There are many Native American descendants living under the
radar in all our major cities and the surrounding areas. They are considered
Urban Indians, and have been existing as such for over 40 years. This is a result of laws
passed all throughout the late 1900’s that made it difficult for modern Indians to
maintain their cultural existance. Today they are living somewhat normal lives and can be found in all walks of life. They are electricians, musicians, bus drivers, school teachers, lawyers and even D.J.s. Meet DeeJay Premo, Deejay Premo (Kala Ligon) is an example of one of them. A descendant of the Sand Hill Band Lenape Cherokee of New Jersey as well as the Navasink Lenape Nation. He walks a fine line balancing a normal day to day
experience as an American citizen while attempting to tie back into his cultural past. Not as easy a job as it may seem, urban Indians face many challenges in their lives.
So the next time you are on a subway or walking down a crowded city block, take a
moment to think about these Urban Indians hidden in plain sight.