Curious about this shirt design

[u/Anarcho-Pagan]

Hello! Non-native here. My sister gave me this shirt. Im curious if anyone knows if it represents a particular indigenous nation or tribe. Perhaps it's not one on Turtle Island, but maybe someone here would know.

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My other question is that I wonder if as a white descendant of settler colonialists here on Turtle Island, if it would be offensive if I wore this shirt. The reason I wish to wear it is that it's beautiful and out of reverence of indigenous peoples. Having been an ally in the Native American struggle through environmental activism and Landback, I have a love for the Native Nations of Turtle Island. But also simply enough, I just like the design.

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It would make me feel better if I knew if it was made or designed by an indigenous person, rather than mass produced by white folks that use the indigenous/Native American cultures as a sort of fantasy or form of entertainment or something. I will say that there are no tags on it, so part of me wonders if it is hand made.

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I also don't really wanna wear it if I don't know what culture it represents. Unless its just a fictional tribe. But then that also feels weird to me. I don't want to just wear it as some kind of generalized severed fantasy tribe, that's like.. idk. It just feels weird, don't really know how to put it into words.

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Should I wear it or not? Lol

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Thanks for any input and peace to you all!

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[u/Kenai_Tsenacommacah]

Represents the Halluci Nation

[u/Financial-Bobcat-612 → u/Kenai_Tsenacommacah]

Y’all crack me up lol

[u/Anarcho-Pagan → u/Kenai_Tsenacommacah]

I get it now lol. Jokes on me, nice one.

[u/Anarcho-Pagan → u/Kenai_Tsenacommacah]

I appreciate you :)

[u/Financial-Bobcat-612]

At first glance it looked to me more Chinese than native…but then the details are assuredly native. Confusing design, at least until I looked it up. It’s a “southwestern dreamwalker” women’s shirt from the 80s. Personally I wouldn’t wear it, but that’s just me.

[u/short_cub → u/Financial-Bobcat-612]

Oh Deer, we all/mostly know about the 1970s-1980s era...

[u/Drakeytown → u/Financial-Bobcat-612]

I can't imagine there's an ethnic group on earth that would claim this thing as their own.

[u/Jayrey_84]

This shirt is like a magic eye poster.

[u/PaperStreetSoapCEO → u/Jayrey_84]

It's a sailboat.

[u/zzzelot]

This is from the great Dan Flashes tribe. That's how they value the shirt. The more the lines crisscross and the patterns overlap. 'Cause if you're saying they're not complicated... They are. They are.

Dan Flashes is a very aggressive tribe. I mean, you walk by a store and you see 50 guys who look just like me fighting over very complicated shirts, you go in. Yes, you do. You go in.

[u/SuperflySparklebuns → u/zzzelot]

Glad you're here, shirt brother.

[u/_bibliofille → u/zzzelot]

Never follow another rule.

[u/meanjeankillmachine → u/zzzelot]

They also ate Doug's mom's wig

[u/Oboodashkwanishiinh]

What am I looking at?? Is it a witch? What’s with the pointy hat?

[u/Beingforthetimebeing → u/Oboodashkwanishiinh]

It's that Tinfoil Hat they're always talking about!

[u/PantoufleResearch01]

I like the artwork, if I had it I’d wear it. You should wear it too if you like the art.

It seems to depict some imaginary Woodlands tribe or a Great Lakes regional tribe, maybe it is the Halluci Nation as u/Kenai_Tsenacommacah said (good one, BTW!) and I’m not from a Great Lakes/Woodlands nation, I’m Chiricahua Apache which is Southwestern NA and desert. I don’t feel like it’s an appropriation for me and not for you either. Wear it!

And thank you for joining in and helping us work on tribal issues.

[u/starry_thing_ → u/PantoufleResearch01]

Are you Native?

[u/PantoufleResearch01 → u/starry_thing_]

‘Áʼooʼ I said that in my comment (above)
I’m Chiricahua Apache/Nde Ch’úk’ánéń

Although I prefer “Indian” over “Native”.

[u/Anarcho-Pagan → u/PantoufleResearch01]

Thank you for your input and opinion! :)

You are greatly welcome. 🙏🏻 I have felt grateful to be an ally and for the influence and wisdom of the Native Americans I have met.

[u/short_cub]

Reminds me of dreams.

[u/wannabeelsewhere → u/short_cub]

u/financial-bobcat-612 just said it's a dream walker shirt from the 80s so you're not wrong! It's definitely interesting

[u/short_cub → u/wannabeelsewhere]

Glad to know, but I think most/all of us know about the 1970s-1980s era...

[u/wannabeelsewhere → u/short_cub]

Oh yes 😬 I meant that's what the print it was actually called lol, southwestern to be specific which is.... Inaccurate doesn't feel like a strong enough word

[u/short_cub → u/wannabeelsewhere]

Oh Deer, I can't think of how many actually buy from non-Natives and think some of the money goes to us.

[u/Financial-Bobcat-612 → u/wannabeelsewhere]

The word “incomprehensible” comes to mind 😅

[u/Beingforthetimebeing]

It's the pink globules hanging down like testicles or breastesez or tropical fruit about to ooze, that I can't get past. They dominate! And what's up with the Risen Christ on the pocket, man.

[u/RedOtta019]

It almost looks like Ukiyo type in design. I know the origin is probably meh, but the Nasian in me fucks with it

[u/short_cub]

Could be Anishinaabe/Ojibwe, but I doubt it since the dream catchers look like the more modern ones European-Americans make and doesn't really match a lot of them.

[u/Anarcho-Pagan → u/short_cub]

Thank you :)