Comments on: We Remain http://www.misswisabus.com/2009/04/13/we-remain/ Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:59:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: misti http://www.misswisabus.com/2009/04/13/we-remain/comment-page-1/#comment-20562 misti Sun, 20 Dec 2009 22:52:22 +0000 http://www.misswisabus.com/?p=1276#comment-20562 On my mom's mom's side it was said that her grandmother was Native. And this has been corroborated with another cousin of mine in the Gaskey line who descends from her, too. I have a not so great photo of her, a photo of a photo with a nice flash in the middle of it, but you can tell she is tribal. But, I have no idea what she is. She could be anything. I work for a tribe here in south Florida and it has been eye opening learning about how all the tribes are alike but not. The one thing I do know, every single tribal person gets greatly annoyed when they hear "My great-great grandmamma was a Cherokee Princess, but I can't prove it!". It is a lot more common to hear that than you think. When I get back to Texas I plan on finding her grave somewhere in East Texas and starting to look through the Dawes records to see if I can find her at all. How did your family find out more information? On my mom’s mom’s side it was said that her grandmother was Native. And this has been corroborated with another cousin of mine in the Gaskey line who descends from her, too. I have a not so great photo of her, a photo of a photo with a nice flash in the middle of it, but you can tell she is tribal.

But, I have no idea what she is. She could be anything.

I work for a tribe here in south Florida and it has been eye opening learning about how all the tribes are alike but not. The one thing I do know, every single tribal person gets greatly annoyed when they hear “My great-great grandmamma was a Cherokee Princess, but I can’t prove it!”. It is a lot more common to hear that than you think.

When I get back to Texas I plan on finding her grave somewhere in East Texas and starting to look through the Dawes records to see if I can find her at all.

How did your family find out more information?

]]> By: Jason http://www.misswisabus.com/2009/04/13/we-remain/comment-page-1/#comment-17850 Jason Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:07:31 +0000 http://www.misswisabus.com/?p=1276#comment-17850 Excellent article! I, too, come from Indian stock. I'm more of a Heinz 57 Indian mutt, though. Iroquois, Delaware, and Cherokee make up the majority of native blood that's in me, along with white--although you can look at my great grandfather--'Pap' as he loved to be called--and know that he was most definitely Indian (Delaware). We can trace the Iroquois family line back to the early 1200s, where it was undiluted until the 1400s. The name of the white person who married into the family--as well as the name of the person they married--offer us no clue as to which one was the man and which the woman. I just know that they married and lived in the Pennsylvania area, as well as across the lake into Canada. From there, the blood mingled with other native tribes and white all the way down to me, here in Oklahoma. I, too, am not on any role, and I'm kind of proud of that. My ancestors refused to put us on any official roles, because of the persecution that came with doing that. Sometimes I do wish that they had, because of what the Indian Child Welfare Act prevents us from doing. Due to the language in ICWA, we cannot adopt a native child because our/my name isn't included on any role. Kind of stupid, because I *can* prove that I am who I say I am, but that's not good enough for the native tribes, nor the government. I ask for no monthly check that's strictly there because of the blood that runs through my veins. I ask for no special consideration when it comes to trying for a job with the government. None of that. Yet, like you, I am treated as an outcast by the people who's blood also runs in my veins. It doesn't bother me anymore, but I won't deny that it would be nice to be accepted. Fortunately, I have a Father who accepts not just me, but <em>everyone</em>. <em>As</em> I am rather than <em>what</em> I am. Excellent article! I, too, come from Indian stock. I’m more of a Heinz 57 Indian mutt, though. Iroquois, Delaware, and Cherokee make up the majority of native blood that’s in me, along with white–although you can look at my great grandfather–’Pap’ as he loved to be called–and know that he was most definitely Indian (Delaware). We can trace the Iroquois family line back to the early 1200s, where it was undiluted until the 1400s. The name of the white person who married into the family–as well as the name of the person they married–offer us no clue as to which one was the man and which the woman. I just know that they married and lived in the Pennsylvania area, as well as across the lake into Canada. From there, the blood mingled with other native tribes and white all the way down to me, here in Oklahoma.

I, too, am not on any role, and I’m kind of proud of that. My ancestors refused to put us on any official roles, because of the persecution that came with doing that. Sometimes I do wish that they had, because of what the Indian Child Welfare Act prevents us from doing. Due to the language in ICWA, we cannot adopt a native child because our/my name isn’t included on any role. Kind of stupid, because I *can* prove that I am who I say I am, but that’s not good enough for the native tribes, nor the government. I ask for no monthly check that’s strictly there because of the blood that runs through my veins. I ask for no special consideration when it comes to trying for a job with the government. None of that. Yet, like you, I am treated as an outcast by the people who’s blood also runs in my veins. It doesn’t bother me anymore, but I won’t deny that it would be nice to be accepted.

Fortunately, I have a Father who accepts not just me, but everyone. As I am rather than what I am.

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