Where does cultural appropriation end and where does cultural appropriation begin? — Mohawk/Sioux youth featured in Teen Vogue

Daunnette Reyome has become an overnight role model in Indian Country after being featured in Teen Vogue, in an article entitled, “7 Girls Show What Beauty Looks Like When It’s Not Appropriated.”

As one of seven young ladies chosen to weigh in on the hot trending topic of cultural appropriation, while they appropriately modeled regalia of their own cultures.

Teen Vogue asked a very loaded question, “Where does cultural appropriation end and where does cultural appropriation begin?”  Her section of this article is entitled “Daunnette Reyome on her feather,” with photos that capture the powerful imagery of this young woman and her message to the world “that we do still exist. And no, we don’t all live in teepees.”

Growing up off-reservation, Daunnette has had a very different aspect from the non-native world, and how they perceive Native American’s, from fellow students telling her that “Indians don’t exist anymore,” to teachers giving inaccurate Native American history of Thanksgiving, and expecting some glorification of Abraham Lincoln for freeing slaves… but forgetting the fact that he also ordered the killing of 300 Sioux in the Dakota uprising.  These were the thoughts going through this young lady’s mind during the Teen Vogue interview.  “While I was waiting to go into hair and make-up,  my mom and I prayed and asked the Creator to guide my words and let me say exactly what my Native people would want me to say,” said Reyome.

Daunnette is the daughter of Launa and Rodney Reyome.  Her mother, Launa, is from the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, and her father is Akwesasronon; the son of Fred and Delena Arquette Reyome.

Reyome’s parents are her biggest fans and a super support system.  Reyome tells Akwesasne TV that her mom and dad are awesome.  They’re a team.  “My mom is the Booker, and my sister and I get the job done, and my dad is the driver! My older brother takes care of the house and my little brothers when we’re working.  My whole family both in New York and Nebraska are very proud; it was the cutest thing to see my auntie, Erica Oakes, and cousins Jenna, Deanne, and Alaina posting updates on their Facebook of their adventure tracking down which Walmart or other stores were carrying [the magazine].  My grandma and grandpa Reyome in the ROC went to three or four different stores and bought them all.  I love that my family is so supportive and proud.  My grandma Joyce Moniz in Nebraska also went on a search.  She’s been a major supporter of my career as well.  I want them all to know how much I love and appreciate them.”

Becoming an overnight role model in Indian Country is quite overwhelming for this thirteen-year-old modeling hopeful.  She has been bombarded with Facebook requests, messages, interviews, and overall pride from Native’s all across Turtle Island.

Reyome says the outpouring of pride from everyone has also been a blessing because she never realized just how long Indian country had been waiting for a voice, someone to tell the world that we’re still here.  “We’re people too.  We deserve respect.  I am moved to tears when I read messages from so many mom’s, girls my age or older, and even some men thanking me for doing the Teen Vogue interview and for speaking out against the stereotypes non-Natives have about us.”

Reyome is a young lady that wears many hats… err, feathers… as she is not only a model, but also very passionate about her Jr. Leadership Corp, as she is the highest ranking cadet in her battalion- Command Sgt. Major.  She also enjoys roller-skating, dancing, and making music videos with her sister.  Her goals are to become “just as great as Tyra Banks in the modeling industry!”  But she also wants to help bring the youth up right along with her.  “At the end of my modeling career my dream is to be able to open an agency or management company so I can help the youth who have dreams of becoming a model,” said Reyome.

Her parents spoke proudly of their daughter’s ambition to pursue all of her dreams and goals, and how she hates failure in any aspect of her life.  This young lady is a top leader in her school, as well as top in command for her Jr. ROTC, and is in all honors classes for the talented and gifted, as well as a/b honor roll.

Launa Reyome shared that her daughter has wanted to be a model since she was three years old. “She would run around our house with my heels on and her baby brothers cradle board ties wrapped around her as a shirt and skirt.  She’d walk up and down our hallway pretending it was a runway. We never really did know how she knew what a model does because we didn’t pay attention to those things.  She was also very into Hannah Montana.  Daunnette had the blonde wig and mic, so she’d always play like she was singing in a concert for us.”

At age ten, a neighbor and former model reignited that dream for Daunnette, and shared some of her modeling work with her, and told Daunnette she should pursue it because she is so tall for her age.

Reyome’s parents did pursue modeling for her, booking her first job as a promo/hair model for  celebrity stylist, Phillip Wilson, and hair care line called Color Proof.  When they relocated to Atlanta, GA from Washington, DC, Daunette was selected for her first runway show called Vintage to Vogue.

Then on March 14th, 2015, at the age of 12, she started pursuing modeling fully. Launa Reyome says her daughter wanted to make a lifetime career out of it, and use it as a platform to shed light on the beauty of Native Americans.  “We laugh out of excitement because in one year of hard work and effort, she went from a small time runway model to her first show being called Vintage to Vogue; to actually shooting with Teen Vogue on March 3rd, 2016,” said Launa Reyome.

Daunnette’s father Rodney, says the outpouring of love from Indian country is overwhelming, and that, “it blows my mind after all of the shares on social media, that there has not been one negative comment.  I think that all of this is hitting her really quickly, and I think some of the messages she gets overwhelms her, because the older generation have been starving for this, and I think now she is starting to understand.  We had so much love from all our people in the last few days.”

This young lady’s first real interview was with Teen Vogue, and her second interview was with yours truly- Akwesasne TV.  Daunnette says, “of this entire interview, the main thing I want people to know is that positivity and love can take us further in life versus acting out in anger.  I want what I have to say and what I am doing to always be positive and with love.  I don’t care for violence and anger, or the “look what the government did to me/us” type of attitude.  Or as my dad says, “don’t have a chip on your shoulder.  If you don’t like what happened to our people in the past, then be part of the change.”  I just want the show the world the beautiful side of us.  I want to change how people view us.  I want people to know about the beauty in our culture and traditions.”

BY: Ohseraséia:hawi

Akwesasne TV is powered in part by: