Most people are at least a little curious about where they came from – their ancestors, the timeline of events, names and places, that sort of thing. I image that being Native American, part of that curiosity is a bit of duty to carry on a culture that now belongs to far too few.
This family is Native American. The grandfather was part of the Sioux, tribe, and had two sons. Those sons each had a daughter, who are one-quarter Native American…or so they both thought.
OP, who is very light-skinned and doesn’t “look Native,” is actually the only one who is because her cousin’s father was not her grandfather’s by blood.
My (18f) grandfather was a full blooded Sioux Native American. He had two sons, my dad and my uncle. My uncle had a daughter named K (17). All of them except me are very dark skinned. My mom is a white lady, which turned out to be the dominant gene for me, so I am quite light skinned.
My dad is half Native American, and I am a quarter. K however, isn’t at all because of family drama surrounding her dad that K was never told about.
As they spent time together in the tribe, getting to know about their family and heritage, the cousin grew openly hostile about OP’s light skin, claiming she was an embarrassment to their culture and had no right to be there.
As we got older my dad and uncle wanted us to become more integrated with what is left of our tribe so we would visit Grandpa’s extended family often. We would go together in one car and every single time she would get pissed and throw a tantrum about me coming.
K was horrible to me about it every time and would tell me how stupid I am and how I’m an “ugly white bitch”. My dad and uncle always just brushed it off and I just had bite my tongue and take it.
Finally, after the cousin claimed she would refuse any more visits with their Sioux relatives if her “white” cousin was along for the ride, OP snapped and told her cousin the hard truth.
Things finally came to a head two weeks ago when she stopped us at the door and said she will not be going under any circumstances if I am also going.
K said that I am an embarrassment to our family and to the tribe because of how light skinned I am, and that my dad is a racist towards his own people for letting me be apart of this culture. This was the first time she had ever said anything like this where they could hear it, and I finally snapped. I was done letting this girl bully me, so I told her the truth about her heritage.
The story of her uncle’s parentage tumbled out, and her cousin lost her mind. Her aunt disowned OP and her father in the process, claiming her daughter was now having an identity crisis.
Her own father chastised her because it’s not her story to tell, but understands that she’s frustrated at being the one treated as not good enough all of these years.
I told her that she’s actually wrong. I am more Native American than she is because her dad isn’t Sioux AT ALL. My grandmother had an affair with the neighbor (he was Mexican) and kept the baby. Grandpa loved him like a blood son anyways and brought him up the same way he did for my dad, but my uncle was aware the entire time he is an “honorary Indian” (his words not mine).
K absolutely lost the plot and has completely disowned me and my dads side of the family. I haven’t heard from my uncle and my dad said that wasn’t my story to tell, but he understands why I did it. Grandpas family don’t care, they knew the whole time. K is apparently having a major identity crisis and my uncles wife cussed me out on the phone and she’s also disowned me and my dad.
So, what did the good people of Reddit think?
Let’s find out!
They say the cousin is simply reaping the rewards of years of horrid behavior, for one.
Image Credit: Reddit
This comment just made me chuckle.
Image Credit: Reddit
And yes, her father had years to tell that story himself, and put a stop to the cruelty.
Image Credit: Reddit
I think we can all agree the adults are really at fault, here.
Image Credit: Reddit
And then there’s this mic drop.
Image Credit: Reddit
I guess I agree that OP could have been more tactful, but the adults really should have made sure the pertinent family members were in on the big secret a long time ago – and they also shouldn’t have let racial bullying go on under their noses.
Where do you come down? Hit us with your thoughts in the comments!
