By Quannah Chasinghorse, Photo: Keri Oberly, CNN Style, April 27, 2022
Despite being into fashion since I was young, I never once thought that I could be a model. I am a proud member of the Hän Gwich'in and Sičangu/Oglala Lakota tribes in the US -- but like most Indigenous teenagers, I grew up without any representation in pop culture. I didn't feel confident or even like the way I looked.
When I was 14 years old, I received my first facial tattoo, a traditional hand poke tattoo called Yidįįłtoo, in a ceremony that was practiced to signify coming of age. It was truly a special moment. I could have done it sooner, but waited until I could better articulate its meaning and sacredness: why it's so important for us to reclaim this tradition after it -- like so many other cultural practices -- has been nearly erased. The other tattoos have each been a rite of passage. Not every Indigenous person's tattoos are the same; they each tell our personal histories.
I have always wanted to represent my people in the best way, and now I am fortunate enough to do so, by being on magazine covers and walking runways. Being someone who can shift how others see beauty is important, because I know a lot of girls who look like me and who can feel out of place.
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