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What is this "indian number" you keep talking about? The is no such thing as an "indian number."
The 5 Tribes of Oklahoma (Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole) did actually get enrollment numbers from the Dawes Commission. According to the Feds, The People had to have one of those #s to get their "allotments" of land when Indian Territory was de-reservated in the early 20th century.
There are NARA microfilm lists of enrollment #s - those lists may even be on one of the on-line sites now, but I don't know. There have been several books published which just print what available for free on the NARA lists. For example: The Final Rolls of Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory,
OPs question is QUITE common in AR and OK and TX. My library had the microfilm of the lists of #s, and the boxes just wore out from use. Many people in that region assume that if they just had a "number" they could get free health care at the tribal hospitals and access to scholarships and etc. In that area of much rural poverty there is a lot of jealousy regarding what is perceived as "free stuff" that members of the Nations get.
And the reality is that many "white" people in that area DO have some Native American heritage - but if they can't trace their ancestry to someone on the Dawes lists and if they don't have the blood quantum required by each individual tribe, they are SOL.
See my above post, which expresses my opinion about it all.
The 5 Tribes of Oklahoma (Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole) did actually get enrollment numbers from the Dawes Commission. According to the Feds, The People had to have one of those #s to get their "allotments" of land when Indian Territory was de-reservated in the early 20th century.
There are NARA microfilm lists of enrollment #s - those lists may even be on one of the on-line sites now, but I don't know. There have been several books published which just print what available for free on the NARA lists. For example: The Final Rolls of Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory,
OPs question is QUITE common in AR and OK and TX. My library had the microfilm of the lists of #s, and the boxes just wore out from use. Many people in that region assume that if they just had a "number" they could get free health care at the tribal hospitals and access to scholarships and etc. In that area of much rural poverty there is a lot of jealousy regarding what is perceived as "free stuff" that members of the Nations get.
And the reality is that many "white" people in that area DO have some Native American heritage - but if they can't trace their ancestry to someone on the Dawes lists and if they don't have the blood quantum required by each individual tribe, they are SOL.
See my above post, which expresses my opinion about it all.
My question of "what is this 'indian number'" was actually some sarcasm. Good explanation on your part though. I hope your post helps dispel some of those myths about enrollment and "benefits." I figured the whole "indian number" thing was coming from that. I also think they do not understand that the Dawes Rolls only apply to those five specific nations. It drives me crazy.
There are so many that do not understand what a native community or Nation is and that's not to mention all the tribal politics. In my Nation you have to 1/8 Comanche. I'm half, my children are 1/4. Should they marry non-Comanches, then my grandchildren will be 1/8 and can be enrolled. There is a certain move in the Nation right now to change to the Constitution and bring the BQ back up to 1/4. If that happens, then people under the BQ would be disenrolled. Funny how that is coinciding with the establishment of per cap payments from casino revenues. We never had that problem before.
Sorry...different discussion for a different forum.
I believe a "indian number" is a way to identify a person as a native american. I have a few people in my family who are native american. some of them are still alive and some past away before my time. my mom has always told me that I have cherokee blood in me.
I can care less about getting welfare benefits or getting any benefits from the state. I was there once and the state just held me back and pretty much control my life. I'm glad they made a decision to cut me off last year.
I hope that 601halfdozen0theother's post cleared up the whole "indian number" thing for you. There is no such thing as an "indian number" in the modern era. There are only tribal enrollments. In order to qualify for anything, you must be enrolled in a federally recognized Nation.
Each Nation has their own requirments. Some Nations, like mine, have a blood quantum requirement and that varies from Nation to Nation. If they have a BQ requirement and you were not born to enrolled parent(s), then you must prove via legal documentation (marriage certificate, death certificates, ancestors who appear on a tribal roll, etc) that you possess the required BQ.
In other Nations, like the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, you must prove that you are descended and therefore related to someone on the Dawes Rolls. They have no specific BQ requirement. Again, this proof must be in the form of legal documentation. Because "grandma said" will not cut it. If your relationship to some Cherokee person is prior to the establishment of the Dawes roll, you will have a real hard time proving this. There are also three federally recognized Cherokee Nations:
THe Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma
THe United Keetoowah Band of Cherokees (Oklahoma)
The Eastern Band of Cherokee (North Carolina)
Enrollment in ANY OTHER Nation other than the federally recognized Nations is irrelevant. State recognition or any of these "wannabe tribes" doesn't count for anything when it comes to things like the Indian Health Service (IHS), etc. Check with the specific Nation in question for their enrollment requirements.
Many Nations also require that you get a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood card (CDIB) from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) before you even start the process of attempting tribal enrollment. They also require legal documentation proving your relationship to actual Indian people. If you know you cannot provide the required documentation, then don't bother as you will be wasting your and their time.
