{"id":25113,"date":"2024-10-29T16:29:56","date_gmt":"2024-10-29T22:29:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wife-of-la-plata-county-commissioner-candidate-catches-flack-for-costume\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T05:10:04","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T05:10:04","slug":"wife-of-la-plata-county-commissioner-candidate-catches-flack-for-costume","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wife-of-la-plata-county-commissioner-candidate-catches-flack-for-costume\/","title":{"rendered":"Wife of La Plata County commissioner candidate catches flack for costume"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"The
The La Plata County Democrats created campaign materials using a photo posted by Krii Black, the wife of La Plata County commissioner candidate Paul Black, depicting herself at an Oct. 26 costume contest dressed as Pocahontas. She removed the posts from Facebook and Instagram after she was criticized for cultural appropriation. (Courtesy of La Plata County Democrats)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Krii Black, the wife of a candidate running for La Plata County commissioner, is being criticized for culture appropriation after she posted, and later removed, photos of herself in a Pocahontas costume on social media.<\/p>\n

Black is the designated filing agent for and frequent companion on the campaign trail of her husband, Paul Black, the Republican challenging incumbent Democrat Matt Salka for the District 3 seat on the Board of County Commissioners. Neither Paul nor Krii Black is eligible for enrollment as a member of any Indigenous tribe, Paul Black confirmed.<\/p>\n

The reservations of Colorado\u2019s only federally recognized tribes, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, fall within La Plata County.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe use of Native women as costumes, such as the appropriation of Pocahontas, not only perpetuates harmful stereotypes but also disregards the very real struggles faced by Tribes and Tribal communities throughout the country, including those in Colorado,\u201d SUIT Chairman Melvin Baker and Vice Chairman Lorelei Cloud said in a written statement to The Durango Herald.<\/em><\/p>\n

The photos, taken at an Oct. 26 Halloween-themed equestrian event and costume contest hosted by Archuleta County 4-H, depict Krii Black in Indigenous regalia atop a horse which had been painted in the style of a native warhorse.<\/p>\n

\u201cCouldn\u2019t miss a chance to play dress up with the horses and kiddos. What a FUN day,\u201d the caption on Instagram read in part, along with hashtag \u201c#pocahontas.\u201d<\/p>\n

The backlash was swift. There has been an increasingly loud conversation in recent years, especially near Halloween, around cultural appropriation with respect to costumes.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour husband is running for office to serve as a leader for La Plata County, which includes the Southern Ute Indian Tribe,\u201d commented Brittany Leffel, a Durango-based conservation advocate. \u201cIf this is how you view your Indigenous neighbors, then it\u2019s hard for me to trust your husband as a Commissioner.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy culture is not a costume contest. This is absolutely ridiculous,\u201d commented Becky Croft, an Oklahoma-based running coach.<\/p>\n

The La Plata County Democrats also created a poster with the image, which asks \u201cWill Paul Black respect our neighbors?\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\u201cMy
\u201cMy culture is not a costume contest. This is absolutely ridiculous,\u201d commented Becky Croft, an Oklahoma-based running coach, on an Instagram post by Krii Black, the wife of La Plata County commissioner candidate Paul Black. The post depicted Krii Black at an Oct. 26 costume contest dressed as Pocahontas. She removed the posts from Facebook and Instagram after she was criticized for cultural appropriation.<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Krii
Krii Black, the wife of La Plata County commissioner candidate Paul Black, posted photos of herself at an Oct. 26 costume contest dressed as Pocahontas. She removed the posts from Facebook and Instagram 24 hours later after she was criticized for cultural appropriation.<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Within 24 hours, Krii Black removed the post from both Instagram and Facebook because it \u201cfeatured children at a children\u2019s Halloween event and the amount of hateful redirect that was piling onto the post was not appropriate for children,\u201d Paul Black wrote in an email to the Herald.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt saddens me to see our county divided further by paid political attack ads from the La Plata County Democrats,\u201d he added. \u201cMy goal in running for County Commissioner is to work together to find commonality, unity, and balance for all La Plata County residents.\u201d<\/p>\n

Southern Ute officials are using the moment to educate the community on issues pertinent to the preservation of and respect for native cultures.<\/p>\n

Pocahontas was a real Indigenous woman named Amonute, they noted, who lived around the turn of the 17th Century. A fictionalized version of her life was made popular in a 1995 Disney film, although Indigenous oral histories indicate<\/a> her life was nothing like what was documented by colonizers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe true story of Pocahontas exemplifies how historically this country has sought to destroy tribal culture and objectify Native women,\u201d Southern Ute officials said. \u201cWe understand that the family member, in wearing traditional Native regalia, was not intentionally trying to harm Native Americans. But the perpetuation of the Pocahontas myth underscores the need to continue to educate our students about Native history and culture.\u201d<\/p>\n