It's Hard Being Indian

[walksalone11]

http://www.examiner.com/native-american-community-in-oklahoma-city/on-native-american-day-never-forget#comment-11928201

[amyrouse]

So...another stupid question here...seems to be my night for them...

If someone has been told they have Native ancestry, how would one go about researching that?  Feel free to tell me to go and get off my lazy rump and do the research myself...LOL.  I've been told that I have both Cherokee and Apache ancestry, but before I claim it, I would like to know for sure.

[jordandog]

Thanks for that, Walks. I know President Bush declared November as "National American Indian Heritage Month" back in 1990(?), but I have always been amazed that it is never given the attention that "National Black History Month" is. Both peoples have been put through hell and back and unless I just happen to 'miss' all of it, which I highly doubt, I have not seen press, TV news/programs, commentators, writers, anything done that even comes close to them being looked at/presented equally. I don't count TNT network showing "Dances With Wolves" 20 times as truly paying tribute.  

This, at the end, struck a chord with me: "It was hard to be an American Indian one hundred plus years ago but it is still hard today; they tell us to get over it, we cannot be whom we are today without knowing where we come from." I think the part I bolded can apply to any of us, but I would never presume to know what it feels like to be a part of a group of people as a whole who have been forced to go through struggles and hardships I have never had to live through.

We all go through tough things that we feel at times will never end or we just won't be able to get through, but we do because we want to go on living. If we don't, then we deal with it in misery and sometimes people put the final end to that misery by suicide. It's like someone saying to me (or anyone), "Oh, I know exactly how you feel." No, you don't, anymore than I do you.

[walksalone11]

So...another stupid question here...seems to be my night for them...

If someone has been told they have Native ancestry, how would one go about researching that?  Feel free to tell me to go and get off my lazy rump and do the research myself...LOL.  I've been told that I have both Cherokee and Apache ancestry, but before I claim it, I would like to know for sure.

That is a very interesting combination considering the traditional geographic areas of those two Nations, however, not unheard of. I have a very dear friend who has ancestry of those same two Nations, and as a matter of fact she lives in your state although she is orginally from West Virginia. As for the genealogy, let me do some digging and I will post a link that should get you started in the right direction in regards to your Cherokee ancestry. BRB

[walksalone11]

So...another stupid question here...seems to be my night for them...

If someone has been told they have Native ancestry, how would one go about researching that?  Feel free to tell me to go and get off my lazy rump and do the research myself...LOL.  I've been told that I have both Cherokee and Apache ancestry, but before I claim it, I would like to know for sure.

That is a very interesting combination considering the traditional geographic areas of those two Nations, however, not unheard of. I have a very dear friend who has ancestry of those same two Nations, and as a matter of fact she lives in your state although she is orginally from West Virginia. As for the genealogy, let me do some digging and I will post a link that should get you started in the right direction in regards to your Cherokee ancestry. BRB

My friend, Brenda, who wrote the article I linked to in my OP also hosts an internet radio show. A couple weeks ago she had David Cornsilk as a guest. David is a genealogist, is enrolled Cherokee and has done a lot of work in his field as a representative of the Cherokee Nation. He is also very critical and outspoken in regards to wanna-bes and fakes so be forewarned and don't take it personally.  This is a link to that show, which is one hour long so allow yourself that much to listen to it and you may want to jot down a few notes for later reference. There is also a part two of the show but I have not had time yet to listen to it.
After listening to the show if you have any other questions along these lines I will be most happy to address them.

[walksalone11]

Amy, wasn't sure if you saw my reply to you here......

[amyrouse]

Amy, wasn't sure if you saw my reply to you here......

Just now saw it.  I'll probably get a chance to watch it tonight once I get the daughter to bed.    Thanks.

[Annella]

It's hard being human.

you got that right Marieelissa

[walksalone11]

I would really love to know, in just what kind of possible way would your uber privileged, white washed world even compare?

This is the most pathetic and horrid display of self centered arrogance to even mention your trivial issues in this particular thread.

You are so God damned afraid that someone else is going to get a seconds worth of attention that you would attempt to shove them out of the light and inject your pathetic self in their stead.

Sorry excuse for humans I swear!!!

[Annella]

I would really love to know, in just what kind of possible way would your uber privileged, white washed world even compare?

This is the most pathetic and horrid display of self centered arrogance to even mention your trivial issues in this particular thread.

You are so God damned afraid that someone else is going to get a seconds worth of attention that you would attempt to shove them out of the light and inject your pathetic self in their stead.

Sorry excuse for humans I swear!!!