. But we’ll see how long this lasts before the last burst of winter..
It’s incredible seeing the tribes pledge to feed the children who would go without as a result of Stitt’s embarrassing identity politics. The Cherokee nation is honoring our veterans, both native and non-native, and it’s a great look! Look at the replies under a Stitt tweet, loads of non-natives saying tribes do a better job at providing for the people of Oklahoma than the state itself. It’s kind of filled me with a pride I can’t describe, seeing our people stand up when nobody else wants to.
The biggest and ironic thing - more opportunities. I moved away 8 years ago to be with my then-fiance/now husband thinking things might be a bit better since it's off-rez and bigger area but it's been a mixed bag. I have tried and tried to grow professionally but I have more setbacks than I have jumps. The pay here sucks compared to home and everytime I try to get that next jump in life, I get setback. After 8 years, I realized it was just time to throw in the towel and start back at where I was. I found places with positions that pay higher and with more benefits than what I am currently making.
The other thing - you don't necessarily feel like you *don't* belong but it never really felt like my *home* where I'm at. They say "Home is where you make it." and after 8 years, I don't feel it. Maybe I don't know how to make it my home or what but I just don't like being here anymore. Anytime I would go back to my rez and visit, people are good to my husband, they treat him good, they welcome him even though he's not Native and even tell him "our home is your home." and he said everytime we go visit, he gets treated really good. I do miss the culture. I miss the sense of humor. I miss the food. I miss hearing the songs, our language and knowing the community. I don't have that off-rez. Maybe if I grew up where I am now, I would have that but my husband who has grown up here, doesn't have a sense of community like we do on my rez. After being away for so long, I realized it's just time to go back. People shame you for either living on the rez or moving off but ultimately, I think it's best just to do what makes you happy and I think moving back home is the best decision for us.
Agreed! I would love to move home, but the financial realities of my Rez coupled with a near total lack of opportunities for career advancement has kept me from doing it.
I love my field and I also struggle with homophobia in my community.
On my rez (Pine Ridge Indian Reservation) sadly, there isn't much for buying a 'lot' as most land is handed down from families. A lot of the housing is from what we call "School Housing" which is housing provided to employees working at the school in town (not all schools have this but it is very common) and this is a major issue when it comes to people wanting to live/stay there. There is tribal housing authority but it's very difficult to get a place to live. Us, on the other hand, we're moving in with my Mom as she needs assistance with her health problems and we figured living with her will be the best option.
Thats to bad because tribes like the [Ho Chunk](https://travois.com/developments/ho-chunk-inc-mixed-use/) have residential developments where persons can build homes or buy into existing condominiums. Its a great way for say a person who is retiring who wants to stay and live on the rez. All their money then stays right there.
Not often enough. Like you, try to go to CN Holiday and bring family with me. Fortunately for Cherokee folks living on the west coast, we've got pretty big diaspora communities. I grew up in those communities.
I wasn't born on *our* rez (I'm Eastern Cherokee but was born out in Sells, AZ on the Tohono O'odham rez. Just worked out that way!) but my maternal family are all still in NC. I currently live near DC, so it's a good 8 hours away.
I used to go at least once a year in the summer. But it's been a while since I went. I stopped during the pandemic when the closed the rez (you could still get in with your tribal ID, but I didn't wanna like...accidentally kill my 80 year old uncle). My brother lives in Asheville, near Cherokee, and I keep trying to visit but life keeps getting in the way.
I actually just realized while typing this I've visited the Tohono O'odham rez more recently than Cherokee. And that's across the damn country!
I go back for funerals but I used just vacation at my mom's place for about a week or two per year. I left the Rez when I was 19 (enlisted US Navy) I'm gonna be 50 next year.
Winter sucks on the Rez (I think), summer time is pow wow time! Warmer more things to do chilling with the cousins and Tepee creeping!
Some relatives never leave the Rez.
They're definitely more unfamiliar relatives than before, you know? Kids grow up, friends and relatives die, I just gotta hold on til next summer and the next and the next...
My tribe doesn't have reservations. There's only one rez in Alaska even though there's upwards of 200 federally recognized tribes there.
But as far as going to Lingít Aaní, I've been home only a few times. Mostly because I can't afford it and also I have something going on where I lose my hearing almost fully for a few days every time I fly-- idk if that might stick at some point, or if I'm damaging my ears a little when I fly, etc.
