Interviewer
Jack Fineberg
Files
Description
O'Maste-win “Oma” Foster (they/she) discusses their experiences as an Amskapi Piikani (Blackfeet), Fort Peck Assiniboine, and Dakota person living in Missoula, Montana. Foster reflects on how growing up on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota and on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana shaped their values and understanding of gender. They describe the role of “auntie-mama” relationships, Indigenous kinship systems, and the importance of reciprocal care. As a queer, gender-fluid, non-binary, and Two-Spirit person, Foster discusses embracing their identity on their own terms and navigating both Indigenous and colonial understandings of gender. They also reflect on the changing visibility and acceptance of queer Indigenous people within Native communities. Foster was interviewed by undergraduate student Jack Fineberg for Dr. Jody Pavilack’s Practicing Oral History course.
Loading...
Document Type
Oral History
Subjects
Missoula, Montana; South Dakota; Rosebud Reservation; Blackfeet Reservation; Amskapi Piikani (Blackfeet); Fort Peck Assiniboine; Dakota; Lakota; kinship; auntie-mama; Indigenous; Two-Spirit; queer; gender-fluid; non-binary; community care; activism
Original Date
12-1-2025
Time Period
Twenty-first century
Geographic Coverage
Montana
Language
eng
Original Collection
Queer In and Out of Montana Oral History Project, OH 494, Archives & Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, University of Montana
Digital Publisher
University of Montana--Missoula. Mansfield Library
Rights
Copyright to this collection is held by the interview participants and by the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, University of Montana-Missoula. Permission may be required for use. For further information please contact Archives and Special Collections: (406) 243-2053 / email Archives and Special Collections
Oral History Number
OH 494-019
Media Type
Sound; Text
Original Format
audio/mp3; application/pdf
Digital Format
audio/mp3; application/pdf
Run Time
00:37:37 minutes
Local Filename
OH_494_019_audio_use.mp3; OH_494_019_transcript.pdf
Citation
Foster, O'Maste-win, "O'Maste-win Foster Interview, December 1, 2025" (2025). Queer In and Out of Montana Oral History Project. 18.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/queermontana_oralhistories/18