Another bizarre alignment that happens for those of us in tune with our Native heritage during November is the frenzy of consumerism that surrounds Black Friday. If you’re somehow unaware, Black Friday is a retail holiday when the public is invited to participate in no-holds-barred shopping sprees before the Christmas holiday through widespread sales, both in person and online, via another offshoot retail event known as Cyber Monday. 

As Indigenous peoples, our ancestors taught us to view everything through a multigenerational lens. We are to conduct ourselves in a manner that pays respect to our ancestral lineage, while also ensuring a healthy future for those who come after us; for the next seven generations. This instruction has led us to create modern sustainability practices that discourage mass consumption and waste. We aren’t perfect either, but that objective remains at the forefront in all that we do. 

My ancestors weren’t just wise and learned experts on how to thrive within our environment and landscape. They were practical—and they also loved ornamentation and yes, even fashion. Upholding sustainability does not require one to live in rags unless you want to. Instead, they sought to attain balance and connection with other living creatures and their surroundings. Clothing was taken from where they lived and was utilized to help them survive by keeping them warm, cool, dry, and protected. 

My ancestors used buckskins to clothe themselves before Europeans arrived with textiles. We used every part of the bison, including its skin, to provide us with shelter as well as garments. Long ago, the ancestors say, we lived in a warmer climate. At that time, we wore very little. It just made sense. As we moved further north and faced harsh winters with plentiful snow and ice, we turned to leather and fur to help us stay alive. But dressing for the weather doesn’t mean you can’t look good. To this day, we adorn our traditional regalia with shiny beadwork, colorfully dyed porcupine quills, painted designs, feathers, and seashells that were first obtained from oceanic trade routes. Face paint looked impressive, but also bore meaning. Today, powwow dancers aren’t afraid to incorporate modern trinkets, like belts, bells, or even glitter and sequins. 

Speaking personally, I’ve been tempted by and also indulged in a few Black Fridays and Cyber Mondays. We all want to look presentable, and even better if we can achieve that at a reasonable price. I’ve also ridden the struggle bus, as they say, and faced hard times economically. Sometimes you have no choice but to turn to fast fashion when you have nary an extra dollar to spare but need to look great to make a good impression for an upcoming job interview. Still, we can be mindful of our actions.