Warrior Girl Unearthed

by Angeline Boulley

You have significantly more deceased Native people in boxes on your campus than the number of live Native students that you allow to attend your institution.

—Shannon O’Loughlin, chief executive of the Association on American Indian Affairs, in a letter to Lawrence S. Bacow, president of Harvard University, February 18, 2021

It seems ridiculous that a box originally for shipping bananas might be filled now with bones or cultural items.

Or to feel it.

“I think intention matters.”

Do we have to be dead and dug up from the ground to be worthy of respect? —José Ignacio Rivera (Apache/Nahuatl)

We protect and provide for our community. You notice things that others don’t. You fight for people who can’t fight for themselves. If you need to be fierce, you can get there in a heartbeat. But at heart, you are a gentle soul who wants tranquility. It’s why we make the best protectors. It’s not about showing force. It’s about strategizing, negotiating, and making difficult decisions quickly. It’s recognizing that knowing when not to fight is more important than knowing you are capable of fighting.”