Walking Two-Paths: Being Both Black and Indigenous

Introduction

"It is impossible to lump Black-Native identities into a single identity. We are as diverse as we are numerous and our lived experiences, like our identities, are not monolithic. We therefore refer to ourselves in a number of ways, such as "Afro-Indigenous," "Black Native," "Indigenous and Black," "Black and Native," "Black and a tribal identity." Many of us, by choosing to honor both our peoples through our identities, are intentionally pushing back against America's tradition of classifying people into distinct racial categories. We are pushing back against society's pressure to choose between our identities because we may look more like one than the other, or not enough of both. Some of us are even simultaneously decompartmentalizing and desegregating our Black and Native identities by using traditional language or developing a new language of resistance to speak to who we are and the peoples we come from." - Amber Starks/Melanin Mvskoke

Questions like 'What is that?' or 'What are you?' are ones I've been asked countless times because my identity as an Afro-Native is often misunderstood or not widely recognized. Even within my own communities, other Natives or Black people may not fully understand my identities or grasp their complexities. Add non-Natives into the mix, and the explaining becomes even more frequent. It's exhausting having to constantly justify my existence to strangers or combat colonial constructs like the one-drop rule or blood quantum that attempt to invalidate my identity and Indigeneity.

One of the first articles I published on Medium is titled, "How Social Media Negatively Impacts the Mental Health of Afro-Indigenous People". In it, I discuss the daily online and offline harassment Afro-Natives face and its effect on our mental health. I've also published articles documenting my family history as a way to combat the paper genocide that has erased so much of my people's presence. My goal is to amplify the voices of my ancestors, whose stories are often silenced or ignored.

I hope this article contributes to the growing body of research on Afro-Native/Afro-Indigenous experiences and serves as a resource for others. Ideally, someone could simply share a link to the article to explain Afro-Native identity, rather than always having to shoulder the burden of teaching and educating. The constant mental and emotional labor of proving both Blackness and Indigeneity, especially to those conditioned by white supremacy to doubt our existence, can be deeply exhausting.

Exploring the Intersection of Black and Indigenous Ancestry

When defining terms that describe individual identities, it's crucial to recognize that Afro-Native/Afro-Indigenous people are not a monolith. These terms are meant to empower, not to stereotype, judge, or demean. We reject the weaponization of colonial constructs, such as dictionary definitions created by those with privilege who lack an understanding of the diverse lived experiences and oppressions tied to these identities. Instead, we embrace and uplift Indigenous epistemologies and the importance of self-identification, avoiding the imposition of labels on others.

It's also essential to respect those who may fit within the Afro-Native/Afro-Indigenous label but choose not to identify with it. For each individual, being Afro-Native/Afro-Indigenous can hold different meanings. While defining Afro-Indigeneity provides a starting point, it's vital to move beyond labels, take the time to understand individuals on a deeper level, and allow them to define themselves and speak for their own experiences.

What does it mean to be Afro-Native/Afro-Indigenous?

According to Nativephilanthropy.org, "Black Indigenous/Black Indian/Black Native - Terms that refer to peoples who have both Indigenous and African lineage. These terms can be, but are not always, synonymous with Afro-Indigenous. Ultimately, their usage depends on how an individual chooses to describe themselves."

While this definition provides a foundation, I want to expand on it to offer greater specificity. Being Afro-Native/Afro-Indigenous is more than just having African and Native American heritage in the past, it is a living, current identity. It means being racialized as Black today while also being Native, recognized as such by an Indigenous community, actively practicing your cultures/traditions, being in community, speaking your native languages, and protecting the lands to which you are Indigenous to and/or current lands you are inhabiting. This identity is not about distant Native or African ancestry you are disconnected from; it is a way of being, lived 24/7, every day of the week.

Additionally, it's important to recognize that our African ancestors were Indigenous too. They belonged to tribes and ethnic groups in Africa, and their Indigeneity deserves acknowledgment and respect. Indigeneity itself is not exclusive to the Americas. Some Afro-Natives are descendants of enslaved Indigenous Africans trafficked from Africa to the Americas during the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade, while others may have an African parent or grandparent and a Native parent. This diversity reflects the richness and complexity of Afro-Indigenous identities.

How did Afro-Native peoples come to exist?

