Card or no card Why must it matter?

[Highwolf89]

Let me change this thread around after some confusion. What I have read on some long ago threads was the topic of CDIB cards that are sometimes asked at powwows. Now I wanted to know what is the purpose of carding when there are some ndn people out there that can not receive them.

[WocusWoman]

Here's a question to ask yourself. Why are you asking this question here? Is it that you are more comforted by the animonity this website has to offer? Will it make you feel better to get a definative yes or no answer from stranger who you will never know personally? Are you at all concerned about the ancestrial backgrounds of the people who may venture to give you an answer? If you are really 18 yrs old, I would suggest that you learn all about the history of this continent, and really imagine what limited choices our ancestors were offered by the invaders. A good start to figuring out things in life is to learn from the past mistakes of others.

[timmy tiger]

WW has a good point. I'm seeing alot of "I/Me" here and that's something else to think about.

How are you coming across to those you claim are laughing at you or shoning you. Maybe you are coming across in a not so nice way and if that's the case--you will get a not so nice reaction back.

I went and looked at the other posts since you broght them up and no one (that I saw) brought up a "Card" that seems to be your interpretation of what was being asked of you. What you were asked was "Are you Native", no one asked for a break down or an exact--just a simple "yes" or "No" answer to that. And you jumped right in defensively.

This seems to be an issue for you not so much other people, that I'm seeing here. To many it doesn't matter. Just some things to think about. I'm not judging you in anyway, just making some points here.

And a suggestion to learn from someone and be taken into the circle really wasn't an insult, it was to help you in a good way.

[Joe's Dad]

Why should a CDIB card tell weather you are or you are not ndn. Why should a card determine a persons life on the bases of there parents. I am 18 and come from a father who is white and a mother who is cherokee/ojibwe. There is this problem within my native blood that acts like a wall that you would find in china. For i am the first generation of my mothers side to be proud of my native heritage and to act upon that heritage and learn and learn and try to re assimalate myself back into my cherokee and ojibwe culture like my great grandmother, grandmother, and mother have been assimalated into the white society. I have taught myself everything with no help only the picking up of tools. I have learned to play the Native American flute very well and even allowed my own hands to create my own flutes. I have learned more history about my people then anyone does of there own cutlure and i did this all by myself no one helped me i had no help but my self and creator. I am looked down upon by my white brothers and sisters and now i am looked down upon by my native brothers and sisters. So why must i be the one that is being flammed or burned upon because of a card that i do not have because the circumstances of my people. They had fled the trail of tears where my great great grandmother(Cherokee) had met up with my Great great grandfather (ojibwe) and with my grandmother fleeing the res and never being on the dawes rolls there is no paper that says who I am. Whats funny though is I dont need a little plastic card to tell me who I am just as much as a credit card should tell you what to spend it on. I have recently took my teachings on to the powwows. I have taught myself more things then a person does in there whole life. Now i am in a big tail spin because of this plastic CDIB card. I have recently picked up on the Northern Traditional dance and hoping to start dancing because i want to further my teaching and my own reassimaltion back into my cutlure. But now I hear that i must be taught and must be introduced. I have taught myself the dance and I have worked tiredless dance on my regalia with some questions. but I still have no one as nither did Charles Eastman of the Sioux nation when he was assimlated into the white society. So why must a card determine who I am when I am the one that is remaining true to myself. I am alone on my powwow trail with no guide. with people laughing in my face all the way. So now I leave the decision to you guys.

gichimanidoo wiidookawashin

It's sounds cool to me. Don't even think it's about a card thing. I just have one question...

If everything is pretty much self taught, how do you know if you're teaching yourself the ways in a right manner if you have no one to show you the right way?

[Highwolf89]

what got me writing this thread was about how some powwows card for you to dance. I was just trying to pull a collection of ideas on what people think about the CDIB card and what people view it as thats what i think i am really talking about in this tread.

Honestly to tell you the truth i do not know if it is the right way. I guess the way i look at it if it feels right and looks right then its right. thats all i really have to go on.

[timmy tiger]

Okay, well first of all you are talking about a CDIB card which comes through the BIA and is now associated with Tribal Enrollement, it didn't used to always be that way--but when the BIA split a few years ago--the CDIB's are all issued through the BIA through the tribes now, that is my understanding of that now--and not all of them are "Cards" by the way. Now, you must get your tribal enrollment and then the tribe will submit for the CDIB, that is the way that I understand it now.

That is up to the different pow wow's to do that. I've seen ones that only accept Federal Tribes or State Tribes for purposed of competition. However, many of these same pow wow's will allow anyone who wishes to dance during intertribals to go ahead and do so. My point on that is: If you don't like it--Don't go. Just that simple. Just my opinion here.

[Highwolf89]

Okay, well first of all you are talking about a CDIB card which comes through the BIA and is now associated with Tribal Enrollement, it didn't used to always be that way--but when the BIA split a few years ago--the CDIB's are all issued through the BIA through the tribes now, that is my understanding of that now--and not all of them are "Cards" by the way. Now, you must get your tribal enrollment and then the tribe will submit for the CDIB, that is the way that I understand it now.

That is up to the different pow wow's to do that. I've seen ones that only accept Federal Tribes or State Tribes for purposed of competition. However, many of these same pow wow's will allow anyone who wishes to dance during intertribals to go ahead and do so. My point on that is: If you don't like it--Don't go. Just that simple. Just my opinion here.

Yah i didnt know that CDIB cards are issued through the tribes now. miss caculation on my part and thats the answer i was looking for was that they still allow you to dance but just not compete.

[timmy tiger]

First of all, I'm not going to go into how you were taught about dancing and drum and all of that.

But, A Pow Wow is NOT a ceramony--it is a gathering of people and open to the public. There may be things that go on there that are honor things and stuff like that, but they are not ceramonies or they would not be open for the public and there would not be money involved, that says it all right there.

[soopashinaab]

First of all, I'm not going to go into how you were taught about dancing and drum and all of that.

But, A Pow Wow is NOT a ceramony--it is a gathering of people and open to the public. There may be things that go on there that are honor things and stuff like that, but they are not ceramonies or they would not be open for the public and there would not be money involved, that says it all right there.

[ac_miss]

You don't need a CDIB card to dance, but if you want to contest, well, you would have to present it if asked.