i am australian but will be adopted as a cherokee this year

[Josiah]

but would you really welcome some touristy type coming up onto your land wanting to look at your Cherokee-ness?

HAHAH
of course
we charge by the hour
or photo
What do you think the Cherokee Holiday attracts every year???
I heard it was over a 90,000 visitors this year that came to Tahlequah!!

All kidding aside, my point is that you need to go to the area that you would find these tribes and make friends if you are truly serious about finding your roots
Otherwise...

p/o

[superndngyrl]

Is it Coincidence that you find these charlatans and confidence men and women far from Ndn Country???

That they seek out these "lost souls" and give them excatly what they are seeking. A measure of ndness and then take there money
Very smooth operators these conpeople of course they have been around for thousands of years

But ask your self these questions
1) Does it sound too good to be true?
2) All that I am asking for I am getting?
3) 500 dollars does not seem high

These should raise imediate flags!!! Hey wait a min should always be your next thought lets look at this

If you truly want to learn about a culture go and visit them
Reading a tourist guide will only tell you the things the Author thought was important!
Come to Oklahoma and drive to Tahlequah and see the Hertigage center which will give a look at cherokees 300 years ago
But to know us today
Drive North out of town to Gideon or RockyFord
Or South out to Bunch or Eveningshade
Or maybe West of town toward Hulbert or out in the woods to Lost City
Or to Stilwell east of town
you can drive all 4 directions out of town and hit a Cherokee

Or stay in town and come out to Birdtail where I lived growing up.

Thats where you come to meet a Cherokee and get to know them,

Or
Cherokee North Carolina

but certainly not in the middle of Kentucky

or

Indiana

or New Hampshire

Sheesh

but would you really welcome some touristy type coming up onto your land wanting to look at your cherokee-ness?

[timmy tiger]

Yes, yes, yes--
If you truely wish to be a part of a community, you have to be there to participate and help those who need it or offer if anyone needs and listen to those who live there when they talk. Get to know the people who live in the territiories and have lived there for generations. Many of us were pulled away for many reasons as I have stated before (schooling, gov interference, divorce, etc.). And there are so many who are interested in different Native Tribes, the only way to find out----IS NOT IN ANY BOOK--it's by meeting and talking to the people who live it daily and have for generations, not a year or two.

These con people are quit a way from the Tribe when they pull this stuff and if the family finds out, they will take care of it--I found that out personally too. If you have a question ask someone who is of that Tribe what's what and they will set it straight on the spot, many of them will.

Wow, $500 is cheap, I have seen these people charge as much as $1500 for a weekend seminar and that's really crazy. But there are people who pay for it and go, it blows my mind. Many of these people read a book and you can read the same one from the library. But that doesn't make you anymore then they are---FAKES and PHONEY'S.

[Josiah]

Is it Coincidence that you find these charlatans and confidence men and women far from Ndn Country???

That they seek out these "lost souls" and give them excatly what they are seeking. A measure of ndness and then take there money
Very smooth operators these conpeople of course they have been around for thousands of years

But ask your self these questions
1) Does it sound too good to be true?
2) All that I am asking for I am getting?
3) 500 dollars does not seem high

These should raise imediate flags!!! Hey wait a min should always be your next thought lets look at this

If you truly want to learn about a culture go and visit them
Reading a tourist guide will only tell you the things the Author thought was important!
Come to Oklahoma and drive to Tahlequah and see the Hertigage center which will give a look at cherokees 300 years ago
But to know us today
Drive North out of town to Gideon or RockyFord
Or South out to Bunch or Eveningshade
Or maybe West of town toward Hulbert or out in the woods to Lost City
Or to Stilwell east of town
you can drive all 4 directions out of town and hit a Cherokee

Or stay in town and come out to Birdtail where I lived growing up.

Thats where you come to meet a Cherokee and get to know them,

Or
Cherokee North Carolina

but certainly not in the middle of Kentucky

or

Indiana

or New Hampshire

Sheesh

[timmy tiger]

Northofada--actually it does happen with other tribes. It's just that it happens more with the Cherokee for many reasons. One reason is because back in history the Cherokee are listed as being the biggest tribe in this country and two because of all the stories and talk about the "Trail of Tears", that gives some their "in" even if they know or were told that they are not Indian at all by their family, they can use that as an excuse that their family "didn't know".

As I said above it is happening with others. Right now there are alot of people who claim to be: Cherokee/Blackfeet--okay so there there is a claim to Cherokee, but there are many now claiming to be Blackfeet alone and there are many that I know of who are claiming to be Ojib/chippewa---I know many people who really are of these nations and some of the Elders and there are many, now, who are learning that way and then a year or so later all you will hear from them is ceramony this or ceramony that and many will say "I'm annishanabe" (spelling?) I can say some of the words, but the spelling is beyond me sometimes.LOL I have seen many people who claim to be of one nation this year, but then a year later, they are something else. But they never mention their ancestor's names. That's what makes me suspecious. Other then that: what you are is what you are and who you are is who you are. That's it.

