r/Navajo

Hello everyone,

I am a Navajo and Shoshone, as well as a Native American flute player and occasional maker. I wanted to reach out and see if others here have experienced something similar.

I frequently have people ask me for free flutes or volunteer performance time. Recently, I’ve had an influencer ask for free instruments while I was still learning the craft, as well as someone claiming Native descent asking for my work. I’ve even had people ask me to give away a traditional design that I spent time reverse-engineering for free—which I respectfully declined.

In my own music, I focus on non-traditional styles and my own original compositions—out of respect, I don't play music from other tribes without express permission.

While I actively pursue paid gig work, I notice that organizers often expect me to perform for free or volunteer my time, even though I often see non-Natives get paid in similar spaces. Is this something you encounter often in your own work or artistic practice?

I want to know, since because of the general oppression of Native American culture by the United States government in the 19th and 20th centuries, especially with spiritual beliefs, when I see rituals or stories about spirits being told do the Navajo believe it like Christians and Muslims believe in God or is it more symbolic or to help keep their culture alive? I’m really sorry if this sounds confusing