Code talkers & such Pt. 2

So I left off with how I felt the appreciation from an elderly couple or the Navajo culture and the land.

Now I also mentioned something about the husband who thought I was Mexican.

I told him I'm Navajo and he apologized and called his wife over. He told me that he's wife is very interested in the Navajo culture.

Anyways, he went on to say that his son told him not to call the Natives "Indians". I nodded and said, " Well, some do take offense and some don't. My mom would say 'I'm not Indian because I'm not from India.' " He nodded, his wife also nodded in agreement and smiled. Now I use to be in that mind set, where I would take offense to the labels that have been put out there. But since I took a social class at my local college, I realized that's just what they are, just labels and nothing more.

So the conversation continued. He asked, "if not Indian, what would you guys prefer?

Navajo?" I smiled and said," Now everything gets political to a point. Because even still, the term Navajo will be offended to some of us(the Navajo tribe.)"

The husband looked at me and his wife nodded in agreement with what I just stated. I continued, "You see the name Navajo came the enemies, the Spaniards. The Spaniards weren't able to pronounce what we call ourselves and so the they heard the word Navajo and took it. And so the word Navajo stuck and it means "to steal"."

"What would be preferred then?" I said ,"Some would say Native American." That's when he cut in and said; " But I am Native American." I smiled. I smiled because this is what has been said all over social media. To me I take the term Native more deeply. Because, some will take it technically, with the birth certificate and I was born here too. I mean yeah you were born here, but were native to the land? Do you know "the colors of the wind"?

I commented," Yeah. That's why it's a not so popular political term anymore." He replied back." Then what?"

"Indigenous."

He nodded his head and said, "That's sounds better and more respected."

He proceeded to ask what it is we call ourselves. I said "Dine Nizhooni"( The Beautiful People.)"

I continued with telling that it's just not our people who take offensive to these term it's also the tribes of the country and the world. IT would be more respectful to learn what each tribe calls themselves.

He smiled, shook my hand and thanked me for taking the time out of my work to explain things to them.

But like I mentioned, labels are labels. We take them too seriously at times and that causes many things and chain reactions. I try not to let them get to me. I try to dissuade all these political correct terms and labels because when I look out my door, I see the sky spreading over everything and I feel the air that circulates endlessly as it is recycled many times through the generations.

Labels are labels. That's all they are.