Alleena Jackson

Like many Native Americans I was raised off the Reservations, Non-Traditional. I am also of mixed race and as such was raised in the American Society. In my family we were not allowed to discuss our Native Heritage. We were never told the Tribe stories, never taught the Choctaw Language, and were definately never given the opportunity to learn Choctaw ways or heritage. When the Patriarch in our family Walked on, I began the journey of learning all these things. I waited until he walked on, out of respect for his wishes, to begin learning about my ancestors, our heritage, and our language. This is a reflection of my journey.