Should Mixed Race NA groups be considered NA?

[tokenguy]

As I hear more about mixed native American groups like the Lumbee, Miskito, and the Black Seminoles I'm fascinated by their multiracial histories and the circumstances surrounding their origins. I'm equally as fascinated by the differences of their exceptance into the Native American community. Some like the Pequot tribe of New England have been given official status and gone on to become one of the weathiest tribes in the country. Others like the Lumbee of North Carolina and the Black Seminole of Oklahoma are still fighting for acceptance. I'm just curious as to how others felt about these groups and their place in American society.

[mike2]

You have to be native to be a Native American. Duh.

[SensoUnico]

And how many NA are 100% NA? I have seen enough Indians to know that they are very mixed probably more than the standard American black with her 15-30% quota of caucasoid. Saying that I think that someone who looks decidedly negroid or caucasoid should not be considered as an NA no matter if they are the descendents of Crazy horse, Seattle or that woman who lead Lewis and Clark. Jimmie Hendrix was supposed to be 50% Cherokee. Can you tell from his photographs?

[vela]

Before anyone can make a legal claim to a number of rights exclusively conferred to Native Americans, they have to prove that they are descendants of one of the government recognized Indian nations.

It doesn't matter if the person is mixed or not, as long as he/she proves direct descendancy either thru genealogy or now also thru genetics.

Yes, that is correct. DNA testing is now being used to verify NA ancestry.

[SensoUnico]

Governments have their ways of doing things, ethnic groups other ways and ordinary Joes like me, my way. Obviouly there are different types of NA: legal government recognised Indians, internal intraethnic recognition, recognition due to appearance and just saying you are NA because your cousin four times removed thought your gg granny was a Chicasaw.

[quartermetis]

Again the answers to this question are purely subjective. If you go to the Pequot reservations in New England you will see that many of them look as white as any German native or as black as any Kenyan natvie with many shades in between, however they and the American government consider themselves Native American Indians. Another racially mixed group considered native are the Metis people of Canada. They like the Pequot even recieve government money just like other Natives groups do.

[tokenguy]

I guess the question should be are they entitled to all of the benefits, land, and funding recieved by the goverment , given to the Native peoples. I stated American but the same could be applied to Canada, and anywhere else where there is a native population and where miscegenation took place over the centuries to create a mixed population that chooses to identify with is native side.

[quartermetis]

tokenguy said:

I guess the question should be are they entitled to all of the benefits, land, and funding recieved by the goverment , given to the Native peoples. I stated American but the same could be applied to Canada, and anywhere else where there is a native population and where miscegenation took place over the centuries to create a mixed population that chooses to identify with is native side.

I think it depends on their culture, if they're attpemting to maintain a Native American way of life, carrying on thier ancestral language, religion, live together as a community (such as the lumbee and rebones) and sustain other cultural aspects then I say sure, let them become a tribe, with all that entails.

[CCC]

tokenguy said:

I guess the question should be are they entitled to all of the benefits, land, and funding recieved by the goverment , given to the Native peoples. I stated American but the same could be applied to Canada, and anywhere else where there is a native population and where miscegenation took place over the centuries to create a mixed population that chooses to identify with is native side.

Actually that is part of the problem with the "coloured" population in South Africa today. You often hear the leaders of this community stating that they were too dark during aparthied to have full rights and now under the black regime they are too white. They are disenfranchised under both systems, and aren't fully recognized as natives either way.

[tokenguy]

What is the government and societal stance on the half-caste Aborigines in Australia and the Maori of New Zealand?

[quartermetis]

tokenguy said:

What is the government and societal stance on the half-caste Aborigines in Australia and the Maori of New Zealand?

Its funny outside of Australia you never really hear about race relations especially regarding the Natives vs the Europeans, I'd like to know more about this issue myself. Any Aussies or Kiwis out their with some insight?Any Aussies or Kiwis out there with some insight?