Native, Black, and White populations interconnected and blended through various historical circumstances after 1492. These interactions occurred on slave plantations, where individuals of African, Native American and European backgrounds lived and worked together under oppressive systems. In swamp and Maroon communities, such as the Great Dismal Swamp, runaway enslaved Africans found refuge alongside displaced Indigenous peoples and poor whites, creating unique, self-sustaining societies. On frontier settlements, the merging of cultures was often driven by the necessity of survival and cooperation in harsh and isolated environments. Native nations frequently adopted Africans, Europeans, and members of other Indigenous groups into their communities, forming kinship bonds and creating dynamic, multicultural societies that reflected resilience and adaptation (Dr. Arwin Smallwood, YouTube, "Tri-Racial Identity of Tuscarora, Meherrin, Melungeon and Other Native Americans in North Carolina, Virginia, and East to West Part Two"). It is important to acknowledge that these admixtures were sometimes consensual, while at other times, they were not. In some cases, Euro-Native slave owners fathered children with enslaved Africans, contributing to the formation of a tri-racial identity. Historical records indicate that some early European settlers took Indigenous women as concubines, and in some cases, they married Indigenous women. This historical blending does not exclude the ongoing creation of Afro-Indigenous identities through modern-day intermarriage and relationships. Between 1619 and 1715, Northeastern Indigenous groups, particularly the Iroquois Confederacy - comprised of the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora - along with their Native allies from regions such as New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina, actively resisted the expansion of slavery. These groups provided refuge to runaway African and Native American slaves, often refusing to return them to white slaveholders (Dr. Arwin D. Smallwood, YouTube, "Tri-Racial Identity of Tuscarora, Meherrin, Melungeon and Other Native Americans in North Carolina, Virginia, and East to West Part Two").

Addressing Some Common Misconceptions

When I tell people I'm Afro-Native, the common question I get is, "Which parent is Black and which is Native?" My answer is always, "Both," because I come from a multi-generationally mixed lineage, as do many other Natives from my region. Both of my parents are Afro-Indigenous. Afro-Native identities are far from new; there are entire communities in Latin America, the Caribbean, and along the East Coast of the so called "United States" predominantly made up of people with African and Native American heritage.

While there are biracial Afro-Natives today (those with one Black parent and one Native parent) it's essential to recognize that this is not the only way to be Afro-Indigenous. Multiracial Afro-Indigenous people have existed for centuries since colonization. Black and Native peoples share a long and complex history, coming together through intermarriage, maroon communities, enslavement on the same plantations, and even participating in each other's oppression, such as the Five Civilized Tribes enslaving Africans or the Buffalo Soldiers aiding in Indigenous genocide.

Afro-Native identity is not a modern phenomenon, and it's reductive to assume someone's Native ancestry comes from only one parent or to oversimplify what it means to be Afro-Indigenous. Doing so erases the rich diversity of Afro-Native identities and the complex histories that shaped them.

Another common misconception is the assumption that, because I'm Afro-Native, I must be reconnecting. This idea is rooted in anti-Blackness, which assumes that: (1) Black people aren't raised with cultural knowledge or intelligence, and (2) African Indigeneity is vastly different from Native American Indigeneity, despite the many intersections between the two.

To clarify, I've been Afro-Native my entire life. I've always known who I am, and the elders in my family raised me to be proud of all my heritages and cultures. I didn't discover my identity through a DNA test or start claiming to be Native out of the blue. Like many other Natives, I didn't grow up on my traditional homelands due to forced displacement, but that doesn't make me any less Indigenous. I have always known where I come from and who I am.

Yes, there are reconnecting Afro-Natives, and their identities are just as valid and Native as anyone else's. However, it's important not to assume that every Afro-Native is reconnecting. Many Afro-Natives are born and raised within their tribal communities villages, or pueblos, grow up speaking their Native languages, and are deeply connected to their traditions.

In fact, Afro-Natives are often at the forefront of preserving our cultures and histories, taking on the responsibility of passing down cultural knowledge to help our people. We also play a significant role in social justice movements, advocating for the rights and recognition of Indigenous and Black communities alike.

Another common misconception is that being Afro-Indigenous requires enrollment in a federally recognized tribe or meeting a specific blood quantum requirement. This couldn't be further from the truth. For example, Freedmen exist, and not all Freedmen have direct blood ties to the nations they are connected to, yet they are just as Indigenous as any other person who is part of those nations. Indigeneity is a political and cultural identity, not solely a genetic one. Indigenous nations have the sovereign right to define their own people. Some communities exercise this sovereignty through tribal adoptions based on their traditional teachings.

