Last Updated on April 10, 2025
When Christopher Columbus began the slave trade in the Caribbean, enslaved Africans looked towards the Indigenous Peoples of the America’s for refuge. From these unions a singular identity was formed that was distinct from its parents, being both African and Native.
However, these groups, marginalized at higher rates than their parents, were often singled out, shunned, or forced to choose sides. They were also frequently omitted from official records.
Despite their virtually unknown history, many Black Natives maintained a connection to their culture, carrying on in the traditions of their ancestors. It is an effort that continues to this day.
Afro Native Narratives is an upcoming film that explores the historically-ignored Black Native identity as it stands today. The film explores contemporary issues like how culture differs from DNA and how that affects the blood quantum, and what the future of mixed raced identity is in rapidly changing America.
The film aims to bring back the discussion of Black Native Identity to the forefront and bring forward the faces of Black Natives who continue to embrace the traditions of their ancestors.
Across the world right now, Indigenous peoples are facing a renewed assault on their lands, rights, and ways of life.
From extractive industries pushing deeper into ancestral territories, to governments rolling back hard-won protections,
the threat is global—and it is growing.
What makes this moment especially dangerous is how little attention it receives.
Stories like this are disappearing in real time. Mainstream media
barely covers it and the coverage is fragmented. The public is left without the context
needed to understand what is truly at stake.
That is exactly why IC Magazine exists..
For more than 20 years, IC has reported on Indigenous struggles worldwide — consistently, independently, and without compromise.
We don’t follow news cycles; we trace patterns. We don’t sensationalize; we provide context.
And when the world looks away, we stay focused.
But this work is increasingly difficult to sustain.
We refuse to lock our reporting behind a paywall. We don’t sell access through subscriptions.
And we don’t answer to advertisers. IC Magazine survives solely because readers like you choose to
support independent Indigenous journalism.
Please donate today if you can. Every contribution helps us to continue this crucial work.
Thank you,
John Ahni Schertow
Founder and Editor in Chief