[timmy tiger]

Again, Josiah is absolutely right. They will not ask you for money or a specific dollar amount. Now, I have heard of some taking up a collection for a person who has come along way to help people, but that is done by someone else, not the person themselves. I have always been told and it is drilled into me (because of where I live)---If someone asks you for money or tries to charge you for a ceramony, then they are not who they claim to be. Also, if someone comes up to you and says "I can teach you. Follow me." Run like H*** the other way and DON'T LOOK BACK.

FM-I thank you on behalf of my ancestor's, family, friends both in the East and West and anyone in between.

[NorthofAda]

ya'know, i never mean to belittle anyone who is of genuine herritage wanting to take part in the culture of that herritage.ive never bought into the quantum idea, i hate the 'im part this and im part that' thing. i think it shows such a degree of self lothing that we subdivide even our own persons. what ever portion or portions of a persons herritage they choose to celebrate is thier own business (or problem,depending on how you look at it) but this chick cracks me up. you cant get too much farther from the us of a than austrailia and still be on dry land. and shes been dreaming of being an indian since she was a kid.
i couldnt ask for a better example of why i sometimes feel sorry for the cherokee. here you have a people who have been so well documented throughout history that all a person need do is pick up a few books, learn some names and dates, key in on some select slang and boom, nstant ndn.

even with all the jokes i make about the cherokee people, my hat is off to all the true born cherokee who persevere and take the riddicule and abuse brought upon them by the crystal gripping hippie twinkie brigade. i salute you all

Very well said, Flutemaker!

Yes, it's sad that those of us who are mixed bloods with some Cherokee heritage are almost afraid to mention it because we get that almost instantaneous "wannabe" labeling from full(er) bloods. Doesn't seem to happen with any other tribes, that I know of.

[FluteMaker]

ya'know, i never mean to belittle anyone who is of genuine herritage wanting to take part in the culture of that herritage.ive never bought into the quantum idea, i hate the 'im part this and im part that' thing. i think it shows such a degree of self lothing that we subdivide even our own persons. what ever portion or portions of a persons herritage they choose to celebrate is thier own business (or problem,depending on how you look at it) but this chick cracks me up. you cant get too much farther from the us of a than austrailia and still be on dry land. and shes been dreaming of being an indian since she was a kid.
i couldnt ask for a better example of why i sometimes feel sorry for the cherokee. here you have a people who have been so well documented throughout history that all a person need do is pick up a few books, learn some names and dates, key in on some select slang and boom, nstant ndn.

even with all the jokes i make about the cherokee people, my hat is off to all the true born cherokee who persevere and take the riddicule and abuse brought upon them by the crystal gripping hippie twinkie brigade. i salute you all

[Kiwehnzii]

I'm sorry, but it sounds to me like you are being bent over and there is not a jar of vaseline in sight.

LOL

[Josiah]

I saw this link when it first came out, but I didn't answer to it. Now, I'm going to.

I have to agree with Josiah about it being a "family adoption", although I haven't read the whole link,but I will go back and look at it.

2 1/2 years, wow--that's such a long time (sarcasm). I have been very close friends with many people of many other nations and I have been to their Res. or their territory and met many of their families and been accepted for who and what I am. And they all seem to like me and yet we have never spoken of any kind of adoption and some of these are more then 5 years going on. I am descended through the Cherokee's and I am who I am. I go to Cherokee, NC to visit with my family and stay with family. But I have never needed or wanted to be adopted by anyone. That's just crazy.

Now, be very careful of who and what. There was a woman who was out in my neck of the woods a few years ago. Yes, she was from a Rez. out West. She was going around trying to adopt all these people, she even wanted to adopt me and my family---and I told her "no" for me and my son and said that my husband had to make his own decision. She bossed people around and dictated everything that everyone was going to do for her. The people, some of whom were the nicest people and they didn't deserve what she was doing to them, were told what they had to buy her and all of this other stuff. It was all about how she could get stuff from them and get them to spend all this money on her and show off. Oh, there was a big show at a pow wow. There was a "ceremony" (we called it hokie) and a huge give away and she gave them "Indian" names and they got their own songs. And all this other stuff, oh yeah there was a scripture reading at one of them (like in the bible). She kept telling all these people that the next year that she was going to take them all to her tribe and get them all Tribally Enrolled. So they all started saying that they were members of this Tribe. This was about 5 or 6 years ago, and (that I know of) no one ever went there and got their "Enrollment", but she sure did get alot out of them. Less then a year after the last adoption (the one at the pow wow), she up and disappeared. She has been back once or twice, but I don't have anything to do with her. To us, they were just adopted into her family, but to them---they were adopted into the Tribe because that was what she told them. But that never materialized for them as far as I know. And it probably never will.

