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How the hell is everyone part Native American?
Posted by Kryptonitemare • 10/19/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: native american
I swear, All my life I've been running into people who when they start listing what % they are always end up listing that they are part Native American. How the hell does everyone have a Native American in their family? And most of the time they are the whitest looking people which is funny to me too.
User Comments
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Well everyone is part African because humans originated in Africa... I don't know about Native American.-
I thought the human race originated from the Middle East?
The Cradle of Civilization???
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What is a Native American?-
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States, including parts of Alaska. They comprise a large number of distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as intact political communities. There has been a wide range of terms used to describe them and no consensus has been reached among indigenous members as to what they prefer to be called collectively. They have been known as American Indians, Amerindians, Amerinds, Aboriginal, Indians, Indigenous, Original Americans, Red Indians, or Red Men. -
Also known as Casino Owners.........
*cough* I kid..... Only .01% of the N/A enjoy the Casino money
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How long do you need to stay in a country to be called indigenous?
Or is it a question of timing? The first ones are indigenous, whoever comes later is not?-
The term Indigenous Peoples or autochthonous peoples can be used to describe any ethnic group who inhabit a geographic region with which they have the earliest historical connection, alongside migrants which have flooded the region and which are greater in number. However, several widely-accepted formulations, which define the term "Indigenous peoples" in stricter terms, have been put forward by prominent and internationally-recognized organizations, such as the United Nations, the International Labour Organization and the World Bank. Indigenous peoples in this article is used in such a narrower sense.
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Drawing on these, a contemporary working definition of "Indigenous peoples" for certain purposes has criteria which would seek to include cultural groups (and their continuity or association with a given region, or parts of a region, and who formerly or currently inhabit the region either:
* before its subsequent colonization or annexation; or
* alongside other cultural groups during the formation of a nation-state; or
* independently or largely isolated from the influence of the claimed governance by a nation-state,
and who furthermore:
* have maintained at least in part their distinct linguistic, cultural and social / organizational characteristics, and in doing so remain differentiated in some degree from the surrounding populations and dominant culture of the nation-state.
To the above, a criterion is usually added to also include:
* peoples who are self-identified as indigenous, and/or those recognised as such by other groups.
Note that even if all the above criteria are fulfilled, some people may either not consider themselves as indigenous or may not be considered as indigenous by governments, organizations or scholars.
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Well Bladeaxe,I'm not really interested by what Wikipedia says about it...
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I am about as white-looking as you will find...fair skin, blue eyes, natural blonde. But I am 1/16 Sioux. How do I know? Well, for one thing, my grandmother told me what it was like to grow up in the early 20th century as the child of a "half breed." I know my Native American ancestor's name and even have a tattered old photo of her.
I can't speak for anyone else, but my genealogy shows ancestors on both sides of my family coming primarily from Northern Europe. In fact, this Native American woman, who married a man of Prussian stock, is the only ancestor I have found who was not Scandinavian, Scots, English, German or Volgadeutsch. Considering that 84% of my bloodline is fair Northern European stock, it should be unsurprising that I am as fair as they are.
I don't know if anyone else can trace their ancestry to a Native American person, but these kinds of family stories often have their roots in truth. We had this family story for years that we were related to a Prussian royal house, which, considering we were dirt poor farmers and the generation before my grandparents was illiterate, seemed pretty far fetched. It took years of digging and the advent of the internet for me to find the connections, but it turns out to be true (and a Dutch princess as well!). So I wouldn't be too disdainful of a claim of a Native American ancestor...it's much more probable than my family fable of being connected to the Brandenburgs, and that turned out to be correct.-
are We related??? My grandma dropped hints about the brandenburgs too... I haven't pursued this, but used to think of taking up the family geneologist torch... though I don't think it matters anymore
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I live in the city with the largest American Indian population in the us, if not NorthAmerica. I see no big deal about people bragging about their Am.Indian ancestors, any more than any other heritage. Many of my friends who are from Am. Indian families you can tell, and many others you can't because for some it goes back many generations... pretty self explanatory, and ultimately irrelevant.
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A member of the Brandenburg family came to America about the time of the Revolutionary War. His name was Mathias Brandenburg. He had a whole sh**load of kids and moved west, through the Cumberland Gap with Daniel Boone. They settled in Kentucky...founded Brandenburg KY and Heidelberg KY. One of the daughters, Nancy Ann, married a man surnamed "Summers" and went further west to Illinois and then Minnesota. Her husband was killed in an uprising in New Ulm, MN. She had something like 11 kids and I am descended through two of her sons (my great grandparents were cousins). One of those sons married the Native American woman.