Indigenous Nations existed long before any colonial governments or countries. A non-Native government cannot invalidate the Indigeneity of an Indigenous Nation, yet these colonial structures continue to infringe on their sovereign rights. Some tribes are state-recognized or unrecognized, but they are still Indigenous. There are Indigenous communities that are recognized globally by the United Nations.

Certain governments refuse to recognize Indigenous peoples due to racism, greed, outdated stereotypes about what it means to be Indigenous (largely perpetuated by white people), and the harmful impacts of policies that have been imposed on Indigenous people, including the devastating effects of paper genocide. Some states or countries lack an official recognition process altogether.

Federal recognition of an Indigenous Nation means it has a nation-to-nation relationship with the federal government. However, some tribes may choose not to seek recognition from a government that continues to perpetuate their genocide, while others pursue it for survival.

It's important to acknowledge that some Afro-Natives cannot be officially enrolled in their communities due to anti-Black tribal laws, colorism, unethical enrollment practices, lack of the required blood quantum, and other barriers. There are also Afro-Natives who are eligible for enrollment but choose not to, for various reasons. One of these reasons may be prioritizing traditional teachings over colonial constructs and refusing to seek validation from racist institutions and governments that often minimize our Indigeneity due to our Blackness.

Enrollment is not the ultimate measure of Indigeneity. The concept of enrollment and federal recognition is a construct imposed by colonial governments, not something Indigenous peoples practiced before colonization. What truly makes someone Indigenous is being recognized and claimed by their community, which does not always require a tribal ID card or roll number.

Some Afro-Natives are enrolled in state-recognized or unrecognized tribes and face the challenge of being told they are not "Indigenous enough" because their tribe isn't officially recognized by a colonial government. The key takeaway here is to avoid making assumptions or generalizations. Don't judge someone based on their appearance or assume that, just because you belong to an Indigenous, Black, or marginalized community, you fully understand someone else's unique circumstances. There are Afro-Natives who have been displaced or adopted out and are now reconnecting with their tribe or pueblo.

Ending Thoughts

In conclusion, it's important to recognize that there isn't one way to be Afro-Indigenous; we come in many shades and phenotypes. We don't all come from the same tribal communities, speak the same languages, or share the same cultures. Unfortunately, colonial constructs rooted in white supremacy can sometimes make us feel as though we are neither Black enough nor Native enough. Additionally, some of us have other Indigenous ancestries beyond Native American or Black, such as Pasifika or Asian heritage.

Many of us also hold multiple marginalized identities, such as being LGBTQIA2S+, disabled, or women, which further complicates our experiences. Not all Afro-Natives live on a reserve or reservation; some of us are urban Indigenous, navigating life in cities with their own unique challenges. It's crucial to amplify the voices of the most marginalized within our communities, which often includes Afro-Natives.

As mentioned, some of us are reconnecting, while others have been connected all along. Some of us are biracial, while others are multi-generationally mixed. Not all of us have colonially validated identities, such as federal recognition, a specific blood quantum, or a tribal ID card. Yet, we are still Indigenous.

It's crucial to challenge colonial constructs like anti-Blackness, colorism, anti-Indigeneity, the one-drop rule, and blood quantum, which seek to sever our connections to our roots and deny us our birthrights and treaty rights. This is especially important at a time when some are attempting to deny the reality of the transatlantic slave trade, erasing the struggles of our African ancestors and undermining the existence of Afro-Indigenous people.

In these difficult times, marked by pretendian hunting, doxxing, and both online and offline attacks, there is a harmful assumption that Afro-Natives are trying to deny our Blackness in order to erase our true identities. Too many people who are not Afro-Native believe it's acceptable to speak for us and dictate how we should identify. In a world that often racializes us solely as Black to erase our other heritages, it is essential for us to define what it means to be Afro-Native or Afro-Indigenous.

At the same time, we face the appropriation of our Blackness and Indigeneity for social media clout, with people misrepresenting our identities for views and clicks. The reality is, people want our rhythm but not our blues; they're drawn to our perceived aesthetic but avoid acknowledging our oppression and intergenerational trauma. I've always been Afro-Native, but now, being Afro-Native has become a trend, and people want to claim our identity without understanding its true depth or significance.

I hope this article sparks thought-provoking conversations and encourages non-Afro-Natives to reflect on how they perceive and treat Afro-Indigenous people. Even those with Afro-Indigenous relatives may not fully understand the experiences we face. People within the same families or even tribes can have different lived experiences and intersectional identities, which is why it's essential to engage in these conversations.