Alright, well, I’m 23, and my fiance’s name is Samoset. He is 26 and he is American Indian (Algonquian). Him and I have been together for two years and just got engaged a couple of weeks ago. My family has met Sam maybe four times on holidays and they have been mostly cordial but I know that they are somewhat judgmental because they don’t like the idea of me marrying someone… Well… Not white. Now don’t get me wrong, my family is not racist or prejudiced or anything of the sort. They’re just very traditional and I’m going to be the first person bringing someone not white into the family. And the cultural difference is much more drastic than with some other races. My family has asked him some uncomfortable and rude questions not realizing they were being rude. I just want them to be accepting because I love Sam more than anything. I live in a different state from my whole family so I haven’t told anyone yet that we are engaged, minus my mother and sister, who are the only accepting ones. I am planning on telling everybody on Sunday when I go to visit, but I’m very nervous. How can I get my family to accept that I am marrying an American Indian? Sam is convinced that they hate him and is always very intimated to go see them. What do I do?

Topics: relationships, engagement, family, Native American, marriage, race