Hñähñu at Princeton University, Ixtle Montuffar, UG '27, (BF05EB26)

From Research Princeton Research Day May 2nd, 2024

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This is a creative project highlighting the experiences of being Hñähñu Indigenous within Princeton University with conversations on legacy, culture, modern implications of colonialism and imperialism, as well as defiance as an Indigenous person in an anti-Indigenous space. This project works to allow myself and others a moment of contemplation. What does it mean to be the only person from your culture entering a space fully unequipped to aid you? How can universities desiring increases in diverse student bodies adapt themselves rather than force others to assimilate?
To walk on campus in my traditional clothing with symbols of my culture is a powerful experience. I feel pride and strength knowing that I may be the first, but I will surely not be the last Hñähñu person that attends Princeton University if that is what my community members desire. While there is a struggle with how I may continue to exist authentically, I also want to remind myself to be hopeful and to foster my own growth. If I desire a space for increased inclusion, I will create that, even though that is not my inherent responsibility.
I remain grateful for the opportunities I have worked for, what my family has worked for, and for what I have been lucky to obtain. At the same time, it is necessary to assess the ways in which every space we enter can be improved.

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Hñähñu at Princeton University, Ixtle Montuffar, UG '27, (BF05EB26)

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