The Brandenburg connection in the US is actually quite huge, as they had very large families back then. Nancy Ann was one of nine kids (I think...could have been 11) and she had a huge brood herself. But if you have any family back in Kentucky or Minnesota in the 1800s and a Brandenburg story, chances are you and I are related!-
okay... we'll have to chat... i used to live in NewUlm.
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Civil War. During the Civil War many Native American's were 'called to duty'. My family has an ancestor that was part of the Cherokee Regiment. The introduction of Native Americans into the rest of white society (where they normally would not have been) is the most likely reason. Otherwise, it's a bunch of people who really don't know their ancestry and think it sounds cool.-
Also, there was a severe shortage of white women on the frontiers. Many men took Native American women as wives...at least until the white women began to arrive.
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Yep - that, too.
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Not a drop of Indian Blood in this Irish lass...
Tho there have been many reports of light haired, light skin, blue eyed Indians. I heard about them while living in Florida many years ago. -
Thats funny because for the longest time my husband kept saying he's half cherokee. Of course I didn't believe it because he's white....until our 1st child was born. She looks native american. She's black, white and cherokee....WOW! What a mixture.-
I'll bet she is beautiful too!
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Native Americans liked to get busy?
I'm white but I have Cherokee and Choctaw in my heritage on my Grandma's side. You can tell for sure just by looking at her - dark black hair, dark skin. Wish I got some of that. But I also have a picture of one of my great great (I think) grandma's. She was either half or full blooded Native American. I can't remember.
But then you throw all my other heritages in the mix (I'm basically a mutt with how many nationalities I have in my genes) but mainly German/Irish and you get white skin and green eyes. -
I am not any part Native American; nice to meet you -
I'm part Cherokee.
No joke.
My great, great grandfather on my dad's side married a Cherokee.
Many of my brothers and sisters are dark skinned and dark haired.
Wouldn't of guessed by my father.
He's bleach white. lol
It's horrible!
My brother served a church mission in Brazil and everyone thought he was a local. lol-
Aside from that, our family is mostly English/Irish.
Further down the line, we have a lot of Hungarian royalty.
Also related to Colonel Cornwallis of the British Army during the Revolution.
He fought against George Washington and surrendered.
Cool huh!?!
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My grandmother's father was 100% Cherokee. Her husband was Irish. Some of their children, including my dad, are fair and red heads, while some of their kids have dark complexions and jet black hair.
My ex-husband's family has a lot more Cherokee than my family. People sometimes ask him if he's Mexican. Our son is fair and blonde, but our daughter has the complexion of her dad. -
My great gram was half suiox I think. She looks native American. I have pictures somewhere. If I put my hair in braids I look like the Land o' Lakes chick. I once dyed my hair black and it was one of the worst mistakes of my life. I looked like Land 0' Lakes chick without the braiding. I do not wear braids! I'm proud of my heritage but I just look weird going all ancesteral and stuff. -
My grandpa was full-blooded Cherokee. Is it relevant to my life? No. Is it a fact? Yes.
In short, get over it.-
Oh, Go screw off voodoo.
Seriously though, I just find it amazing that it's in so many peoples blood even though it's not really that long span of time.
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Now I feel left out...I'm not part Native American
I guess I just suck
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Yup. Sucks for you. Sucks for me too though. All I got is a mix of Cuban, Spanish, Italian, Persian and whatever else was thrown in the pot.
The closest to Indians I have in my family tree is in my Grandmothers side of the family but I don't know much about Cuban Indians and it's too late to learn more about that. -
I got Turkish...and that's about it. I might have a little Russian mixed in there but I doubt it...lol
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Gah, I havn't had too much of a good experience with turks.
They get too crazy when drunk. One of them was classic though, Acted kinda like that rich guy in SLC Punk. Like one second he was talking some shit and the next he was getting in a bouncers face and kicking a cars window out for no reason. Ah, Fun times. -
LOL...1) I don't get drunk and 2) I'm not a guy
Some Turkish guys can get stupid though...but that's the deal with all guys huh? LOL -
@Kryptonitemare
"All I got is a mix of Cuban, Spanish, Italian, Persian and whatever else was thrown in the pot."
You're a regular Scallywag. -
"but that's the deal with all guys huh?"
See, Why does it have to be all that now? I've never done anything stu.... Oh wait, Nevermind. Fine so most guys have their stupid moments, Some just have more than others.
