Holding Space for Native American and Indigenous Muslims
Zeyba Rahman
One of the best parts of my job as the director for the Building Bridges Program at the Doris Duke Foundation is that I have the opportunity to ask big questions and then help find (and fund) the answers.
Image above shows percentage of respondents answering the questions: Are you of Hispanic origin or background? Do you consider yourself White, Black or African American, Asian, Arab, Native American, Pacific Islander, mixed race or some other race?
Data from ISPU's 2019 American Muslim Poll, available in full: ispu.org/poll.
When I saw a pie chart from the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) that showed US Muslims by ethnicity and noticed that there was a small slice of that pie dedicated to Native American and Indigenous Muslims, it prompted so many questions. What was their history? Their challenges? Aspirations? And as a member of the Muslim community myself, what could I do to support them?
I reached out to Meira Neggaz, the executive director of ISPU, to get more information. We realized that there was not much available, and we decided to embark on a research study about this small, but critical, population. ISPU assembled the project team to guide the direction of the research, and they invited our grantee, IllumiNative, to partner with them and provide essential cultural support. The ISPU team focused their research efforts on identifying and conducting 17 in-depth interviews with Native and Indigenous Muslims.
The data gathered was so compelling that the project team decided to release the findings in two parts. Native American and Indigenous Muslim Stories: Reclaiming the Narrative explores the experiences, strengths, and histories of a population that is often overlooked in public conversations and decision-making processes. Part one, Visions and Voices, features photo narratives that explore identity, ways to navigate multiple marginalized communities, and highlights participants' struggles, hopes, and dreams. Part two, Trends and Treasures, will be released in Spring 2023 and will build upon the foundation laid by part one, while incorporating insights from Native American and Indigenous participants of other faiths and also those who are not faith affiliated.
As far as we know, this is the first ever report that provides fundamental knowledge about this part of the Muslim community. Meira and I wanted to ensure that we centered the lived experiences of Native and Indigenous Muslims, made them visible and amplified their voices and stories. We hope this research will demonstrate that US Muslims are not a monolithic block; we are both racially and culturally diverse with rich distinctions.
Black & white portraits from Visions and Voices (L to R) Siddeeqah Sharif (Chickasaw and Afro-Indigenous), Ed Sanders (Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation), Ashley Wolford (Choctaw), and Xade Wharton-Ali (Mescalero Apache). Photography by iDigiMedia + Swish Marketing Agency. Images courtesy of ISPU.
At the Doris Duke Foundation, our goal is to build stronger, more inclusive communities through increased mutual understanding and well-being among diverse populations. By funding research like Native American and Indigenous Muslim Stories: Reclaiming the Narrative, we are able to create intra community connections within the Muslim community and more broadly across U.S. communities.
"The feeling I had was like being on a boat in the middle of the ocean, lost with a map, searching for an island of people that I'd heard about but just didn’t know if they actually existed. To know that Islam is here, alive, and practiced by Native tribes, was worth more than any treasure. My heart and spirit were overwhelmed with joy."
Yousef Abdulrahman Binageil
Saudi, Yemeni, and Cherokee Native, after reading about other
Native American and Indigenous Muslims in Reclaiming the Narrative
In this way, our goal is to help those who have often been excluded — in fact, erased — join national conversations. We are so proud to have supported this work and look forward to continuing to highlight underrepresented populations and answer big questions with empathy, collaboration, and respect.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Zeyba Rahman is director for the Building Bridges Program at the Doris Duke Foundation.
