The Native Pilgrimage

Hajj experienced by a Native Muslim American

BY KARIM HAKIM

Karim Hakim talked with Jamila Southwind, a Native Band Member of The Keeseekoose First Nations Tribe in Canada, on behalf of Islamic Horizons.

You will be hard pressed to find a lot of Native Muslim accounts of the hajj experience.

As the years have gone on, Muslims of all backgrounds have found that hajj, and umra for that matter, has become increasingly difficult to perform. Challenges such as spiraling costs, visa issues and required vacation time make it difficult for Native Muslims to attend.

Those whom Allah blesses to perform to hajj should jump at the opportunity. And for those who can help a fellow Muslin make the journey, they should consider sponsoring an Indigenous Muslim who may not have the opportunity otherwise. Once back home, the new hajji and can use the experience to benefit his/her fellow community and have an eternal ripple effect of goodness.

Southwind related: Every day of my life, the fact that I’m an Indigenous person has mattered. I’ve been harassed, appreciated, ignored and even interviewed on TV. Sometimes it’s positive, sometimes it’s negative. Other times I’m not sure what to feel. Even on my own Native Reservation I stick out because of being Muslim. It’s been a life of standing out. And it can wear a person down.

But when I stepped foot in Makka, for the first time in my life I shared a single identity with everyone around me. Over a million of them! Being in Makka felt like I was home — a place I had never been to before, and yet it felt so familiar. Everyone came with the same purpose, so focused that nothing else mattered.

Maybe people did express racism toward me. Maybe I did get dirty looks like back home. But I can’t tell you for sure, because I was too focused on doing my pilgrimage for Allah. It was like a dream come true. Sometimes we’d be walking without shoes, other times falling asleep beside a mosque pillar after completing many beautiful rituals. There was something so simple but deep in everything we did.

It would be dishonest to say every experience I had during my pilgrimage was positive, because there were some experiences that required patience and were negative. But I was so happy to be answering the divine call that such things didn’t matter. Normally being in a giant crowd of people can be annoying and hard to get around. But during hajj it was like a giant family. So even if it seemed overcrowded, it was still a good feeling.

In fact, the first time I went to hajj was before the infrastructure was updated. I really recommend people look at the infrastructural changes done throughout the years. You can feel more of the different pilgrims’ experience throughout the years and the history of our umma.

One thing I can never forget is how powerful the feeling was when I arrived at the Haram. Even before entering I felt such a strong feeling inside me as I prayed to Allah. Even though that was just the beginning of the hajj, I was already changing as a person and feeling an inner strength I’d never had before.

That feeling is so amazing and so great that I can’t even describe it in words. It was my life’s most beautiful and wonderful experience. And you really do realize that out of so many people in this world, God chose you for this.

It was also a test of patience at times if people pushed you during tawaaf, walking around the Kaaba. But I convinced myself that I didn’t want to get angry. I was there for God, and I wanted to behave myself and be respectful. I think this is the part of hajj that we don’t realize is for our improvement — to be patient and well behaved for His sake even when others are pushing you or not being as respectful.

Drinking Zamzam water was another beautiful experience. I’ve never drunk something so delicious and so fulfilling. I’ve tried so many things from nature because of my Indigenous background. Alhamdulillah, I spent much of my life learning how to live off the land and take food and drink from nature and the great outdoors. I’ve had many beautiful experiences like this in my life and have shared and taught them to others as a Native.

But this didn’t compare to my experience at hajj with the Well of Zamzam and its blessed water! I experienced this from my own special lens because of my own background, and I think everyone has their own special ways of seeing this journey and finding their favorite parts of it.

On hajj, I never had to go buy food. My hosts would just set it out for us. It was very delicious, too. And I saw Muslims from all over the world. I remember thinking, “I wish I could see another Native! That would be so amazing!” I kept thinking about that. I had to explain my background to so many people and especially take time explaining it. I remember many of them didn’t get it at first, but after I explained they would say, “Ooh you are Ahmar Hind” (“Red Indian” in Arabic).

After learning my background, people were very respectful and told me they really respected my people, knew about Natives and that we were strong and warriors. They appreciated our background and said they really feel bad about what had happened to us and that they have a high respect for us for we kept fighting even after our land was stolen.

After hajj I met more people who, when they found out that I was a Native, showered me with so many beautiful gifts. It was like the opposite of so many of the experiences I’ve had my entire life. Many of us Natives are treated like we are second class or trash in our own lands. We struggle and are looked down upon by many. We have struggled against this our entire lives. To be treated with dignity and have our culture appreciated changed for me in Makka. Islam and hajj showed me how we should really be treated. To this day I am so grateful to The Creator for blessing me with this journey.

I really hope more of my Native brothers and sisters can make this amazing journey. Hajj changes your life no matter where you are from. As Natives we are used to traveling. We can be barefoot, sleep out in nature, walk longer distances, climb. We have prepared our whole lives for journeys like hajj. When I arrived in Makka, I can certainly tell you that your heart and body feel like they are home. And you never want to leave. It’s like deep in your heart. You become so peaceful and happy. And after you complete hajj, you become a new person like a newborn baby and are ready to start your life off in a better way. ih