Web Author's Note | A Non-Indigenous Soul

Robert Adrian Keesecker

Born: Denver, Colorado   (Arapaho nation land)
Raised: Cleveland, Ohio   (Erie nation land)
Lineage: German   (17th Century ancestor arrival)

Spending a great deal of time researching, discovering, and studying Native American history and culture brings one to a clearer understanding of not only the Indigenous people, but of America itself.

My heritage is completely German, descendants having arrived in the 17th century. This is the core of my motivation to develop this website. It is the result of so many lessons learned and the subsequent enlightenment of a non-indigenous soul.

There is a growing number of websites about Native America. I want to be perfectly clear that this website was conceived and is being developed on an ongoing basis by a white person who has learned so much about integrity, respect, and perseverance from the Indigenous nations. And who has learned so much about the oppression - and genocide - which was at the heart of this this nation's colonialism.

The First Nation characteristics of integrity and respect are in short supply these days. They have been in short supply from the time Europeans arrived on these shores over 500 years ago, culminating in the colonialist settlers in the early 17th century. Arrogance superseded these characteristics.

Unfortunately, that is still the case today to a great extent.

This is a work of passion, empathy, and hope. Hope that we all can and should do better. The path to that is education and understanding.

Robert A. Keesecker
A Non-Indigenous Soul