Blood percentage

[sokoki_wolf]

if you spend your life worrying about what others think,then thats not life....and i agree with what Blackbear and Whome said....

[natureluvr]

hey there! Your concerns are important. I am mixed too, with tan skin, brown hair and blue/green eyes! I like the way I look and have experienced a few stares when I go to powwows, (I don't dance) but I don't care anymore. It used to bother me to the point that I wished I had brown eyes, but then that would mean I did not accept myself. Mixed people cannot help their parentage....I did not grow up with my mother from whom my native ancestry descends from, but with my dad, who is white. My dad never lied to me about my heritage so I have always known; unfortunately I did not have the opportunity to grow up learning my traditions but once I became an adult I started to learn and the native people who are teaching me know that I am mixed but accept me anyway; they know I have a good heart and are glad that I have "come home" so to speak. If I lived in an area where there were more native people I would definitely have married a native man to make another generation of ndn babies, but instead I married a black man and had two black/native/white babies. I have taught them from the very beginning to be proud of who they are.(not jus the native, but all of it) Neither one of them embraces their native culture and my youngest will deny it but I remind them of who they are. It upsets me that they are not learning their native culture, but hopefully one day they will. I do try to teach them what I have learned and I know that will remain ingrained....Anyway, the bottom line is love who you are and be respectful and learn all you can. Don't worry about the others who look down upon you; they are the ones who have an insecurity problem, not you. Plus, understand that with all the new agers running around stealing our traditions and "playing" ndn, and with people who claim to be native without a drop of ndn blood and disrespecting the native community, full-bloods and rez ndns will be skeptical of anyone they don't know and their intentions. Especially those that don't "look" native. Like I said, as long as your heart is in the right place and you show respect you will be ok. As for being light skinned and fair haired, one cannot help dna! My mother married again, to a full blood navajo and had three kids; my sister is lighter than me with brown hair and brown eyes! I have a friend who is an enrolled choctaw and she looks white, with fair skin, blue eyes, and light brown hair. The poor woman still gets a lot of crap because of the way she looks and has to whip out her enrollment card. But she follows traditions and tries not to let the "haters" get to her.
Just know you are not alone and there are plenty of us mixed bloods out here who can relate! Most importantly, if you don't know it already, learn your language; more and more native languages are dying every year, so it is important to learn to keep them strong. I am trying to learn mine, but it sure is hard when there are no Micmac people down here; I still try though.......our ancestors died trying to keep their traditions and their language; I keep that in mind whenever things get tough......

[wannabeUrNo1Snag]

people will make a stink only if u do...n personally...i think u need to lose the whole i wish i wuz full blood attitude...i know when people come out like that, for me its jus a turn off...if u were raised cheyenne, more power to u...no one can call u a wannabe then...
i used to knock the breeds too at one time...acted like i thought us full bloods were better...i wuz young and arrogant...but i had to eat those words cuz my daughter is 1/2 ndn..i think she wuz given to me to make me see that my way of thinking wuz wrong...and it wuz...i always try n make sure that she knows she is jus as equal to anyone...and tell her that if she acts different about it then people will act different towards her...i tell her to be confident in who she is...people will respect her more for it...i think newayz....
so be confident in who u are...and that means in ur mixed heritage...
now its the 1/234555654334th "ndnz" i rag on now...lol jokez

[k9soldier]

which drop of water is it that quenches your thirst, individual but one.... which drop of blood gives you life, which would you deny? Holy men of all cultures understood we are all one people. Sadly balance means that for good there will be evil.... choose which side you wish to stand on.... then do so, tall and proud. If you do so in a Wakan manner the decision is clear and you honor those that came before you.

[crazywolf]

Boozhoo niji,

This is my attitude. I have a lot of people on both sides that criticize the way I look, brown hair tan skin grey eyes. They tell me I should just act white and quit worrying about trying to be native or whatever, dont worry about learning my traditions.

I tell them that I am what I am. I dont have to prove anything to anyone except the Creator. And finally, if they do or do not like me, they cant do a lot to affect the outcome of my life.

I know that sounds extreme, but when you get as much abuse as I do, then you get really tired of it after awhile. Some of these people you cannot argue with, they made up their mind what they think about you when they first laid eyes on you and there is not anthing you can do or say to change their mind. So dont waste your time trying. You have more important things to concentrate on, teaching your kids and learning all you can. Then you will realize these other people that think you have to impress dont really matter.

