Honoring Two Different Cultures
Yesą́ & German
Over the years, I’ve delved into my family’s history to uncover what my ancestors always shared—that we are “Indian”. By “Indian”, I mean “American Indian” or what some may refer to as “Native American” or “First Nations”. As an Eastern Woodlands Indian, most of our treaties are listed under the term “American Indian”, which is why we commonly use it on the East Coast. Regardless of where your ancestors are from, all three terms are misnomers. My maternal great-aunt was straight-forward and said we are “Blackfoot”.
In 2010, I began exploring my family’s history in search of the “Blackfoot”. Unfortunately, I didn’t find much information related to Virginia, where both sides of my family originate. Perhaps I just didn’t know what I was looking for, or maybe I wasn’t ready to receive the information, as I was at the beginning stages of a long healing and spiritual journey at that time.
I set it aside for years, but picked it back up again in 2020. It was then that I finally found what I had been searching for.
“Ohio Valley Native Americans Speak: Indigenous Discourse on the Continuity of Identity by Paul René Tamburro (MA, MSW, MA), shows that “Blackfoot” was a designation for people whose ancestors were native to the Ohio and Appalachian areas for hundreds of years, and quotes Linda Carter who states that its her understanding that the term “Blackfoot” is the Ohio Saponi’s word to describe the whole Saponi confederation at large, including the Tutelo, Monacan, and Occaneechi. These Ohio families trace their roots right back to the Saponi and other Eastern Siouan peoples — often as far back as the 1740s, long before Wild West shows made the Plains Blackfeet famous.” - Christopher Johnson, Council Member of Saponi-Catawba Nation of the Ohio Valley
During that time, I also confirmed my family’s German ancestry on my paternal side. Interestingly, I was already practicing “The Old Ways”. This spiritual transition began to unfold back in 2010, when I first started my genealogy research.
From Chained Dolls To Wayuką́
I started my company in 2016 under the name Chained Dolls, initially focusing on handmade items, primarily jewelry and dolls. However, in 2019, I developed a rare neurological disorder called Myoclonus Dystonia, which introduced new challenges and made it difficult for me to maintain the workload of creating handmade items. As a result, I transitioned to print-on-demand (POD).
Around that time, I also began exploring my family’s history again and seeking apparel and other items related to “American Indians”/”Native Americans”. As an Eastern Woodlands Indian, I found that most of the available apparel was more geared toward Plains Indians.
I decided to rebrand and narrow my niche to focus solely on my ancestry while giving others in the Indigenous community a voice. The logo above was created during this period, incorporating the Kaunaz and Dagaz runes for my German ancestry, along with a feather representing my American Indian heritage.
After joining my tribe in 2024, I rebranded once again, changing the business name to Wayuką́, which means “roots” in Yesą́:sahį.
Although the logo highlights the Indigenous aspect of my ancestry, I create products that reflect both my Native and German heritage. I also continue to practice the Old Ways.
Bi:láhuk yilana:hase (Thank you for reading),
Wayuką́