Mixed Blood or Part Native American

Do you have a relative or relatives who are/were Native Americans, American Indian, or First American? Does that make you a Native American or does that not? Does that make you a Mixed blood, half-breed or part Native American?

Photo by Firebear all right reserved.

These are questions that many people face each day. They have been told by their family that one or more of their relatives were Native Americans. That answer can be clouded by what people say and so hopefully reading this will help you understand a little more about the issue.

Many of us have been told by the older members of our families that one of our ancestors was or is Native American.

How much does it take to be Native American

The Bureau of Indian Affairs in most cases requires that a person be ¼ Native American or more to be a member of a Nation. That is not true in all Nations but is true in most of them. If you are not enrolled in a Nation but you can prove you are ¼ or more blood quantum from one Nation it is not enough for you to enroll in a Nation. First you have to make sure your family member is on the Dawes Rolls. Then to be eligible to enroll in a Nation you have to send all your paperwork and proof to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to be certified to enroll in a tribe. So the decision in most cases of who can and who cannot enroll in a tribe is made by the Bureau of Indian Affairs not the individual Nations. You have to be a certified Indian to enroll in an Independent Nation.

If you grow up living on the Nations Land (reservation) where your family has lived for generations, speak the language, know the culture but because intermarriage with other races you fall below ¼ blood quantum in most cases according to the government you are not Native American.

As a result of this you have many people who because of Oral Traditions (what they have been told by their families) know that their ancestors were Native American and in their hearts and minds still follow the traditions they were taught are told by the government and society that they are not Native Americans.

Blood Quantum Laws is legislation in the United States and only in the United States that defines membership in Native American tribes or nations. "Blood quantum" refers to the amount of ancestry of a person who has Native American Ancestors.

What do you call us.

My family does not call themselves Native American we identify ourselves by the nation (what others call tribes) that we come from. For instance, if you ask me what tribe I am from, since there is Choctaw in the family on both my mom's and dad's side of the family, I will say I am from the Choctaw Nation.

Being Native American, American Indian, First Americans (the term I like), Indian or any other label that has been applied to us by others is not the way we identify ourselves. We identify ourselves by the nation we are part of just as someone from the United States would not go to Europe and call himself a North American instead of identifying his Nation.

I know right now it is politically correct to call us Native American but most Native American people I talk to prefer American Indian or, as I do, prefer First Americans.

Who are we

The government says that you have to have a certain blood quantum to be called a Native American but most Native Americans say it does not matter what your blood quantum is.

Photo by Firebear all right reserved.

My Great Grandfather said that is not about what runs through your veins it is about what is in your heart. Is it not time to let go of past restrictions placed on First Americans by our government and allow people to walk their path with respect and in the best way possible without judging them for what they are or what they are not?

You are or you are not

Have you ever said to someone "I am part Indian." My suggestion is to not say that to one of our traditional elders. If you do you will end up in the embarrassing place that a doctor up in Oregon did when he told an Elder that he was, "Part Indian."

Photo by Firebear all right reserved.

This doctor like many people had been raised knowing that he was "Part Indian" but did not know much else.

It was not until later in life that not only did he understand being, "Part Indian" is like being, "Partially Pregnant". Either you are or you are not. As the Elder told the doctor if you are, "Part Indian" then you could have the part that is Indian cut off and then you wouldn't be "Part Indian" anymore.

It is not about what runs through your veins it is about what you believe and the way you act. It is about honoring our Grandfathers and Grandmothers and keeping a way of treating others with respect, having a connection to Creator and a respect for Mother Earth.

So consider what you say when you tell someone that you are "Part Indian" because there are no "Part Indians".

When I was younger the Elders told me something that I had a hard time completely understanding. At the time I was caught up in the, "How much Indian are you" thing. I had to live a lot of years before I figured out what they were saying. Now that I have got to the age of the Elders that taught me I finally understand that it is not what is in the veins that matters but it is what is in the heart that is important.

Photo by Firebear all right reserved.

We will see great changes when people begin to accept people for who they are and not for what they are.

Physical anthropology and biology says that races are groups of humans based on physical traits that get transmitted by the genes not by blood. Culture is what we do and why we do it along with beliefs that we learn and transmit through social communication. An ethnic group is a group that identifies itself with others because of culture, such as Irish or Germans, or Native Americans.

Who we are is defined by the Culture we immerse ourselves in not by what genes that were or were not transmitted.

A community of like minded people

You are welcome to come and join us at our fire where we follow the teachings of our Grandfathers and Grandmothers.  We would be glad to meet you and talk to you.  See you there!

Photo copyright by Bo Tipton.

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It is what you know not what others say

It does not matter what you are the thing that is important is who you are. If you are proud of your Native American heritage and want to embrace the teachings of your Ancestors then do so and do not let anyone stop you. It is not about what you look like or don't look like it is about what is in your heart.

Photo in Public Domain.

The way we are taught about the teachings of our Ancestors is by our Elders. If you sincerely look for a teacher to help you learn one will come to you. It happens every time.

What about if you are drawn to Native American teachings but you know that you do not have any Native American Ancestors? Again it is about what is in your heart not what is in your vein. Seek out an Elder who will teach you.

What if you want to trace your genealogy and don't know how. Stay tuned there is a lens coming about that.

While you begin or on your journey of learning I have listed two books below that will help you understand and look at Native Americans in a new light. Take time to read them.

When we speak we put our words on the wind for others to hear. When we write we put our words on leaves for others to read.