Urban Natives

Photo by Nadya Kwandibens.

I received a call from a woman from the CBC show 'Connect with Mark Kelly' on Monday. They were interested in interviewing people on camera about their experiences as an "Urban Aboriginal." I talked with her for over twenty minutes about what that has meant for me and about my personal experiences.

My father passed when I was just four years old and my mother moved my two brothers and I to off the reserve and to Williams Lake for a year and then eventually Abbotsford. That's were I spent most of my formative years. I had little connection with my father's family growing up as I often felt quite estranged from them and the times that I do remember going back to visit I was often made fun of and ostracized for being such a "city girl."

After high school I moved to Toronto to attend school, went back to BC, and then came back to The Big Smoke to finish my studies.  I love Toronto and knew that I would move here ever since I was about thirteen years old. Why? Because it is the biggest urban center in Canada, and I wanted to experience that before moving on to The Big Apple (such was the plan when I was a wee one). So you could say I am drawn to urban centers and love urban experiences. A lot.

So back to being an "Urban Aboriginal." Well it wasn't until my second stay in Toronto that I really begun to identify with my cultural roots. It was only after meeting amazing Aboriginals in the city that I felt like I really did belong to a community and began the journey toward getting closer to my Indigenous identity. A journey that continues today and a journey that you follow through my blog.

Jennifer Podemski, photo by Nadya Kwandibens. 

I feel that my experiences in the city as a Native individual are not that vastly different from other people. I shop at Eaton's Center, I eat at Milestones, I drink Starbuck's coffee, and I jog along Lakeshore Boulevard in the summer. What could differentiate me is my insatiable lust for the wilderness every summer, but this can be satisfied by some time spent in Muskoka, much like many Torontonians.

I think what is unique about my experience as an "Urban Aboriginal" is that I have come to represent Native people to many people in the city who don't necessarily know any other people with First Nation ancestry. They may have had stereotypical images held in their minds influenced by Hollywood and Disney, but now they know that isn't true, and they have a friend that they can ask questions about their understanding. I feel like part of my experience is educating others about Indigenous issues and about breaking stereotypes. No I don't know any Native peoples on welfare, but I do know Juno nominated musicians, Dora Award winning playwrights, Spirit nominated actresses, and the list goes on ... and on.

 Photo by Nadya Kwandibens. 

When I was having a conversation with the lady from CBC I was asked if there was a particular story or moment that was a great example of my experience as an "Urban Aboriginal." I couldn't think of one. The only time I felt truly visible as a Native woman in this diverse city (outside of people who know my Twitter handle and my blog obv.) was when I put on this buckskin beaded dress and had my photograph taken for the 'Concrete Indians' series.

Because the truth is there are so many "Urban Aboriginals" in every city across North America. But because we don't wear feathers in our hair or have on a beaded breastplate, many are not recognized as being Native. Maybe that is the defining thing about being an "Urban Aboriginal" is that we have to put on clothing and accessories that are distinctly recognized as Native for us to be considered Native.

This is why I chose to do this overtly obvious stereotype for my Concrete Indians portrait and why I do the Urban Warrior series on my blog. Many of us "Urban Aboriginals" choose to define our lives and our experiences in our own ways and what is right for us, not something that is defined externally and something that can be shot like a Hollywood film.

P.S. Just to note that I did a phone pre-interview with the representative from CBC and did not do an on-camera interview so I am not included in this series. Although Nadya Kwandibens, an amazing photographer is so please stay tuned as they will be showing vignettes during the next few weeks on the 'Connect with Mark Kelly' show.

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