Indigenous TikTok creators like Kairyn Potts are showcasing indigenous cultures through social media. According to Potts, TikTok’s unique algorithm helped push indigenous content to a wider audience, something that’s difficult to do on other platforms.
Indigenous people in North America (and across the globe) have been filtered through the lenses of colonization and imperialism. Often, they’re widely misrepresented and reduced to harmful stereotypes.
Then came TikTok. The platform (which gained mainstream popularity in 2020) features a unique interest-based algorithm that helped indigenous creators reach a wider audience.
But what’s the true driving force behind the rise of Indigenous TikTok? We explore the answer through the eyes of indigenous creator and educator, Kairyn Potts.
Why Does TikTok Work for Indigenous Creators When Other Platforms (Often) Don't?
TikTok’s unique algorithm, short-form content format, and community features allow even the newest and smallest creators to get featured and go viral.
The Algorithm as the Great Leveller
TikTok’s algorithm surfaces content based on engagement, not creator follow counts (in fact, follower counts hardly matter here!). This means videos often travel far outside a creator’s existing network.
As such, indigenous TikTok creators have been able to reach audiences that would have been completely out of reach on other platforms. While most social media platforms have adapted some form of personalized content discovery (especially as AI technology evolves), they still heavily favor major accounts.
For Kairyn, a Two-Spirit Winkte man from the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation, that’s the real game-changer:
“I think that that's what sets TikTok apart. It's that it has such a unique algorithm, and you can't really predict what's going to go viral. These videos end up getting seen by sometimes millions of people who may never have known that you existed.”
Short, Engaging, and Relatable Content = Better Retention
Kairyn believes people learn better when they're laughing and enjoying things. That’s why he tries to keep things funny even when the aim is to educate.
“There is a time and a place to be really serious and to have powerful conversations, but I don't think that you have to lose the excitement and the fun of learning when you're trying to be powerful. I think you can be funny and powerful at the same time.”
TikTok’s most viewed videos are often the ones that resonate emotionally. Humor, awe, surprise, (and even anger!) are the best retention tools. Many indigenous content creators like Kairyn, Ava, Brad, and Tia Wood share content that tickles your emotional sensors.
Is it any surprise their followers keep growing? But for Kairyn, it’s also about honesty, transparency, and authenticity. Given how misrepresented indigenous culture is in popular media, it’s especially important for many indigenous creators to keep it real, not just entertaining.
As he puts it, “Just being honest and being transparent about things is always the way to go, and I try to keep my content a nice blend of the two.”
Community & Connection
Beyond reach and education, indigenous TikTok has made it much easier to find community and connection.
Indigenous groups can be found everywhere: in urban settings, on-reserve, and in rural and remote communities. However, these groups are often siloed from one another, with limited opportunities to connect.
Isolated, fly-in communities, particularly common in North America, can be extremely hard to connect with. Indigenous TikTok has given these people a place online to talk, connect, laugh, cry, share, and learn.
According to Kairyn:
“It’s really helped a lot of Indigenous people who may have been disenfranchised or disconnected from their culture for whatever reason, and have really been such a great tool and a great source of education and of just that feeling of 'wow, I'm not alone.’”
Indigenous Peoples Have Always Been Innovators. TikTok is Just the Latest Proof.
There’s a persistent and harmful misconception that Indigenous peoples and technology don’t mix. Kairyn argues that Indigenous people have always been at the forefront of technology, using it to do many wonderful things, not the least of which is preserving culture.
“I think that there's this idea of romanticizing this old type of Indian, or [a] sort of primitive misconception that Western technology came in and changed everything and made everything so much better. They don't realize that many of our Nations have very sophisticated and very advanced technology. It just looks different.”
Kairyn argues that it’s racist to think that a lot of ways Indigenous peoples interact in their societies are primitive or aren’t as advanced as Western technology. In fact, Indigenous science is a time-tested, ongoing system of innovation that is no less than Western science.
Their knowledge and systems have produced breakthroughs over thousands of years. TikTok is just the latest playground.
For Kairyn, Indigenous creators on social media platforms like TikTok have a unique approach. They’re not afraid to share, and they’re not cowering from authenticity. On #IndigenousTikTok, they’re remixing tradition into the now and reaching audiences in and out of their communities, across borders, and around the world.
How Can I Start Learning About Indigenous Culture?
While TikTok is a great place to learn about indigenous culture, Kairyn doesn’t recommend it as a newbie’s first (or only) source of education. Instead, follow this guide by Mallory Rose, an Anishinaabe-kwe, Ojibwe woman from Curve Lake First Nation:
- Start by learning about your family’s heritage. Understanding what makes you you builds empathy. It also gives you broader insights as to what cultural beliefs are and what it feels like to look into your family’s culture and heritage.
- Learn what is meaningful to you. Explore your passions and interests, then align them with your indigenous education. You retain more when you’re genuinely curious, so find the entry point that excites you. For example, if you’re fond of fashion, exploring Indigenous clothing and art is a great place to start!
- Find your community. Connect with people in the same interest groups who can learn, share, and connect with you. A strong support network keeps you motivated, offers fresh perspectives, and provides a safe space to ask questions and make mistakes.
- Tune out the noise. Negativity, whether from others or yourself, will slow you down, or worse, make you want to quit. Be intentional about the spaces you engage in and the voices you let influence your journey.
- Be mindful of who you surround yourself with. Seek out people who are thoughtful, respectful, and genuinely committed to learning or teaching indigenous culture.
- Keep redefining success. Indigenous education (in the real world) doesn’t end after one workshop or seminar. Indigenous culture is vast and ever-evolving, and so should your understanding of it.
Kairyn: Do Not Let That Support and Advocacy End on TikTok
Social media has made Indigenous culture more accessible to people who are non-Indigenous, settlers, and allies. We can easily consume Indigenous TikTok content from our homes.
However, indigenous education shouldn’t end there. If you’re one of the millions of people watching Indigenous content, Kairyn urges you to:
“Follow it through and start to treat Indigenous people that they see on the street, or they pass by in the supermarket or whatever, start treating them like humans, and start treating them with the respect that they deserve.”
In Summary
- TikTok’s interest-based algorithm allows small and new Indigenous content creators to reach a wider audience.
- Indigenous TikTok helps audiences learn about native cultures and create communities, especially for people who are disenfranchised or disconnected from their heritage.
- Indigenous people have always been innovators, and they’re bringing that innovation (and creativity) into social media platforms. Popular content creators like Kairyn Potts blend humor with honesty and transparency in their videos.
- TikTok is a great starting point for nurturing curiosity about Indigenous culture, but shouldn’t be your only source of education and experience. Real-world education and engagement have more impact.
- Non-indigenous people are encouraged to learn about the lands they're on and the people who stewarded them.
- Consuming Indigenous content isn’t the be-all and end-all of advocacy and allyship. Your understanding, acceptance, and celebration of Indigenous cultures must translate into your real-world interactions, especially with indigenous peoples.
Turn Cultural Moments Into Lasting Partnerships
If there’s one thing we learned from Indigenous TikTok, it’s that social media isn’t just about the race to a million followers. It’s about reaching (and keeping) the right people.
At The Influence Agency, we help connect content creators with brands that respect their voices and communities. Whether you’re an Indigenous influencer looking for partnerships that honor your values or a brand ready to invest in meaningful, authentic storytelling, we’re here to make that connection happen.
Some stories are too important to miss. Contact us today to start building partnerships that reach more, mean more, and do more.