Again, "benefits" are tied to tribal enrollment and not to a CDIB card. All that card does is establish that you have some Indian blood and nothing more.
Did the Cherokee not establish a blood quantum sometime in the past 10 years or so? I remember that it was under discussion, but did not know whether or not something got voted into law.
Also, I remember that the Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Choctaw were trying to shuck off the burden of maintaining as tribal members descendants of Freedmen. Tribal membership of Freedmen was imposed on them after the Civil War as punishment for those tribes' allegience to the Confederacy. Did the removal of Freedmen descendants ever happen sometime in the past 10 years??
Did the Cherokee not establish a blood quantum sometime in the past 10 years or so? I remember that it was under discussion, but did not know whether or not something got voted into law.
Also, I remember that the Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Choctaw were trying to shuck off the burden of maintaining as tribal members descendants of Freedmen. Tribal membership of Freedmen was imposed on them after the Civil War as punishment for those tribes' allegience to the Confederacy. Did the removal of Freedmen descendants ever happen sometime in the past 10 years??
AFAIK they haven't changed to a BQ system, but I could be wrong. I honestly don't keep up with them that much. Too much going on in my own Nation.
That being said, per the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma website:
"To be eligible for CDIB/Tribal Citizenship with the Cherokee Nation, you must be able to provide documents that connect you to an enrolled lineal ancestor, who is listed on the (DAWES ROLL) FINAL ROLLS OF CITIZENS AND FREEDMEN OF THE FIVE CIVILIZED TRIBES, Cherokee Nation with a blood degree. This roll was taken between 1899-1906 of Citizens and Freedmen residing in Indian Territory (now NE Oklahoma).
Many applicants do not qualify for CDIB/Citizenship as their ancestors did not meet the enrollment requirements and were not enrolled. Certain requirements had to be met in order to be placed on the Dawes Roll.
CDIB/Tribal Citizenship are issued through natural parents. In adoption cases, CDIB/Citizenship must be proven through the BIOLOGICAL PARENT to the enrolled ancestor. A copy of the Final Decree of Adoption, and a State Certified, Full Image/Photocopy of the Birth Record must accompany the application. All information will remain confidential"
I am not sure what the final disposition of the Freedmen issue was. I do know it was pretty contentious though.
To the OP, my suggestion is you do basic geneology research, all you need is your direct ancestors names to start and see if they are listed on the Dawes rolls - if they are not, then you would not be elegible to enroll.
The 5 Tribes of Oklahoma (Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole)...
Ah-hem! These are the so-called Five Civilized Tribes. They are NOT The 5 Tribes of Oklahoma. Even the most cursory examination reveals that these are only five of about 30 tribes that were crammed into what is now the state of Oklahoma. Some of them, not the least of which are the Comanche (including the relatives of my friend Fullback32) and the Kiowa, were "native" to modern-day Oklahoma.
I don't mean to belittle anything you've said. I only intend to make sure things are stated properly.
Yes, I do know the standard term, Nighteyes. I got caught up in trying to use non-offensive language. I don't like to perpetuate the term "Five CIVILIZED Tribes". So using the term 5 Tribes of Oklahoma was an error on my part to avoid using the word "civilized". I should just probably have used the individual names of the individual tribes.
Yes, I know that there were many Native Nations (how's that for a politically correct way to avoid saying "Indian Tribes"?) forced into Indian Territory. This is an aspect of American history that is really very very interesting - and sad - to study.
It's easier in Canada where they use the term "First Nations".
Political correctness will be the death of us all. I have been trying to maintain the willpower not to respond to this thread. I have failed. Dude what you seem to be trying to do is figure out a way to leach off of your distant relatives. That's not cool. Get a job. It'll be less work than trying to put together the documentation for tribal membership and if you don't have an ancestor at least as close as a great-grandparent who was an enrolled member it's very unlikely that you'll be eligible anyway. Lottery ticket unlikely. Even though the western Cherokee don't have blood quantum requirements they do require that you had a direct ancestor with some Cherokee blood living on tribal land in Oklahoma when the final rolls were drawn up between about 1896 and 1907. Being part native isn't enough in itself to be eligible for membership in any Nation.
Yes, I do know the standard term, Nighteyes. I got caught up in trying to use non-offensive language. I don't like to perpetuate the term "Five CIVILIZED Tribes". So using the term 5 Tribes of Oklahoma was an error on my part to avoid using the word "civilized". I should just probably have used the individual names of the individual tribes.
Yes, I know that there were many Native Nations (how's that for a politically correct way to avoid saying "Indian Tribes"?) forced into Indian Territory. This is an aspect of American history that is really very very interesting - and sad - to study.
It's easier in Canada where they use the term "First Nations".
We agree on many things, my friend. As one whose picture appears in the dictionary as an illustration of the term "Old Fart", I personally prefer the term American Indian to that other one.
Like you, I also like the Canadian term First Nations.
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