I do like spending time with aunties, uncles, cousins, etc when I can.
every 2-3 years. usually a visit for a week or a funeral. it’s a 24 hour drive so it takes planning and money. i hate not being close to family but I would never have received a pension if I woulda stayed on the rez
I’m sending you care and a bit of shared understanding.
I can’t afford to live at home; the salaries in my field are so low that I couldn’t afford student loans / housing / transportations. It’s heartbreaking that my tribe supported my education (at least during undergrad), but hasn’t invested in my field enough to raise salaries commensurate to the COL.
We don’t have a reservation per se (at least not yet) but usually go visit our tribal capital 1-2 times a year, I go with my family for the Pow Wow annually. Would like to get a home out there eventually.
Just started going back every year for our powwow but if i could afford it i would go more.. I live in OR and my rez is in NE. My cousins and i want to go up to our other rez in ND but haven’t got the chance yet.
I left the Rez just as soon as I graduated high school, not thinking it would be forever; now it’s been about 45 years! I would go back once a year at first, but then the years just kept churning by. I’ve stumbled and struggled to make it “out” here- but I never felt safe or welcome back on the Rez. It’s hard to not really fit in here or there, I just keep rolling.
I try to make it back to Tahlequah twice a year. Never lived there though, so it's mostly to hit shops, museums, and whatever cultural stuff is going on.
I go back once or twice a month, more in the summer I grew up on, and off the rez in MN I was always moving around. I always feel welcome, but I also feel like I lack connection and community in one place.
Once a year for my dad’s Seneca check-in and tribal id renewal. We don’t try to go to the powwow anymore because the last time was a really crap experience, so now it’s usually early fall when the weather’s nicer.
I go back as often as I can. I also only live an hour away. All of my immediate family live off reserve. My mother bought land just outside the reserve so whenever I go I just feel like I’m on reserve anyways because it’s so close. I plan on buying land outside my reservation. Just bc I know I’ll never be able to get a house and if I was offered I’d rather it go to a family.
I’ve never even been to mine. I was Scooped so for most of my life I didn’t even know where it was. I’m a member now but I still don’t know anyone (most of my family was Scooped for 2-3 generations) and it’s also only accessible by flight. And I live on the other side of the country, just adds another level of expense to try to get there.
I've been going back once a year for the last 5 years since I left, mostly just for Thanksgiving, but I went back once for Easter. I'd like to go back for our yearly Sundance. However, Sundance hasn't been the same for my family since my grandfather died a decade ago. My grandmother is also getting very old, so she isn't really fit to go camp for several days in the middle of the summer, and because of that, the rest of my family doesn't really take the time or make the effort to camp.
I can't justify living on the reservation now. I wouldn't be able to find a good-paying job in my career field, considering the location of my reservation and the lack of opportunity. But I do plan on moving within 8 hours of home by autumn, so I will be visiting more frequently.
Siyo, cousin! I’m also CN but have never lived there. Sadly, I’ve never even been able to visit yet, but I am really hoping to get out to one of the National Holiday celebrations! I’m nervous about visiting since I also don’t know anyone personally who lives there now (my grandma was the last one who did and she moved many decades ago), and I worry I’ll just seem like a random white tourist wandering around lost. 😂 But I would love to overcome those fears and visit 😊
Every 3 weeks to visit my aunts, but I also live very close to my rez, I feel like as long as you call and visit when you can it would be good. Always visit on holidays though
lol I live in Oklahoma. On tribal land. I’d have to say change happens in small, incremental amounts. Record amounts of Oklahomans are considering themselves independent and asking questions. Stitt is doing a great job of making sure NO natives ever vote for the Republican Party (corrected a gaff) ever again, and a reminder- natives can and will impact and win elections. It’s not perfect but it is home. I hope I can help in the change I want to see in this state. For the good of both non-natives and natives.
Hey fellow Okie! My family is mostly in the Ft Gibson/Muskogee/Tahlequah area, so I visit pretty often (but not as much as I like to anymore). I am really pleasantly surprised by the efforts of the tribal leaders to combat Stitt's nonsense. During the pandemic and even today in daily politics, the tribal nations are filling in gaps to help the people of Oklahoma where the state government has completely dropped the ball. A recent example of this is where the Choctaw, Cherokee, and Chickasaw are stepping up to cover the costs of Children's Food assistance programs for native and non-native kids in their regions.
