Blood Quantum. Good or Bad?

[AmigoKumeyaay]

Do you want me to give you some?

How would anybody (else) know if you did?

Whoever designed the Rep system thought about the possible games that could be played?

[neling4]

What did u do to get all those little red things?

I don't got any. :o(

Do you want me to give you some?

[Zeke]

Why do people always want the NDN part to be quantified?

Because it's been tied to $$$.

If it made no social or economic difference what your percentage was, nobody -- including Natives -- would care.

[AmigoKumeyaay]

When people ask about my heritage - they always ask how much NDN.

I never hear them ask how much French or Scottish...

Why do people always want the NDN part to be quantified?

On the other hand - with African-Americans, many will claim some native blood, yet not know which tribe, or culture.

Seems like the old "One-Drop Rule" cancels-out other identities besides African/Black.

[MtnLiving]

Good question.

[NorthofAda]

When people ask about my heritage - they always ask how much NDN.

I never hear them ask how much French or Scottish...

Why do people always want the NDN part to be quantified?

[laughingmoon]

funny

what I'm saying is that the way things are, one is expected to be a certain degree of blood to enroll---one is no less "Indian" because their people descend from different tribes, but, if a person cannot enroll because of their lack of degree in a certain tribe, then, eventually and without a doubt a certain tribe will no longer exist. It will take a long minute but it will happen and to me that is sad. And, right, if we didn't treat ourselves like the American Kennel Association there would be more people enrolled, there is power in numbers and there are many 1/16 and so on who would like to enroll for the right reasons and I don't have a problem with that. I know a lady who is 1/132 Choctaw--she has her card and she's proud of it. I know a guy who is full blood Cherokee, speaks his language, a beautiful artist, doesn't have a card and could care less, doesn't want to be enrolled, says it's too political. It's all very personal. But I will tell you this, I am a beautiful dancer in cloth and it makes me feel bad about myself when people treat me bad because I am fair a half a half-breed.. It's a darn shame when people judge you with their eyes and not take one second to get to know you-not even one second

[lbgood]

Well, if we didn't treat ourselves like members of the American Kennel Association... (sigh)

And best in show goes to

[Zeke]

Marry in to your tribe, please. I know people who "tribe hop". It's not the best thing to do

Well, if we didn't treat ourselves like members of the American Kennel Association... (sigh)

[laughingmoon]

I am Cherokee and German but due to intermarraige, I am very fair and I get treated badly at the dances by many because of it. My family lived on the Cherokee reservation in North Carolina before it was even a reservation, I know where we started out at. Anyway, I married a Kiowa, my children are enrolled with the Kiowa tribe. What bothers me and I have told them so, is that if they, too, marry outside of their tribe, eventually their children won't be able to enroll as Kiowas---a sad thing--no where near full blood and they will be responsible for annhiliating their own tribe. No more blaming the white man. If you are Ojibway, Cherokee, Comanche, and Creek, don't call yourself a full-blood you are not which tribe will you claim? The one that gives you the most disbursments and then switch your tribal affiliation over to another one when it disbursment time for taht tribe. Marry in to your tribe, please. I know people who "tribe hop". It's not the best thing to do

[tvnutt]

I like your response MtnLiving. It doesn't mean a lot if you say you're a Sioux, Cherokee, etc. but not know the history or live the traditions.BTW, off the subject, I emailed you. I noticed you have friends/family from Ft. Smith? My husband was born and raised there.

I wish we knew more about his ancestor to find out if she was registered with the government or not. Ancestry is so interesting.

Most important, no matter who you are or where your people came from, it is soooo important to hold onto the heritage. Write it down, video it, tape record it because once our loved ones are gone, so is the heritage unless someone is willing to carry it on(i.e. stories, recipes, language, traditions).

Peace.

[MtnLiving]

Unlike you, this will be probably my last post on this site. There are too many people quick to judge those of us newer to the site who are searching for information and make the mistake that we will be accepted for who we are when we post or reply to an item on the site. And, trying to explain what you mean is futile as there is no relenting in their apparent attacks on our word choice or beliefs.

I do believe you are right in that if a person has Indian blood in his heritage and is proud of it, he is an Indian, no matter what anyone else says. I say, "live with an open heart and a clear mind and be proud of where you come from."

Most Indians I know personally are accepting of you and will guide and teach you, never humiliate you. For those I am grateful.

First off, I too was crucified by a select couple of members here. Don't leave, you have just as much right to be here as they do. We have an "ignore" feature on this board. Use it if you feel the need, I have before. Besides that, angry people need other to stoke their fire so don't feed the angry people!

My next point addresses your second paragraph. I completely differ in opinion on that. I don't believe at all that if a person has an indian in their family and they are proud of it, that makes them an indian. Its a way of life, a spiritual life and of customs, not the simple fact that gg grand daddy was an indian that makes a person an indian.

I'm choctaw, alittle cherokee and a tiny tiny bit way way back mohican, as it turns out. I don't announce it, use it or talk about it much. I'm also scottish and french creole with blonde hair, fair skin and olive green eyes. I live my spiritual life as it suits me and makes me whole....I don't talk about that much either because its my way. Indians don't really talk about it either, they live it.

I have both indian people that I know of and indian friends who are as you say, open and accepting. I know just as many who are not too.

[tvnutt]

blood quantum

yes Shawrakee is right, oh so many scenarios. To be truthful, my husband doesn't really get into his heritage since he's a mix of other European backgrounds. Obviously he doesn't know the traditions of Cherokees or anything like that, so we know he isn't Cherokee. But I find it fascinating to know he did have a great-great-great grandma w/Cherokee blood. While we have a lot of his family history, we can't seem to find HER name. Odds are she lived in OK, since most of my husband's paternal side came from KY, OK and AR.

I don't know about other tribes across the country, but in my home state(RI) we have lots of smaller tribes, some of which are still fighting to be recognized. For example, in the RI-MA area we have Wampanoags. There are many separate tribes of Wampanoags. Some call themselves(phonentic spelling) wamp-ah-noh-agz. There's Pocassett, Seaconke, Mashpee, etc. Then others go by Wamp-ah-nogz, they're more in the Cape Cod area and Plymouth(as in Plymouth Rock). RI is home of the Narragansetts, who say they developed the word pow-wow. Although, the sad part is, some members tend to fight with natives from nearby CT, even at gatherings. It's mostly the younger men.

[Eaglepathfinder]

Unlike you, this will be probably my last post on this site. There are too many people quick to judge those of us newer to the site who are searching for information and make the mistake that we will be accepted for who we are when we post or reply to an item on the site. And, trying to explain what you mean is futile as there is no relenting in their apparent attacks on our word choice or beliefs.

I do believe you are right in that if a person has Indian blood in his heritage and is proud of it, he is an Indian, no matter what anyone else says. I say, "live with an open heart and a clear mind and be proud of where you come from."

Most Indians I know personally are accepting of you and will guide and teach you, never humiliate you. For those I am grateful.

[Shawrakee]

my oh my, these are endless scanarios.