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My great-grandmother and her family are Tsalagi (Cherokee) they were on the Trail of Tears, the Indian removal act, my grandfather was a half breed,Tsalagi/Irish my grandmother was 3/4 Tsalagi and Irish, my father was 3/4 Tsalagi,1/4 Irish, my mother was Irish, so that means that I am Tsalagi and Irish. Here's a little bit of interesting information, it seems as though about 24,000 years ago a band of Europeans came across to the American continent and settle all up and down the eastern part of the North American continent and became known as the Clovis people, mainly because of the Clovis points that were found in a place called Clovis, New Mexico, however it's a known fact that the majority of the Clovis points found in this country have been found in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia and further south. Those first Europeans were known as the Solutrens, these people later became the different tribes up and down the eastern coast of North America including the Tsalagi, some of these Europeans were also fair skin and blue eyes and DNA testing has been able to prove this migration almost 24,000 years ago, so it would not be unusual for some Native American tribes to have some of its members that are fair skin and blue eyes.
The earliest carbon-dated Clovis points are estimated to be only 13,000-13,500 years old, not 24,000 years old, and the general idea is that the "First" came across over a land bridge at Bering straits to Alaska and down the west coast - not the east. This would put their origins in Siberia, not Europe. Scientists contesting that theory believe that there were already natives living on this continent, and that the Clovis weren't the first at all.
I realize this is an old thread, and I've only read through page 10 or so of the comments. I'm Muscogee. My mom is White and my late father was full-blood.
As to the OP's question. Yes and No. Let me explain. I'm 51 and much has changed over my lifetime. Once people knew I was Native, I had many occasions where people claimed they were "Cherokee and their great-great granny was an Indian princess". In the past, before tribal enrollment was re-opened in about 82', and before tribe many tribes dropped their blood quantum requirements this was a running joke among us Indians. However, lots of changes have happened over the years. One is that some tribes have dropped their blood quantum requirements to be able to enroll. With those tribes all one has to do is be able to trace their bloodline back to an original enrollee from the Dawes Act. These days, we call them descendants if they have very little blood quantum or if they didn't grow up NDN---meaning they didn't grow up with the culture or around other Indians. So, with those tribes there are many people running around that have barely a drop of Indian, but they are enrolled. Remember though, each tribe, and there are over 500 federally recognized tribes left, have their own cultures, and their own laws. Most of the tribes in New Mexico and many of the tribes outside of Oklahoma still require a certain amount of blood quantum.
What's happened in my generation is that there area many who mix tribes. My sis married a guy who is 1/2 Northern Cheyenne (paternal side) and then his mom is Umatilla, Walla Walla, and Yakima. So, he was four different tribes, but full by blood. You can only enroll with one tribe. No dual enrollment except for one thing I know of and I don't want to go into that now. My sister's kids are five different tribes, and 1/4 White. That's common now.
As for the mixing with slaves: Before the forced removal under andy jackson, my tribe had emulated the Whites when it came to slaves. The Muscogees owned slaves and when we were forcibly removed from our homelands those slaves came with us, but they were freedmen. They lived in Indian Territory, the current Oklahoma, but they weren't slaves any longer. Tribal law did not allow mixing, but surely it happened. I have no doubt. When the Whites decided they would break yet another treaty law and wanted Indian Territory for themselves they passed the Dawes Act. Our contiguous land base was broken up and each Indian was alloted 160 acres. Both of my paternal grand-parents were original allotees. Remember the former slaves? They too were alloted 160 acres, but they weren't considered Indian. They were considered Freedmen.
My dad was born in 1923 and at that time he was not considered an American. It was not until 1924 that a law was passed that 'made all Indians/Native Americans/American Indians and American.
Most of us NDN's use "Native American" when writing, speaking in public, etc, but we also still use Indian or most often American Indian when interacting with only Indians. I in no way think Indian is derogatory, but hey, I was an adult when "Native American' came into vogue.
My apologies for the long post. Normally I try to be succinct.
Dude, my brother and I are as White physically as any other, and yet we have cards saying we are 1/256 Cherokee. I don't know if these cards prove we have that ancestry, but 1/256 is extremely insignificant and the same as 0.00390625.
I don't know why we have the cards or how. We are White Americans with a European last name.
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Then, you are a "mestizo".
Do you perform the "Rain Dance"?
I think a majority of Native American ancestry is a myth. But, notice that I didn't say ALL. Some people really do have NA ancestors. Most, though, don't or have no definitive proof. They are just spouting off nonsense that others in the family say from time to time (especially since having NA blood appears to be fashionable now). I have a great grandmother who talks about her full indian relatives, but I don't claim to be indian since I never saw any real proof (documents, etc.). I gather that if having black and mexican blood starts appearing cool, people would start myths about these as well.
So, how many times do each of you guys hear from people "Oh, I'm 1/16th cherokee" or something similar. Do you guys actually think its true? I don't honestly. Perhaps it is true for a small number of Americans, but nearly every blonde/blue-eyed person I speak too swears they have a native american great grandmother.
The people saying these things show no signs of that ancestry, and in much of a America, during the 19th century, it was a considered a blight on your social status to marry a native american, which would of course deter whites from breeding with them.
I, too, am part of one of those families that swears that my great great grandmother was a Cherokee......I have done extensive research on all my family lines and have found nothing to indicate that we have any Cherokee ancestry in us. That great great grandmother of mine has a Scottish surname and one of her branches reached back to Germany, though.
On that note, are there any genetic tests that I could take to actually find out if I carry any Cherokee DNA?
The best test I know is the Jack Daniels test. My grandmother was 1/2 Cherokee and everyone in our family turns schizo and mean as hell when they drink. We call it going on the war path.
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