Teddy McGee, Blackfoot and African. Photo by Michael Santiago / Afro Native Narratives / Facebook
Photographer Michael Santiago explains the focus of Afro Native Narratives, a film and photography project about people of mixed Native and African heritage:
On the day I took Theo’s photo, I saw a transformation few get to witness. He dressed in the regalia he makes by hand, applied his war paint and danced. Theo, who is of Blackfoot/Niitsiitapii descent, is a generally shy person, but he allowed us to photograph him because he is passionate about the visibility of Black Natives. The photo is for “Afro Native Narratives,” a portrait and film series project that explores the historically-ignored Black Native identity as it stands today, as well as the effects of “blood quantum” laws, which define who is allowed membership in Native American tribes or nations based on the degree of ancestry a person has to that tribe or nation. The project aims to bring the discussion of Black Native identity to the forefront and bring forward the faces of Black Natives who continue to embrace the traditions of their ancestors. We photograph and interview individuals who have grown up maintaining tradition and continue to do so, like Theo.Get the Story:
Michael Santiago: What we can learn from the stories of Black Native people (PBS Newshour 11/12)
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