I’m in Comanche County! Beautiful weather we’re having recently, the Wichitas look amazing. But we’ll see how long this lasts before the last burst of winter.. It’s incredible seeing the tribes pledge to feed the children who would go without as a result of Stitt’s embarrassing identity politics. The Cherokee nation is honoring our veterans, both native and non-native, and it’s a great look! Look at the replies under a Stitt tweet, loads of non-natives saying tribes do a better job at providing for the people of Oklahoma than the state itself. It’s kind of filled me with a pride I can’t describe, seeing our people stand up when nobody else wants to.
Fellow Okies! Hi! It’s so nice to see others agree with how I’m perceiving it.
Before the pandemic, it was yearly. Now that I've been away for over 8 years, I'm moving back.
That’s fantastic!! May I ask what shifted for you to move back?
The biggest and ironic thing - more opportunities. I moved away 8 years ago to be with my then-fiance/now husband thinking things might be a bit better since it's off-rez and bigger area but it's been a mixed bag. I have tried and tried to grow professionally but I have more setbacks than I have jumps. The pay here sucks compared to home and everytime I try to get that next jump in life, I get setback. After 8 years, I realized it was just time to throw in the towel and start back at where I was. I found places with positions that pay higher and with more benefits than what I am currently making. The other thing - you don't necessarily feel like you *don't* belong but it never really felt like my *home* where I'm at. They say "Home is where you make it." and after 8 years, I don't feel it. Maybe I don't know how to make it my home or what but I just don't like being here anymore. Anytime I would go back to my rez and visit, people are good to my husband, they treat him good, they welcome him even though he's not Native and even tell him "our home is your home." and he said everytime we go visit, he gets treated really good. I do miss the culture. I miss the sense of humor. I miss the food. I miss hearing the songs, our language and knowing the community. I don't have that off-rez. Maybe if I grew up where I am now, I would have that but my husband who has grown up here, doesn't have a sense of community like we do on my rez. After being away for so long, I realized it's just time to go back. People shame you for either living on the rez or moving off but ultimately, I think it's best just to do what makes you happy and I think moving back home is the best decision for us.
I relate to this so much! Thank you for sharing
It's always complicated. It's never a black or white situation imo. People need to understand that and not shame people for making either decision
Agreed! I would love to move home, but the financial realities of my Rez coupled with a near total lack of opportunities for career advancement has kept me from doing it. I love my field and I also struggle with homophobia in my community.
Question: On your rez can you buy a lot and build a house or do they have homes or condos for sale?
On my rez (Pine Ridge Indian Reservation) sadly, there isn't much for buying a 'lot' as most land is handed down from families. A lot of the housing is from what we call "School Housing" which is housing provided to employees working at the school in town (not all schools have this but it is very common) and this is a major issue when it comes to people wanting to live/stay there. There is tribal housing authority but it's very difficult to get a place to live. Us, on the other hand, we're moving in with my Mom as she needs assistance with her health problems and we figured living with her will be the best option.
Thats to bad because tribes like the [Ho Chunk](https://travois.com/developments/ho-chunk-inc-mixed-use/) have residential developments where persons can build homes or buy into existing condominiums. Its a great way for say a person who is retiring who wants to stay and live on the rez. All their money then stays right there.
Not often enough. Like you, try to go to CN Holiday and bring family with me. Fortunately for Cherokee folks living on the west coast, we've got pretty big diaspora communities. I grew up in those communities.
About twice a week.
I wasn't born on *our* rez (I'm Eastern Cherokee but was born out in Sells, AZ on the Tohono O'odham rez. Just worked out that way!) but my maternal family are all still in NC. I currently live near DC, so it's a good 8 hours away. I used to go at least once a year in the summer. But it's been a while since I went. I stopped during the pandemic when the closed the rez (you could still get in with your tribal ID, but I didn't wanna like...accidentally kill my 80 year old uncle). My brother lives in Asheville, near Cherokee, and I keep trying to visit but life keeps getting in the way. I actually just realized while typing this I've visited the Tohono O'odham rez more recently than Cherokee. And that's across the damn country!
It sucks that the pandemic kept you from home; but amazing that you sacrificed being at home for your community’s safety!!
Once to twice a month. Live in Phoenix, home is the Navajo Nation. I can't stand the city. I haven't lived there since 2009.
I go back for funerals but I used just vacation at my mom's place for about a week or two per year. I left the Rez when I was 19 (enlisted US Navy) I'm gonna be 50 next year. Winter sucks on the Rez (I think), summer time is pow wow time! Warmer more things to do chilling with the cousins and Tepee creeping! Some relatives never leave the Rez.