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Well.... apparently, my paternal grandfather had sex with a full blooded Cherokee woman and, ironically, my maternal grandmother around the same time had sex with a full blooded Cherokee man.
Both events infused me genetically with enough Injun blood that I qualify for a reservation at the reservation, even though on the surface I look more like a Nazi's wet dream.
Someday I will take my blonde haired, blue eyed self over there and open an illegal fireworks stand.
Woot! -
LMAO!!!
Us Cherokees need to stick together.
Better not let your Nazi friends know this or you're out of the club. lol -
"Someday I will take my blonde haired, blue eyed self over there and open an illegal fireworks stand."
Thats not only the Native American way sir, But it's the American way! God bless the red, white and boom. -
lol
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What are we "supposed" to be? 100% Luxembourgian? For the record we're some percent Cherokee. It's almost impossible to fully discern and I've got a family member who is a hawk with the in depth genealogical research.
The trouble with being Cherokee from a knowledge of direct lineage standpoint is the whole "Trail of Tears" nightmare.
What baffles me though is how no one seems to be x% "Carthaginian"
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It is a question of timing.
Having native ancestors goes back to less than 150 years, if not less than 100 years.
When Americans started fighting in between themselves and not against the natives anymore.
And the natives saw an opportunity and started making love, not war... -
You know what, Even though I started this topic with no real point in mind I am glad people shared their backgrounds, Pretty interesting to see the detail in peoples family trees.
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I am about as lily white as a person can get but my great grandma used to brag about having an "Indian in the woodpile". That is Montana speak for my grandma was a slut who had a taste for Native American braves. Unfortunately, I can't prove it though. -
that is funny... I never seem to meet many people who are Native American. Actually, I am... and most people ask me if I am before I ever mention it (not that it would come up in a coversation).. but I used to model and people on casting would always ask if I am.. My mothers family has Iroquois heritage... lol.. funny post! -
offendedblogger- I have a question.....what percentage are you? Im curious because I want to registered my children and was wondering how that works?
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I think at one point you had to be 1/16th, but I think they raised it to 1/8th.
My friend's dad got their family in just before they changed it.
It's cool, because on college grants and things like that, you can claim a minority.
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People remember things that are more unique about them than plain is my opinion. I mean out of 8 great grandparents who would you remember the most at a reunion? 7 white people from jersey or the 1 indian great grandpa?-
wrong spot
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Who here is 100% anything?-
100% human.
(or so you've all been led to believe! MWAHAHAHA! Er, wait ...) -
100 percent british as far as I have managed to get back
Irish, Welsh and English back as far as 1800! -
My husband is 100% Indian...Tamil, to be exact.
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100% British? what does that mean?
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Too many British jokes running thru my head..... Must resist.... *Error +44*
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Zawadi, it could mean anything ............. all the people I can find in my family history so far were born in Ireland, Wales or England..
But, I am told I have gypsy origins from somewhere so who knows? It is doubtful that I have any native american origins though, much more likely to be european -
double post
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Just think...250,000 or so years ago we were all 100% something completely different - probably N.East African. Possibly Middle Eastern - depending on which "out of Africa" theory you subscribe to.
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I would say 100% black but I can't guarantee that.......my family is from the deep south. Even slaves at one time, but anything is possible. Back in da day!
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i'm black creole = af american with a french culture,native am culture and spanish... im so lucky to have all three in one pot lol
the cultue, not the history i am poud of -
Part Indian...how?...No idea. But we have a native american family name, and tracing the family back a few generations, the cheek bones get pretty damn high and the skin gets pretty red...lol. Seriously though. thats really all I know...I'm not collecting any governemtn aide, but I sure do have nice hair. -
You savages. lol
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Weren't Indians encouraged to blend into white society?
I'm European by blood with some sort of native (navajo?) which really stands out.
The rumor in my family is that my native American great grandfather posed as white because he could. At that point and time in the U.S. society was still breaking up native families. So it was all very hush hush.
My daughter is half German and has blonde hair and crystal blue eyes.
People are confused when the look at me since I am French, Spaniard, Native and possibly German. Olive skin and sharp features reddish brown hair and light brown eyes. Crazy!-
You're a regular rainbow.
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I am Cherokee, Scotch, German and Irish. The Cherokee is my grandmother on my dad's side that was 100% and grew up on a reservation. She married a white man. The rest is history. I qualify for the reservation and lots of other stuff in Oklahoma but I see it as grandma was the person deserving the perks, not me. Just an accident of birth. Those that are mostly Indian from a long line that lived or lives now on reservations deserve to be reimbursed for the crappy living conditions.
