Indigenality Photography

In honour of Native American Heritage day and month

Native American heritage day honours the first peoples of this nation while also recognizing Native Americans’ many contributions.

Throughout the month of November, we celebrate Indigenous people’s cultures, traditions, and history.

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳?
It means doing my part in continuously showing how beautiful all of our people are, as well as empowering and amplifying Indigenous voices through artistic imagery, culture, history, language, and stories. I’ve always wanted to show the true depiction of Native American People/First Nation people from an Indigenous lens and artistic perspective – or just simply photographing Indigenous people from a person who is Indigenous.
Growing up disconnected from my community, I always viewed Indigenous people from a ‘white' point of view; with it came many negative stereotypes and assumptions. For example, Edward Curtis was a non-native photographer who photographed Indigenous people on turtle island in the late 1800s; there is a lot of controversy surrounding him. His work consisted of romanticized depictions of Indigenous people. During a time when tribes all over turtle island were being forced onto reservations, their land being stolen, and their children illegally being taken and sent off to boarding/residential schools to “assimilate” them into a European way of life.
Today, I work hard to decolonize and dismantle those negative stereotypes and show who we are as Indigenous people!
We are strong, resilient, powerful, beautiful, intelligent, and artistic people. I strive to reclaim space in the world of photography and challenge photography’s own form of canon. We are capable of our own stories.

Each in-motion shot is different and portrays Nikita in her regalia. Loved this collaboration

Nikita is an Indigenous content creator and advocate. She’s an environmental scientist and is breaking barriers for Indigenous women and people.

Model:
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It took many years for me to accept my side profile - especially my nose, due to colonial beauty standards growing up etc.

However, as I began to see my ancestors throughout the years in old photographs and both my parent’s physical traits, I noticed I also carry their traits, as well as other Plains tribes throughout Turtle Island.

I’m proud to say I resemble my Saulteaux and Cree ancestry & roots.

Pictured below are my grandfathers on my mom’s and dad’s side. Alberta Noname & Delbert Crane

In saying all this, my belief system and Indigenous roots give me the strength to overcome hardships such as the one I’m currently facing.
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tansi folks, please consider donating, and please read what I wrote, anything helps. Please visit the link, my GoFundMe link is in my bio. 🤎🪶 Thank you all. 🫶

https://gofund.me/6f9ab099
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Donate to Cole's Photography equipment replacement GoFundMe, organized by Cole Crane tansi, or hello, in Cree (nêhiyawi), my name is Cole Crane, depicted a… Cole Crane needs your support for Cole's Photography equipment replacement GoFundMe