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I want to start this with the school I have created, "Alhimma Institute of Indigenous Magic." The word Alhimma comes from the Choctaw word Alhi (meaning true, real, or serious) and imma (meaning Indigenous to, native to, or characteristic of a specific group or place). I also think this school should be made during or a little after the Fantastic Beasts era? Not sure, but I do want the purpose of it to be addressing the fact that Ilvermorny is not truly Native American. I don't want to change major lore since I do plan on writing my own story or stories in this AU.
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HOUSE SORTING
I do plan to change this up a bit because I realized I was only doing major research on tribes I already understand and know of. I should redo this to perhaps include more tribes from everywhere in America, including South and Central America. I really only did tribes I know of, so I do plan to make more houses.
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Houses originated from the four tribes: Cherokee, Choctaw, Sioux, and Navajo. Cherokee house is the wolf (waya), Choctaw house is the turtle (luksi), the Sioux house is the Heyoka, and the Navajo house is the Spider Woman (Na’ashjé’íí Asdzáá)
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House of Cherokee
WOLF: WAYA
Symbolizes guardianship, kinship, and balance
Two wolves live inside everyone, one representing "evil" and the other representing "good.” When asked which wolf wins, the elder replies: "The one you feed.”
The lesson is about balance. Both wolves have useful traits, the "dark" wolf has tenacity and courage, while the "light" wolf has compassion. Feeding both correctly ends the internal war and allows for "peace," which is the ultimate Cherokee mission.
House of Chocatw
TURTLE: LUKSI
Symbolizes tenacity, reliability, and stewardship.
The Choctaw view the turtle as a symbol of fortitude and the ability to remain grounded during chaos.
The rhythmic rattling produced by the women's movements is said to represent the turtles lifting their voice in a song of gratitude to the animal world. The turtle is a physical reminder of the "Great Island" (North America) and of the Choctaw people's responsibility to act as stewards of the earth. The turtle dove into primeval waters to retrieve mud, which was then placed on its back to create the solid ground for the Choctaw to live upon.
House of Sioux
Heyoka
Symbolizes empathy, authenticity, and enlightenment.
The Heyoka are sacred jesters of the Lakota (Sioux) culture. They are known as “thunder dreamers” who act in reverse to teach, provoke thought, and break societal norms. They are chosen by visions of the Thunder Beings (Wakíŋyaŋ), and they heal by doing the opposite to challenge truths.
The term is often translated as "sacred clown," though it carries a much deeper spiritual weight. They act as a "sacred mirror," using extreme or absurd behaviors to force others to examine their own hidden fears, doubts, and hypocrisies. By providing laughter during times of despair and provoking fear during times of complacency, they maintain the tribe's emotional and social equilibrium.
A person does not choose to become a Heyoka; they are "called" through a terrifying dream or vision of the Thunder Beings or lightning. Legendary Oglala Lakota holy man Black Elk explained that while a vision of the Thunder Beings comes with terror (like a storm), it leaves the world "greener and happier" afterward. Legend says true Heyokas possess supernatural abilities, such as the power to dip their hands into boiling water to retrieve meat without being burned.
House of Navajo
Spider Woman: Na’ashjé’íí Asdzáá
The Spider Woman represents wisdom, responsibility, and pedagogy.
The Spider Woman (Naʼashjéʼíí Asdzáá) is a prominent Holy Person in Navajo tradition. She is a teacher, protector, and guide who brought the sacred art of weaving to the Navajo people. She lives at Spider Rock in Canyon de Chelly, where she taught the tradition to create beauty and balance.
The spider woman was mainly a figure of teaching wisdom, survival skills, and creativity. Spider Woman taught the Navajo women to weave, using a loom made of sky, earth, sun rays, and lightning. She is often associated with teaching survival skills. While she was usually a teacher and helper, some legends say she would take bad children into her home. Weavers would rub their hands in spider webs to ask for her wisdom and skill.
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SORTING FIRE
House sorting is done a week before school starts. The sorting only happens while the sun is out. House sorting is held outside in the Great Field. The Great Fire, in front of all the students. Each student is to give a branch to the fire. Then the Chief of Waya House will hold the abalone shell bowl that contains smoking sage, and the smoke will then travel to circle the students' hands. The Waya house Chief will then pass it on to the next chief and so on. For each house, the smoke circles a different area. For waya: each hand, for the Luksi: the back and feet, for the Heyoka: around the eyes, for the Na’ashjé’íí Asdzáá: the head. After the student has done all this, they will then take their own tobacco tie, speak their name, ask for house placement, and place it in the fire. As the tobacco tie burns, the fire is believed to return it up to the sun. Once the tie burns, the smoke will speak through shape and color, for Waya: Grey and the shape of a Wolf’s Face, for Luksi: White and becomes a slow steady wave of fire, for Heyoka: the flames begin to swirl erratically before becoming a steady sway, for Na’ashjé’íí Asdzáá: The smoke becomes thin and silver and takes the shape of a web. After this, the chief of the chosen house will approach the fire and take that same branch the student put in the fire (using magic, the fire will cooperate and allow the Chief to take the student's branch. The fire is a sentient being and will remember). That student now has their own stick, this stick is not necessarily a wand (expanding on that later).
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SWITCHING
Students' houses can change, people grow and gain new experiences. It is silly to believe a child will remain the same forever, house changes are allowed and not taboo. The chief will request the fire to ask the sun, the answer will come soon, the student will be informed and asked if they agree, if they do not, they will not be punished nor forced to change, instead they will have to say why. They can't just stay because they want to. But houses arent separated like they are at hogwarts or illvermorny so it shouldn't be something they don't want or are afraid of
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I think I plan to majorly update all this but this is just what I have so far. Hoping to see what you guys think!