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It is very important for Native Youth to tell their stories because so much of us are holding things in and letting these stories hurt us and destroy us.

My story is who I am, what my family is like, and what my culture is, Coastal and Plains. I feel that the story that needs to be told is my parents pasts and how it affected them and their children.

My favorite movie is Strange Magic which is Directed by George Lucas and is a Animated Musical. I basically know every single line and song in this movie. My favorite books would be the Infernal Devices Trilogy by Cassandra Clare because they made me cry and they were amazing! So many words to describe how much I love that prequel series.

It is important for native youth to past down their stories so that there children and there children’s children can know there sacred stories. I feel that all native stories should be made into a short movie so that the stories live on. one story i always remember my dad told me is a story about ethos cave and this cave is located in Arizona and is on the Pima reservation and on this mountain there was a cave and the walk way was so narrow, and every time you would enter you would have to leave a idem that means a lot to you or otherwise the two walls would close you in and trap you forever. My favorite native movie is by sherman alexie and is called Smoke signals

1) It’s important for Native Youth to tell their story because we need to get the word out who we are like what type of people we are.

2) I don’t really have a story to tell but a story I think should be told is how our people got separated and now how were rebuilding.

3) A film that is my favorite would have to be Smoke Signals because it a true film and it also has an interesting story to go along with it. Another reason why this film is my favorite is because old most every native have watched it.

Throughout generations, our people have used spoken word to pass down knowledge. Since time immemorial, Indigenous peoples have used storytelling, along with body movements, to communicate teachings.

With every arm lift, there is a story. With every sway, there is a message. It is vital that our next 7 generations continue to practice these traditions. Our ancestors knew how to care for the land by giving back every time they took, and we must do the same.

I come from two backgrounds. From one grandfather, I come from the Mid/Southwest tribes of the United States. From the other, I come from the native roots in Mexico, Tenochtitlan. Both perspectives are vastly similar. There are stories that have been told to me about the history of the Great Lakes region in the United States having ties to Indigenous peoples from Mexico. Our customs are similar.

I have also conversed with elders from the Zuni nation. With every meeting, we uncover new identical sounding/meaning words. We have examined trade routes, where the Indigenous peoples from Mexico commerced with the Pueblo Natives. These are stories that must be shared, and I am honored to be able to tell them.

Tlatzokamate

Ela:kwa

1. It’s important for Native youth to tell their own story because people need to see and understand a Native youth story and background of their own story. To get a insight on how they feel and who they are.

2. When telling your story you tell a background of yourself and who you think you are. When telling your story it’s also important because it can be passed down to children about their sacred story.

3. My favorite book is probably Looking for Alaska because she writes diaries on how she feels and what she going through. It also speaks to other teens because they have gone through the same thing as her.

It’s important for Native youth to tell their stories because many Natives go through pain and troubles, and it fades away. It isn’t told. It’s buried. Like we read in Sherman Alexie’s book, it is like Indians are invisible. Before this program, I did not know of the Residential Schools in Canada. I did not know of the erasure of culture. But there are no shortage of hardships or poverty or families beaten down by alcohol abuse. And yet many people still use the culture as a costume. They take the good for themselves and bury the bad. They blame indigenous peoples for the hardships they are set up for.  It needs to be told because when the difficulties of a people are buried beneath the surface no change can be made.

If i personally could have a story to be told, it would be about mental illness. I’d like to break the stereotypes about different mental illnesses, especially in a way that makes those who live life dealing with one more comfortable with their society and peers. And most importantly I would like mental illnesses to stop being used as an adjective. “She’s so skinny. She’s like anorexic!” “I get nervous when I’m on stage. I totally have anxiety.” I hear phrases like this often, and the worst part is that most people don’t see the problem with it. But I know what it was like to fight anorexia. It wasn’t my weight; it was the self hate, the dimorphism, the constant intense fear. When people act like depression is cool and trendy, when people stereotype in painful ways, it makes it more difficult for others to take those who actually suffer seriously. I want to break the stereotypes.

My favorite book is The Little Prince Prince by Antoine de Exupery. The book is fascinating in many ways. I love the illustrations throughout the story, but the most interesting thing is the different personalities. There is a separate kinds of sadness in each character that the Little Prince meets when he lands on a new planet. At each stop the formally naive Little Prince begins to realize that the world isn’t just raking out tiny volcanoes and taking care of his Rose.  He sees the pain of the drunkard, the arrogance of the king, and the dedication of the lamplighter. And through the lesson of the fox, he realizes his Rose was special because it is his. He releases his body to return to his home.

It’s bittersweet.

Each person has some sort of background and a past that has shaped them into the person they are today.  They go through some events that could be horrible or happy. These events are important to be retold so younger siblings or children can learn from their mistakes.  It is true what our elder, Joe, says.  We are the future and we need to be the example for the next generation.  Although it seems doesn’t seem like a big deal, we need to tell our stories.  It may become a greater importance to someone else.  It may even make on feel better about themselves when they realize what depths your life took.

A story that I’d want to be heard more often is the story behind the artifacts within those museums.  Since the last time our group visited it, I’ve been pondering the stories of how it has gotten into those historians’ hands.  There is a mystery that tells a story.  We just have to discover it.  If those people had left those items to their rightful owners from way back, there wouldn’t be very much difficulty into finding those stories.  What would happen then?  Our native people of many nations have the desire to be able to have that history in our hands instead of having it lost.

My childhood was based of a unique film named “Lilo and Stitch”.  It teaches the importance of family and tells the story of how a little girl kept her emotions and conscience strong after her family was broken and became little.  She learned to forgive her new friend and later accepted him into her family although Stitch, the alien, has been very emotionally frustrating.  There were some aspects from that film that could be related to many other people’s lives and could be part of their story.  There are only few people that actually understand the extended theme throughout the movie that could help them learn some important life values.

1. Its important for the youth to tell their own stories because no one can tell your story but you and people need to know. People deserve to know how you feel and what you think. Most of all you deserve to tell your story. You are worthy of your story and you will feel 100x better it is worth it in the end. Our ancestors deserve for your story to be told.

2. The story i think needs to be told is how our people have suffered and how we came back stronger than ever. Believe it or not our people are strong Native Americans. We should be proud and telling our struggle and how we came through just proves the common quote ” what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

3. My favorite book is now “The Absolutely True Diary of a part-time Indian.” The reason that is my favorite is because its real. Its a true realistic book of life on the rez.

1) Its important for Native Youth to tell their own stories because they deserve to have their words, opinions, truth, and stories heard. Its important for them to fell at home in our society, to feel accepted for who they are and to not feel like outcasts because of who they are or what color their skin is.

2) I think that the story of how a lot of Native Youth grow up in should be told. As in, their home life, childhood struggles, what they’ve been through, and the pressure of trying to go to college when maybe they don’t have the support or financial aid to help them get there. Also about their education, many Native Youth may not have the resources or material to get through school, like books, pencils, paper, calculators, binders, notebook, etc. These obstacles can persuade them to not finish school, not go to college and convince them to stop following their dreams.

3) Smoke signals is my favorite Native American movie. I love the story and how it was told. I like how the movie tells some of the truths about Native American lives and some of the struggles we face.

1. Native youth telling their story is important because they need to know where they came from and who made them the person they are.
2. I have one brother, two step brothers and one step sister; I am the youngest. I am from the Blackfeet Nation and the Lummi Nation, a plains tribe and coast salish tribe. I have two different indian names, one from each tribe.
3. My second favorite film is Black Cloud. I have a different movie in mind but I can’t think of the name so I’m using a different movie. I like Black Cloud because it ties together sports and native american tradition, even though he is from a different tribe.