Derek

[John two feathers]

I was told that being Indian is not in your blood, but in your hart . It is who you are. In what you belive, your teachings,the way you live your life. It is the Gov. that has put numbers into what determans who is native american and who is not. I too am not full blood, but still I am proud of my native background . I live as an Native American in my every day life. In my hart. I am Native American Indian !
John Twofeathers
Cherokee

[Dweick]

I too have gone throught the hassles of the Racsism in the world.
I had always known I was native American.
I am half Native from mother and half mexican from father
but was raised in a white family due to adoption in the 1960s
Over the years I have tried to learn all I can bout my heritage.
And there always was the what if questions of doubt.
not knowing my particular tribes was always a stumbling block.
in Dealing with other Native americans.
It has been a blessing in all ways. they knew and always acepted me without question.
I was hard living in those times of the 60s and 70s in a white town being raised by a white english family
but I got through it all right.
I had three kids with a man who was part native
My family has been to some powwows and they are some of the greatest people I could ever describe.
Instead of the usual questions of what was my tribe, they wanted to know who my family was.
We would get into discussion about my adoption and before you knew it I would have a circle of people giving me adivce on where to look Etc. hoping to hear that I was farther in my search the next time they see me.
this last summer My searching has paid off and all the questions were answered.
I have met my biological mother and all my siblings, they all look white in many ways even though they have dark hair and skin the features are mostly white
but their fathers are of white descent.
My mom stopped attending powows many years ago because in those earlier years she too felt the stares as well when she had all those kids that didn't look like her
I have met aunts uncles cousins Etc.
and they have filled me in one where our family comes from
My mom and grandmother is from Wapole Island ( canada)
and My granfather is from Isabella county MI
they met at Indian Boarding school
My biological family is listed as Potowatomee and chippewa( spelling off)
And as an added bonus
the one powow that I have gone to for years is the same one that my cousin attended regularly.
when I met him it was like looking at my son in about twenty years.
I thought no wonder the welcome was so perfect.
it was like they knew who I was searching for.
We are now going to court to connect my self with my biological mother
for all paperwork to be complete

I have never felt unaccepted by natives from any tribe
and I have noticed that some of the dancers don't look ethnic all the time but I have learned from them, and look forward to seeing them every year.

I wish you luck in your quest for answers
I wish the race issue wasn't still a tool used by so many people in differnt cultures.
I have raised my kids to accept the differences in all people.
If we all do this to our kids one day the world will accept people just for what they are.
I hope

[clm]

I am polish and My son is half ojibwe he is dark skinned dark haired and everything he knows both of his cultures and im teaching him to be proud of them. he loves to dance and drum. My son sometimes gets made fron of because of his long hair and all but he is proud of who he is and so should you be

[crazydazy]

I too have gone throught the hassles of the Racsism in the world.
I had always known I was native American.
I am half Native from mother and half mexican from father
but was raised in a white family due to adoption in the 1960s
Over the years I have tried to learn all I can bout my heritage.
And there always was the what if questions of doubt.
not knowing my particular tribes was always a stumbling block.
in Dealing with other Native americans.
It has been a blessing in all ways. they knew and always acepted me without question.
I was hard living in those times of the 60s and 70s in a white town being raised by a white english family
but I got through it all right.
I had three kids with a man who was part native
My family has been to some powwows and they are some of the greatest people I could ever describe.
Instead of the usual questions of what was my tribe, they wanted to know who my family was.
We would get into discussion about my adoption and before you knew it I would have a circle of people giving me adivce on where to look Etc. hoping to hear that I was farther in my search the next time they see me.
this last summer My searching has paid off and all the questions were answered.
I have met my biological mother and all my siblings, they all look white in many ways even though they have dark hair and skin the features are mostly white
but their fathers are of white descent.
My mom stopped attending powows many years ago because in those earlier years she too felt the stares as well when she had all those kids that didn't look like her
I have met aunts uncles cousins Etc.
and they have filled me in one where our family comes from
My mom and grandmother is from Wapole Island ( canada)
and My granfather is from Isabella county MI
they met at Indian Boarding school
My biological family is listed as Potowatomee and chippewa( spelling off)
And as an added bonus
the one powow that I have gone to for years is the same one that my cousin attended regularly.
when I met him it was like looking at my son in about twenty years.
I thought no wonder the welcome was so perfect.
it was like they knew who I was searching for.
We are now going to court to connect my self with my biological mother
for all paperwork to be complete

I have never felt unaccepted by natives from any tribe
and I have noticed that some of the dancers don't look ethnic all the time but I have learned from them, and look forward to seeing them every year.

