Who is considered Native American?

The opinions are as numerous as the tribes themselves. It’s helpful to remember that the description Native American is broad. Hundreds of separate Nations are indigenous to the North American continent with distinct languages and traditions. Trying to group all indigenous people and generalize their traits is like trying to say that anyone from Europe, regardless of what country they come from, is basically the same.  Add to this, the fact that cultures and even languages change over time and you quickly come to something that defies description. People with a stereotype of what an “Indian” is supposed to look and act like are quick to put down anyone that does not fit their preconceived notion. I know full-blooded Natives who live on reservations that have Christian names like Jimmy. They dress like anyone else you’d see walking around town today. English is their first language and their accents are that of anyone from that region. Their ancestors have lived here for thousands upon thousands of years, but they were born and raised much like you.

I discovered my heritage when a search for my biological father brought me to my Grandfather’s reservation. I honestly didn’t know how I would be received, but I was relieved when my newly discovered family members said “Welcome home” My grandfather was a full-blood Native who was deceased before I was born. Even if I was born and raised on the Res, circumstance would have kept us from knowing one another.  I was estranged from my Father, and he from his, But I had in me the minimum blood Quantum for formal membership to the tribe. As far my family was concerned at this point I was treated as Native. As far as the government was concerned I was white. Several applications and notarized forms of ID later I was formally accepted to the tribe and now considered Native American by the United States government with all the benefits that apply. I was now a “card carrying Indian.” It’s a strange feeling when it’s new to you. Sort of like being a dual-citizen. Technically speaking, I was now eligible just by virtue of birth circumstances to someday be President of the United States and/or chief of my small tribe.  The way that I saw myself and the world started to change. I began to refer to myself as Native, but part of me still felt like a fraud. This led me to be became more active in the community of my reservation. Hungry to participate in anything there, whether it’s a ceremony, a spiritual pilgrimage, listening to my elders talk about the old days or simply helping a neighbor build a deck.

To be an American citizen there is more that one acceptable route and no one will question your validity of your claim. You can be born here, but hold none of the cultural values and still be considered an American. You can be from somewhere else and gain your citizenship by taking an exam and still be considered an American. You can be the child of an American Citizen who was born in another country and still be considered an American Citizen.

For Natives the Jury is still out, but a combination of blood, documentation and a willingness to learn, participate in and pass on tradition. To me these are all essential elements of belonging and I now feel comfortable proudly calling myself indigenous. There will always be those who disagree. I find them to be ignorant and holding onto some outdated concept of “Indianness”. I would encourage anyone who is interested in discovering their roots and rejoining their Nations to do so. To press on through the nay sayers. But if you walk the path tread lightly, be honest with yourself and how you represent yourself, show respect, keep an open mind and give back to the community when you can.