The complicated politics of identity

Unreserved invited a few of them to come and talk about the challenges of growing up Indigenous when you don't look it.

Trevor Jang is a journalist currently living in Vancouver. He is Wet'suwet'en and Chinese and although he didn't grow up connected to his Indigenous culture he started exploring it as an adult. 

Daniel Bear, an aspiring actor, filmmaker and student. His father is Anishinabe and his mother is English. He didn't start exploring his Indigenous background until junior high when residential schools were introduced in class. 

Julie Daum is a conflict resolution facilitator. Her mother is Wet'suwet'en and was the first woman in her territory to marry a non-Indigenous man who had immigrated from Germany. 

Adult colouring books are all the rage right now. But Winnipeg artist Jackie Traverse saw that there weren't many books available celebrating female First Nation art. That's when she decided to use her paintings to create Sacred Feminine. 

Eugene Crain is a Cree man living on unceded territory in Vancouver.  This past week he launched a social media campaign called "I am a water protector." He wanted to show his support for people at Standing Rock in North Dakota.

The Sioux and supporters have been camping out to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline which would carry oil near the edge of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

Leanne Betasamosake Simpson is a wealth of stories. And ways to tell them. What she doesn't have is a lot of down time. Leanne is a professor, award-winning writer, musician, activist and a mom. Her second album, (f)light, just came out. She is Mississauga Nishnaabeg and a member of Alderville First Nation.

This week's playlist:

Amanda Rheaume - Passed Down the Line
Leanne Betasamosake Simpson - The Oldest Tree in the World
Kinnie Starr - Save Our Waters