I had (before the gray) dark brown hair and blue eyes with sorta tan skin. Both my kids have dark hair, light skin and blue eyes but the facial structure is there in all of us. -
in response to the very frist comment.. i did not know that hmm crazzy you leanr something knew everyday but seriously i didnt know that -
I can understand the frustration, i meet people everyday that say they are part native and sometimes it makes me wonder. But i guess I cant judge im only a haffer myself and most say i look native, but some say i don't, i say i look like i meant too lol. but you know i used to judge too by the looks of a person, but its so hard these days. and you cant even judge by the name because most native got Anglo when they got put on the roll. I have a cousin who has 3 kids. all with the same father (he is blond hair white, blue eyes) and two of the children look like her and the youngest has blond with blue eyes. this child gets treated no different and has always been taught our (rez) ways and some of the language (since his mom left their dad, she returned home. )
The sad part is when this boy grows up and gets questioned about his nationality and people wont believe he is native because he is judged by his skin, blond hair and blue eyes.
I guess the initial ideas of relocation programs, boarding schools etc worked, there are more mixed blood natives out there than full bloods, but then again it all depends on what tribe your looking at, some have a higher mixed blood rate then others. -
Redheaded 1/8 Cherokee here, lol. From my Dad's side. His dad was half Cherokee. They lived in a town where there was a local reservation and lets just say there were many 'injuns in the woodpile.' But aside from that, they are the native people here, why wouldn't so many of us have some kinship to them?
My oldest sister got most all of the Indian genes. Long dark shiny thick hair, olive skin, very defined facial sturcture, tall. But although I am the shorter, fairer skinned freckled redhead- I've got indian eyebrows and brown eyes. If I dye my hair dk brown, it looks quite natural. My Mom has Irish, German, French, Dutch mainly. And yes, I know all this for fact, lol. She is a Geneology maven!
Isn't it strange to think they are only called Indians AT ALL because Columbus was lost and THOUGHT he had landed in India? All he wanted was some spices yanno. :-) -
Rarely am I ever accused of looking White.
Mostly, I get, "What ARE you?"
And, I, too, seem to be a magnet for people telling me
about their Native American genetics.
When I think back to when I was a kid...all the White kids called me
"prairie nigger"...(a long time ago)...
back then, NO ONE would ever mention IF they had non-white genetics.
Glad to see it is OK to be NDN today.-
Yes I get that a lot too. What are you?
"I'm human you sack of _hit", is what I usually reply.
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They are lying! If you are a christian you know that you come from Adam who was not Indian. If you are an evolutionist then you come from a monkey in Africa, so you must be either African American or African Canadian or at least and African Mexican. We are all immigrants on this planet -
Balderdash! There is no indication whatsoever that early men on earth were Caucasians. In fact, the fossil records indicate otherwise.
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This Topic was discussed on WGBH and the BBC a while ago from full blooded Indians
residing in Canada. These full blooded Indians laugh at the half breed wannabees who don't even keep the ways of their people but they call themselves native american.
One of the biggest challenges that full blooded Indians face is that their culture may not be passed down intact to those who are not worthy to continue the heritage and customs of their people.
A waterdown culture is a weak one in my view.
I am of Arawak & Caribe Indian decent and also Black African.
I have many Cherokee in my family too, but as an Arawak/Caribe I may sometimes eat people
when no one's looking, I mean after all I have to keep my culture and customs alive too.
The good news is there is no one on this thread that I am looking to eat at the moment. lmao -
I don't know. I'm part Mom, Part Dad and maybe even Part Mail Man...lol...depending on what he delivered that day.
oh and a little Native American -
I am half Cherokee. 'Cause my Daddy is a whole one. Understand? It's genetical. -
Everyone wants to claim Native-American heritage, but what has anyone done for them? People take, take and take from them and give nothing in return! -
For the record, my 'claim' of my ancestry is nothing more than stating a fact to answer the question of the op. And I think that most people answering also have only done so, and only do so otherwise for the same reason. Plenty of us could qualify for different benefits for being Indian or otherwise, but we don't. I think most people just want to answer the question is all. And if you happen to be, then ya... 'claim' it. I can't help that I am 1/8 Cherokee, nor do I go around checking 'Native American' on survey's and applications. To me, it's just a detailed answer to a specific question.
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