Details

Storyteller: Nancy
Tribe: Red Lake and Leech Lake Bands of Ojibwe
Created: 2018
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Transcript: I am Nancy Negrette, I live and I grew up in St. Paul, my family moved here from Milwaukee in 1979. It was me, my father Federico and my mother Gloria Negrette and my 1 brother and 3 sisters. My father moved us here for work and to educate us. He bought a house on the east side of St. Paul on Clark St, that is where I grew up with family.

Growing up I had some extended visits on a few reservations usually visiting for the summer or a family event. I guess I am not enough native to be enrolled. My dad is from Texas and my mom is only half Red Lake and part Leech Lake Ojibwa.

My friends and cousins that live on out reservations would usually be laughing at me for my city traits, and say, "she is a city Indian from the cities". I am what you would call a city Indian.

I lost my dad at the age of 14 to cancer. I miss his loudness and music the most when I look at my granddaughter.

I am fortunate to have stable, strong, sober women guide me in life. I have also been fortunate in having positive white role models in my life choices. I had to learn to blend in and walk in two different worlds. My home life and then when I go hang out with my white friends.

My structure at home was like most homes but our traditions and food were by far the best. I grew up with a lot of Catholic families, so I had to follow the rules when I was a guest in their homes, I guess that's what they mean when in Rome. I had good friendships and I learned how to be a good sportsman.

I always knew I was native. My friends never made me feel like an outsider.  

My mother didn't know anything else but to teach me to be good person. my mom was always saying, “educate yourself! learn how to support yourself! don't rely on anyone wanting to support you!”

She tried to show me how to make dance regalia and quilts, my father taught me how to pray and how to love my family no matter what happens. Federico was crazy fun and loved his family. My dad really made sure we went to ceremony and vision questing at Bear Butte. That was my last trip with him. I am blessed to still have my mom with me today. I still need her.

My youth with my parents was comforting even when it got crazy. My adult life in the cities has been a good journey so far. I hope to share what I learned from my family with my granddaughter. I want her to see how lucky I was to have my family to take me to powwows and try to dance. I wish I was a good dancer. Being taught our traditional ways my mother and my father grew up with instilled even more self-awareness and pride in myself. My granddaughter is next in line to learn. It still blows my mind to say my granddaughter. I hope I am like my mom.

 I love being native, but I can’t understand why I see my own people not making progress in education and health. Is there really a blame for the past? All cultures have had some trauma or life changes to their worlds, why are we so disabled in so many of our own communities. We hold small numbers in some important stats of society and that scares me.