10. Reclaiming Indigeneity

What is “Indigeneity”? The word derives from Latin to mean “born or originating in a particular place.” For Native American and First Nations people where a person is born is vital in the formation of their identity. “We, as Human Beings, are constantly developing our identity, from birth to the end of our lives. We build our identities based on our relationships to relatives, friends, community, geography, language, and other social factors” (Pamela D. Palmater, Beyond Blood: Rethinking Indigenous Identity, Page 7).

But what if a person has been removed from their place of origin and does not know where they come from, who their relatives are, and are not taught their history, customs, language, and knowledges? On today’s episode, we sit down to talk with two women who are on a journey to reclaim their ties to their land, people, heritage, culture, and history.

Ji-gaabiikwe Campeau is a Nakawe-iniikew (Saulteaux woman), Nêhiya-iskwe (Cree woman), and Metis woman and is a registered member of the Yellow Quill First Nation, a signatory of Treaty 4. She is the mother of Kenadee and they currently live in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Christina Marie Quintanilla resides on the original lands of the Yokuts in Southern California. Her family is Indigenous from both sides of the US and Mexican border.