Okay, now I've read it and I have a few questions my self.

I agree with Ndnlady and alot with many of the people on here.

I would like to know what Cherokee Tribe you are being adopted into? No one has really asked that so far. Where are they from? You mentioned Wolf Clan, some of my family are Wolf Clan, so who and where? Are you aware that there is a group that calls themselves the "Cherokee Wolf Clan of TN" and yet they are not federally recognized as Cherokee people at all and I doubt that they are state recognized too. I took this info to my family two years ago. This is probably one of the groups like that.

I'm sorry, but it sounds to me like you are being bent over and there is not a jar of Vaseline in sight.

Good points in all this
And in my experience I have never seen a formal adoption into the tribe not to say it has never happened or will never happen just that "I" have never seen it

An adoption into a family is much more common but only makes you part of that family
But i have not seen any of those in a longggg time
And usually it is somebody that has known the Family for years and it is just a formality that they adopt them.

In my experience if somebody whos says they are a "shamen" asks you for money to do something for you they are a con artist and definitely if they have a rate schedule for services rendered.
Or if they ask you for a donation, or if they ask you for anything under the sun.
In my experience you ask there family what they like, you ask the people that pointed you in there direction what is the proper "gift". But that person will never ask you straight out, this will cost 200 dollars or whatever...
In my experience...

[timmy tiger]

Okay, now I've read it and I have a few questions my self.

I agree with Ndnlady and alot with many of the people on here.

I would like to know what Cherokee Tribe you are being adopted into? No one has really asked that so far. Where are they from? You mentioned Wolf Clan, some of my family are Wolf Clan, so who and where? Are you aware that there is a group that calls themselves the "Cherokee Wolf Clan of TN" and yet they are not federally recognized as Cherokee people at all and I doubt that they are state recognized too. I took this info to my family two years ago. This is probably one of the groups like that.

I'm sorry, but it sounds to me like you are being bent over and there is not a jar of vaseline in sight.

[timmy tiger]

I saw this link when it first came out, but I didn't answer to it. Now, I'm going to.

I have to agree with Josiah about it being a "family adoption", although I haven't read the whole link,but I will go back and look at it.

2 1/2 years, wow--that's such a long time (sarcasim). I have been very close friends with many people of many other nations and I have been to their Res. or their territory and met many of their families and been accepted for who and what I am. And they all seem to like me and yet we have never spoken of any kind of adoption and some of these are more then 5 years going on. I am descended through the Cherokee's and I am who I am. I go to Cherokee, NC to visit with my family and stay with family. But I have never needed or wanted to be adopted by anyone. That's just crazy.

Now, be very careful of who and what. There was a woman who was out in my neck of the woods a few years ago. Yes, she was from a Rez. out West. She was going around trying to adopt all these people, she even wanted to adopt me and my family---and I told her "no" for me and my son and said that my husband had to make his own decision. She bossed people around and dictated everything that everyone was going to do for her. The people, some of whom were the nicest people and they didn't deserve what she was doing to them, were told what they had to buy her and all of this other stuff. It was all about how she could get stuff from them and get them to spend all this money on her and show off. Oh, there was a big show at a pow wow. There was a "ceramony" (we called it hokie) and a huge give away and she gave them "Indian" names and they got their own songs. And all this other stuff, oh yeah there was a scripture reading at one of them (like in the bible). She kept telling all these people that the next year that she was going to take them all to her tribe and get them all Tribally Enrolled. So they all started saying that they were members of this Tribe. This was about 5 or 6 years ago, and (that I know of) no one ever went there and got their "Enrollment", but she sure did get alot out of them. Less then a year after the last adoption (the one at the pow wow), she up and disappeared. She has been back once or twice, but I don't have anything to do with her. To us, they were just adopted into her family, but to them---they were adopted into the Tribe because that was what she told them. But that never materialized for them as far as I know. And it probably never will.

[Josiah]

I am a mixed blood Cherokee, Cherokee and Irish on my mothers side, and Cherokee and Hessian/German on my fathers. I consider myself Cherokee, "Tsaligi", but my physical appearance is white. I am not ashamed of this, but I think it is one definition of "White-Cherokee.

Buh

[Yonv Dohiyi]

I must give a Bigggg Sigh

Too often have our ways been misused by people that have only one thing in mind and that is money!!!
I hope this person is not asking for some kind of "donation" to do this "adoption"
"Western Cherokees" or Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma do adopt, but into a Family...
This does not make you a Cherokee!!!
It makes you part of that Family

And just what the hell is a "White Cherokee"???

I am a mixed blood Cherokee, Cherokee and Irish on my mothers side, and Cherokee and Hessian/German on my fathers. I consider myself Cherokee, "Tsaligi", but my physical appearance is white. I am not ashamed of this, but I think it is one definition of "White-Cherokee.

[ac_miss]

where Running Waters go?