That Girl Rika: Through Indigeous Eyes

in·dig·e·nous

inˈdijənəs/

adjective

My name is Nashoba Tohbi, it's Choctaw for White Wolf.

Most of you know my by my given name, Erica.

or my Handle Rika..

But I only consider one of those to be my real name...

A few years back, after my father passed, I made the choice to give my self a native name.

Traditionally, you would receive your native name at birth. The only exception to this is if you are not born on the reservation. When you feel that you are ready you can pick your own name, but you must pick one that accurately describes you completely.

I took me almost three years to decide on the name that I wanted to describe and sum up who I am as a person, the life I have lived and my view towards the world around me. It was a hard choice because when I began this journey, I barely knew who I was, let alone who I want to be.

I am an extrovert, and in being so I like to socialize, but not with everyone. Just like a wild wolf, gaining my trust is hard task. One in which takes years to build and seconds to destroy. Once you burn a bridge with me, there is no going back.

I observe my surroundings before taking action and I will defend my beliefs and the people I love till my very last breath. I am true to myself, some might see it as selfish, but my happiness only exist by the choices I make.
So I made a choice,
I went to the ocean many times, I traveled around the state, went on a few road trips.

I picked my name by

Taking in the world around me in the way it was meant to be...

At least for me...

Through my hazel and indigenous eyes...
Through experiences, with out judgement..

Through life seen in technicolor,

where everyone is my brother, sister, mother, father, etc

and in a world where the words

Race, Ethnicity, Color

do not exist,

at least not in the way where they describe a person based on traits.

People are people,

and as Kaskade once said,

" We're just all red inside, that's all to see here,