I wish you luck in your quest for answers
I wish the race issue wasn't still a tool used by so many people in differnt cultures.
I have raised my kids to accept the differences in all people.
If we all do this to our kids one day the world will accept people just for what they are.
I hope

So if your people are mexican and native and the native side is from a canadian reserve dos this mean that you can not be a member of a federal tribe?

[Dweick]

Grandmom married a Native from the USA
My mom was born here in Michigan but spent many years on the island during her childhood.
We are going to get my link to my biological family first and go from there.
If I never get any farther I am happy to know what I know now.
My mother has paperwork as Native listed

[Blackbear]

So if your people are mexican and native and the native side is from a canadian reserve dos this mean that you can not be a member of a federal tribe?

Not in the USA.....

[musicedu77]

okay heres my point of view...if you have blood then youre ndn that cant be taken away its something that stays with ya...but i know lotta ndns especially in my family who dont follow traditional ways to me all they got is there blood and should be ashamed of themselves for not taking part of their culture...to me all they are are apples...if ya know in yar heart and have the blood(doesnt matter blood quantem) yar ndn then ya are its not something to be doubting... alot of ppl will say things like ya aint full blood so ya aint native...those ppl just let what they have to say go through one ear out the other...i guess yay im saying this from a personal view cuz im mixed blood as well but no matter what my auntes and uncles say to me it doesnt matter...with me im ndn and im proud of it and when i get married ill pass on my family traditions to my kids...thats whats important...i hope these words are a form of encouragement to you ..i knwo this is going to sounds lame but dont worry be happy ..* tee hee*

[musicedu77]

I was told that being Indian is not in your blood, but in your hart . It is who you are. In what you belive, your teachings,the way you live your life. It is the Gov. that has put numbers into what determans who is native american and who is not. I too am not full blood, but still I am proud of my native background . I live as an Native American in my every day life. In my hart. I am Native American Indian !
John Twofeathers
Cherokee

..but you have to have some lineag to be ndn...what im talking about is if you have no native blood at all you cant go ahead and say well your ndn because its in your heart and just because its a kewl thing to be...if your trying to find your heritage thats all fine and dandy...i dont believe you even need to be registered to be considereed ndn...theres full bloods who aint even registered and still take part in their community and reguardless there ndn...in matter of fact theres alot of those whos families who were never registered because either not enough in their tribe or the family went into hiding
i think when ppl say well you have to have a card to prove it dont consider those reasons..

[musicedu77]

Boozhoo niji,

This is my attitude. I have a lot of people on both sides that criticize the way I look, brown hair tan skin grey eyes. They tell me I should just act white and quit worrying about trying to be native or whatever, dont worry about learning my traditions.

I tell them that I am what I am. I dont have to prove anything to anyone except the Creator. And finally, if they do or do not like me, they cant do a lot to affect the outcome of my life.

I know that sounds extreme, but when you get as much abuse as I do, then you get really tired of it after awhile. Some of these people you cannot argue with, they made up their mind what they think about you when they first laid eyes on you and there is not anthing you can do or say to change their mind. So dont waste your time trying. You have more important things to concentrate on, teaching your kids and learning all you can. Then you will realize these other people that think you have to impress dont really matter.

Derek

thats very well said..

[Cherie]

Here's my 2 cents worth.

From the time I was first concieved I was who I am. And I will be who I am when I'm put in the ground. Blood percentage is just a label that our wonderful government used.

Whether I'm accepted or not by either race I don't care anymore. I've learned to live with it. Unfortunately I wasn't able to grow up with the traditions but it doesn't make me any less then who I am.

I know who I am in my heart and that's all that matters.


This is my story and I'm sticking to it. Crying in my beer isn't going to change a thing.