Unbroken: Indigenous Peoples Today

Shaayí - Tlingit, Haida, and Aishihik Native

"My name is Shaayí, and I am of the Tlingit, Haida, and Aishihik nations on my mother’s side. She also has a little mixed East Asian, Norwegian, Middle Eastern, South Asian, Portuguese, and French Canadian ancestry, but she has largely Indigenous ancestors and identifies most with her Native culture. On my father’s side, half of my ancestors are Japanese and the other half are mixed English and Scottish.

"My Indigenous ancestors are largely known as people of the water as they are coastal beings. I say they are 'coastal beings' because the ancestors live on through us and live currently in the Spiritual realm. They also reincarnate among our family and friends. To the Tlingit, they are also in the trees, the waters, and the Earth.

"As Tlingit, we are proud of our songs and our immense strength! As people of the water, we love to cultivate our spirituality when we canoe on the water and sing our songs as one!"

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