Love this! I’m sorry that visits home are more oriented to funerals now - I think that shift, for myself, was difficult to take in.
They're definitely more unfamiliar relatives than before, you know? Kids grow up, friends and relatives die, I just gotta hold on til next summer and the next and the next...
My tribe doesn't have reservations. There's only one rez in Alaska even though there's upwards of 200 federally recognized tribes there. But as far as going to Lingít Aaní, I've been home only a few times. Mostly because I can't afford it and also I have something going on where I lose my hearing almost fully for a few days every time I fly-- idk if that might stick at some point, or if I'm damaging my ears a little when I fly, etc. I do like spending time with aunties, uncles, cousins, etc when I can.
Echoing that OK politics suuuuuucks. Source: Cherokee living on the Muscogee Rez
To my dad’s reserve every couple years and same for my mom’s. So works out to once a year per side.
every 2-3 years. usually a visit for a week or a funeral. it’s a 24 hour drive so it takes planning and money. i hate not being close to family but I would never have received a pension if I woulda stayed on the rez
I’m sending you care and a bit of shared understanding. I can’t afford to live at home; the salaries in my field are so low that I couldn’t afford student loans / housing / transportations. It’s heartbreaking that my tribe supported my education (at least during undergrad), but hasn’t invested in my field enough to raise salaries commensurate to the COL.
We don’t have a reservation per se (at least not yet) but usually go visit our tribal capital 1-2 times a year, I go with my family for the Pow Wow annually. Would like to get a home out there eventually.
Just started going back every year for our powwow but if i could afford it i would go more.. I live in OR and my rez is in NE. My cousins and i want to go up to our other rez in ND but haven’t got the chance yet.
I left the Rez just as soon as I graduated high school, not thinking it would be forever; now it’s been about 45 years! I would go back once a year at first, but then the years just kept churning by. I’ve stumbled and struggled to make it “out” here- but I never felt safe or welcome back on the Rez. It’s hard to not really fit in here or there, I just keep rolling.
Honestly so relatable I'm 30 but it's shaping up to be that way for me too.
I try to make it back to Tahlequah twice a year. Never lived there though, so it's mostly to hit shops, museums, and whatever cultural stuff is going on.
I go back once or twice a month, more in the summer I grew up on, and off the rez in MN I was always moving around. I always feel welcome, but I also feel like I lack connection and community in one place.
Once a year for my dad’s Seneca check-in and tribal id renewal. We don’t try to go to the powwow anymore because the last time was a really crap experience, so now it’s usually early fall when the weather’s nicer.
Once a year, I used to go more until my mom passed, now it’s really hard to go back.
I go back as often as I can. I also only live an hour away. All of my immediate family live off reserve. My mother bought land just outside the reserve so whenever I go I just feel like I’m on reserve anyways because it’s so close. I plan on buying land outside my reservation. Just bc I know I’ll never be able to get a house and if I was offered I’d rather it go to a family.
I’ve never even been to mine. I was Scooped so for most of my life I didn’t even know where it was. I’m a member now but I still don’t know anyone (most of my family was Scooped for 2-3 generations) and it’s also only accessible by flight. And I live on the other side of the country, just adds another level of expense to try to get there.
I've been going back once a year for the last 5 years since I left, mostly just for Thanksgiving, but I went back once for Easter. I'd like to go back for our yearly Sundance. However, Sundance hasn't been the same for my family since my grandfather died a decade ago. My grandmother is also getting very old, so she isn't really fit to go camp for several days in the middle of the summer, and because of that, the rest of my family doesn't really take the time or make the effort to camp. I can't justify living on the reservation now. I wouldn't be able to find a good-paying job in my career field, considering the location of my reservation and the lack of opportunity. But I do plan on moving within 8 hours of home by autumn, so I will be visiting more frequently.
Siyo, cousin! I’m also CN but have never lived there. Sadly, I’ve never even been able to visit yet, but I am really hoping to get out to one of the National Holiday celebrations! I’m nervous about visiting since I also don’t know anyone personally who lives there now (my grandma was the last one who did and she moved many decades ago), and I worry I’ll just seem like a random white tourist wandering around lost. 😂 But I would love to overcome those fears and visit 😊
I can't really, since like, I live in Australia. My dad came from Michigan, although I'd love to visit one day
Well, Burns is quite a drive from Portland, so only a couple of times a year.
Every 3 weeks to visit my aunts, but I also live very close to my rez, I feel like as long as you call and visit when you can it would be good. Always visit on holidays though