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I am slightly less than an 1/8 or 1/16... well ok- a LOT less. But I still have a CDIB card!
Anywho- the only benefit I get is free healthcare if so desired. My tribe also offers scholarships for college students that can basically pay for books. But, anything helps. My tribe will also dig a water well for members and offers low interest mortgages for those who qualify. It takes years to get approved for those two services. I also get a tribal tag for my car and do not have to pay State excise tax as long as I live within the tribal boundaries. My tribe operates a casino and contributes a percentage to public education and road maintanence.
My mom is 1/16th Cherokee but can not be part of the nation. Her ancestors chose to become American citizens and did not walk the Trail of Tears. I don't know how other tribes work but we looked into it for her and there was nothing that could be done.
GGM was full blood and on Dawes. I had looked into it once and needed papers for her marraige to GGF in TN. Now that I live in NC (relatives in Cherokee NC) I might persue it.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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I don't get an government benefits but it is so cool to be (at least) 1.64th Cherokee.
Unbelievably, the oldest picture of any of my ancestors is of my Indian ancestor and her white husband! I found it on ancestry.com, and it is as aethenticated as could be possible. It's actually a picture of a charcoal drawing of them.
Unless a person is either officially enrolled in a tribe or it is extremely obvious by their phenotype that they have Native American ancestry, I take a person's claim that they have Native American ancestry with a grain of salt.
Phenotype and or tribal enrollment are the 2 best indicators that a person is not bull$hitting when they say they have Native American ancestry. If you have none of those 2 than don't be mad when people question and have doubts about your claim.
Wrong, it depends on what tribe. Some like the Cherokee Nation is a decendency tribe, you must be able to trace an ancestor to the Dawes Rolls and there is no blood quantum requirment, others have a blood quantum requirment and it varies from tribe to tribe.
BTW, odd question for the geneaology forum especially about the benefits. There are many who are NDN with a significant blood quantum but are not elegible for tribal benefits.
This post is right on the money. There is no "federal cutoff". Lots of misinformation prior to this post. I am not indian, but my wife is 4/4 blood quantum and an enrolled and participating tribal member. Our son is 2/4 BQ and also enrolled. He was born at an Indian Health Service hospital in AZ at no cost to us. He is now in college and has earned tribal scholarships which, like any other scholarship are merit based. My wife's particular tribe requires at least an enrolled, full blooded maternal grandparent as qualification for enrollment, in other words you must be 1/4 on your mother's side.
Most tribes have long ago restricted their membership regulations to exclude those who only want to enroll for "benefits", or who "want to get in touch with their (supposed) indian roots".
Yes, I am just about half Native American (Mississippi Choctaw, actually). No, I am not a card-carrier. No, I do not get benefits. No, I do not want benefits -- let them go to my brothers and sisters who need them.
-- Nighteyes
I wholeheartedly agree. Since my Native American ancestry goes back about 160 years ago, I do not feel like I am entitled to a single penny. The money and federal benefits should go to the real Native Americans.
I have Cherokee in my ancestry, going back to the 1850's. I never knew about my Native American ancestry until I took up genealogy as a hobby about 5 years ago. I was shocked to discover it since no one in the family ever discussed it and it was forgotten family lore.
Ironically, I have probably one of the most well documented Native American trees out there. I'm a descendant of Chief Doublehead's daughter ( Doublehead - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ) A history professor at the University of Tennessee traced that family tree back to the late 1500's about 50 years ago. He published the family tree in book form, and it includes citations for my grandparents. Doublehead was descended from a long line of Cherokee chiefs and was related to many of the most famous Cherokees in American history.
It's weird how often this topic comes up on this forum.
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. There are many who are NDN with a significant blood quantum but are not elegible for tribal benefits.
