Naatosi Fish
“If you don't care who gets the credit you can do anything” - Darrell Kipp
Naatosi leverages his strong communication skills through his writing and speaking. He listens to understand and tells thoughtful and powerful stories for Indigenous communities. Naatosi’s linguistics and Blackfeet language knowledge contribute to his work of creating essential narrative change at Indigenous Impact Co. Naatosi seeks to lift up stories of both collective power and that dismantle the colonial narrative surrounding Indigenous peoples.
Naatosi Fish (Blackfeet) has spent most of his life in Browning, MT on the Blackfeet reservation. He resides on his ancestral homelands, close to his family and community. Naatosi honors his ancestors, relatives, and the land by speaking and teaching the Blackfeet language, through ceremony, and songs.
Naatosi’s academic career opened many doors for him to create change in Indigenous communities. At The University of Montana, Naatosi received his Bachelors of Science in Community Health, minoring in Linguistics, and then went on to receive his Masters in Business Administration. These degrees have contributed to a foundation from which to reclaim language as a life force for the holistic reclamation of Indigenous ways of being.
Since 2015, Naatosi has centered revitalizing Blackfeet language and culture in his educational and career endeavors; through his research at the University of Montana, teaching Blackfeet history and language at Blackfeet Community College, and developing Blackfeet language learning resources for educators. Naatosi co-published his research on Blackfoot prosody with Dr. Mizuki Miyashita in the 2017 Honoring Our Teachers monograph by Northern Arizona University, and was the creative mind behind the Cards for Decolonization expansion “Indigenous Creatures” which came out in early 2023.
Naatosi's dedication to making an impact in Native communities through language revitalization is evident in his educational and professional journey. From 2018 to 2021, he served as the Director of Marketing and Sales at Native Teaching Aids, focusing on storytelling in Native Language teaching spaces. He played a pivotal role in promoting and developing teaching materials that addressed colonial barriers to cultural knowledge, fostering connections between Native communities and their own language and culture. Naatosi was promoted to Chief of Operations with Native Teaching Aids in 2021.
Naatosi is currently the Marketing and Communications Manager at Indigenous Impact Co. In this role, Naatosi curates storytelling and marketing strategies, manages client-facing communications, and strengthens relationships through the use of these strategies. He operates from an Indigenous approach; seeking to write stories that are relevant to the community, and that uplift Indigenous voices.
Naatosi supports his Blackfeet community, and other Indigenous communities by teaching the Blackfeet language, sharing stories of Indigenous thrivance, and working within the collective to make positive change.
Collaborators over consumers. Stories over small talk. Crunchy over soft. Responsibility over wishes. Fly fishing over spin fishing. Mountains over fields. Thriving over surviving.