By Grant Hochmuth
For Giiwedin Indizhinikaaz, social media is more than a simple platform. It is a tool for cultural preservation, education and advocacy.
Giiwedin Indizhinikaaz has used social media to advocate for cultural preservation and education. WIth a following of 230,000 on Instagram and 16,800 on TikTok, their efforts have shown great success.
An Anishinaabe Two-Spirit educator and content creator from Minnesota, Indizhinikaaz visited campus to share their experiences speaking about identity, indigenous history and the power of storytelling in the current landscape of social media.
Their journey into content creation began during the coronavirus pandemic, when isolation pushed them to engage more deeply online.
“During the pandemic in 2020, I was holed up at home,” Indizhinikaaz said. “I’m Gen Z, so I’ve always been posting. I started hopping on trends, but I began indigenizing them, putting my own twist on it with Ojibwe culture.”
What started as a creative expression quickly grew into a platform with a purpose. As their audience expanded, Indizhinikaaz began using their reach to raise awareness about the Line Three oil pipeline and indigenous-led resistance efforts in Northern Minnesota.
“I was using my platform to amplify the resistance that was happening there and inviting people to come out,” Indizhinikaaz said. “That evolved into sharing more about my language, my culture, and my Two-Spirit identity.”
Much of Indizhinikaaz’s current content centers on culture teachings and everyday practices including harvesting wild rice, a traditional food that holds deep significance for Ojibwe communities.
“It’s an aquatic grass that grows naturally in lakes and rivers in Minnesota,” Indizhinikaaz said. “It’s something that we harvest every fall, and people love watching that content.
Indizhinikaaz uses their videos to draw viewers in, then teaches lessons about identity. According to Indizhinikaaz, the term Two-Spirit reflects both cultural and historical understanding.
“Two-Spirit is a contemporary umbrella term created in 1990 to replace an outdated and offensive term,” Indizhinikaaz said. “It was created by Native people for Native people.”
They emphasized that gender diversity has long existed within indigenous cultures including their own.
“My people’s language is gender neutral, and we have about 15 or 16 different gender descriptors,” Indizhinikaaz said. “That’s something that has existed since before contact.”
During their visit to Plattsburgh, Indizhinikaaz led discussions and panels focused on gender identity, personal experience and community. They described their work as part of a broader effort to reclaim indigenous narratives that have historically been misrepresented time and time again.
“A lot of things were written about our people through a lens that was not our own. Now I’m able to record things that are true for me and for others in my community,” Indizhinikaaz said.
Their creative works extend beyond digital media. Indizhinikaaz also practices bark biting, a traditional Anishinaabe art form that involves folding and cutting birch bark to create intricate, symmetrical designs. The piece they shared alongside their visit offered a visual representation of culture connection and artistic expression.
Beyond correcting misconceptions, Indizhinikaaz hopes to broaden understanding. They point to common misunderstandings about reservation land and the economic systems as common examples of how Native communities are often oversimplified.
“Native people are not a monolith,” Indizhinikaaz said. “There are thousands of tribal nations, all with their own cultures, languages and experiences.”
Despite ongoing challenges across the nation, Indizhinikaaz remains focused on building connections and fostering understanding.
“I think acceptance looks like continuing to be in a community with people, even when you don’t always see eye to eye,” Indizhinikaaz said. “Approaching people with kindness can open the door to change.”
Those interested in learning more about Indizhinikaaz’s work and to follow their story can find them on Instagram @giiwedinindizhinkaaz..
