Dusty, did you mean to say "Indian" or should the question have read, "What is a Native American?" At 08:29 PM 04/05/2001 -0500, you wrote: >Gemma and all: > >I am intrigued and challenged by your question, "Does the community still >exist." I have pondered this question for many years and under many >different circumstances., and would like to get some feedback from other >listmembers. > >What is the state of the Indian community today..... >Specifically, WHAT IS AN INDIAN? Is it a matter of blood quantum? >Lifestyle? Beliefs? > >There can be no argument that there is definite predjudice among NA as to >"who is Indian" and who is not. There are "skins" and there are "bloods". >Why the separation? What does it take to be considered "Indian enough". >Are some NAs practicing a racism they would decry in other races.? Don't >quote me the government's definition of Indian, I'm well aware of that. > >I want the opinions of others on this list. > >dusty > > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: David and Tommie Marsters <haili65@proaxis.com> >To: <CHAHTA-L@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2001 7:30 PM >Subject: Re: [CHAHTA] twinkies > > > > Well put, Gemma. I agree. > > Tommie > > > > Gemma West wrote: > > > > > What has happened for many people is that they wander through life >trying to > > > figure out what is wrong...trying to figure out why they don't fit in. > > > Attempts are made to mold themselves into someone else's defintions of >good > > > and bad. These attempts fail. Finally that person decides to look to >their > > > ancestors. They find themselves. They finally feel comfortable. It is > > > obvious to all that ancestors shape our biological characteristics. It >is > > > obvious to me that ancestors shape our spirituality. The sad thing is >that > > > sometimes the assimilation is so thick that you can grow up around >Indians and > > > still not know your own spirituality. The beautiful thing is finding >the few > > > who have refused assimilation and are willing to share knowledge. > > > > > > When non-Indian people ask to be allowed into the community it causes us >to > > > question ourselves. Does community still exist? What are they here to >get? > > > Are we really different from them? I think the great thing about this >reverse > > > acculturation is that it is spurring some of us to re-embrace our own > > > ancestors. It is removing the shame that our elders had to live with. >This > > > shame had no place and that is becoming clear to new generations. If we >can > > > influence people to live a balanced life then that is a great thing. >After > > > all, our children and their children will have to live in a world shaped >by > > > the parents. We can not afford to be selfish with principles of >balance. It > > > seems that they need these principles much more than we do. > > > > > > Barbara Ellison <greybird7@pisp.net> wrote: > > > "Our spirituality" is not "just an idea" and it is not something we went >to > > > class and learned somewhere, or got off the internet...it is born in us > > > (which is obvious to those Indians who were raised surrounded by a white > > > society) and a non-Indian may be able to learn from us some things, but >they > > > cannot "acquire" what they are not born with, and their attempts to put > > > themselves on an "equal footing", with Indians, so to speak, is at best > > > futile...and at worst, an attempt at cultural theft... > > > B. > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: "Dusty" <dustyc@microgear.net> > > > To: <CHAHTA-L@rootsweb.com> > > > Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2001 8:59 PM > > > Subject: Re: [CHAHTA] Elkdreamer, twinkies > > > > > > > I shall play devil's advocate again and expose my rear to everyone's > > > slings > > > > and arrows... > > > > > > > > What about those people who do not "want to be NA", but just think >our > > > > spirituality, philosophy and way of life is a good idea. I've had > > > countless > > > > elders tell me, "I don't care what kind of blood you have, as long as >it's > > > > human". Just because an Anglo wants to practice our ways because it >works > > > > for them, doesn't mean they deserve to be belittled by a derogatory >name. > > > > Are there really that many among us that are so arrogant to do so. > > > > > > > > Where did we ever get the idea that that we were so exclusive? Isn't >that > > > > TRUE racism? > > > > > > > > dusty > > > > > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > > From: John & Arla Williams <jaws@crosstel.net> > > > > To: <CHAHTA-L@rootsweb.com> > > > > Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2001 8:45 PM > > > > Subject: Re: [CHAHTA] Elkdreamer, twinkies > > > > > > > > > > > > > Elkdreamer, Where did the term come from? Arla > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > > > From: "Elkdreamer Wilkins" <elkdremr@hotmail.com> > > > > > To: <CHAHTA-L@rootsweb.com> > > > > > Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2001 8:38 PM > > > > > Subject: Re: [CHAHTA] Elkdreamer, twinkies > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Halito Fay > > > > > > Mostly people that want to be N/A and really have no Indian blood >at > > > all > > > > > > Walk in Beauty > > > > > > Elkdreamer > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== CHAHTA Mailing List ==== > > > > > To subscribe to CHOCTAW-SOUTHEAST-L genealogy mail list: > > > > > Send msg. to CHOCTAW-SOUTHEAST-L-request@rootsweb.com > > > > > Put "one" word in "body" of message:... "subscribe" without the >quotes > > > > > Nothing in the subject line... Turn off signatures....... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== CHAHTA Mailing List ==== > > > > Choctaw Home Page: > > > > http://freepages.cultures.rootsweb.com/~choctaw/ > > > > > > > > > > ==== CHAHTA Mailing List ==== > > > Need more CHOCTAW information?? Visit Judy White's pages at > > > http://accessgenealogy.com/native for rolls, data, etc. > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > > Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 > > > > > > ==== CHAHTA Mailing List ==== > > > To subscribe to CHOCTAW-SOUTHEAST-L Genealogy mail list: > > > Send msg. to CHOCTAW-SOUTHEAST-L-request@rootsweb.com > > > Put "one" word in "body" of message:... "subscribe" without the quotes > > > Nothing in the subject line... Turn off signatures....... > > > > > > ==== CHAHTA Mailing List ==== > > Markie and Fay's CHOCTAW-SOUTHEAST Home Page: > > http://freepages.cultures.rootsweb.com/~choctaw/ > > > > >==== CHAHTA Mailing List ==== >Markie and Fay's CHOCTAW-SOUTHEAST Home Page: >http://freepages.cultures.rootsweb.com/~choctaw/ Regards, Dennis K. Boswell 301 Crow Canyon Drive Folsom, CA 95630 Tel: (916) 987-3599 Fax: (916) 987-3555

A Native American is anyone who is born in American. Personally, I think we call ourselves indians without second thought, but when someone else does, we think they are referring to someone from India. Sort of like blacks who don't mind being called "nigger" by each other, but are offended if anyone else calls them that. I THINK that the term Native American is the "politically correct" name right now, although most "indians" prefer American Indian. Speaking for myself, I think I prefer Indian or American Indian, of the three, but I would really rather just be call Choctaw. I remember being probably four or five years old and learning that I was Choctaw. We at the time happened to live on Choctaw St. and I of course felt there was a reason for that and it was cause I lived there LOL We had a neighbor who had a bumper sticker on her car that said "Cherokee and Proud of it" I remember wanting a car just so I could put a Choctaw sticker on it. I can say that I am 37 yrs old and have a bumper sticker on my car that says "Proud to be Choctaw". I also remember that I said I would marry an indian and my kids would "show" their indian more than I do. We all know that doesn't always work, but it does tell me that at a very early age I knew I was more indian inside than I looked on the outside. When I've been asked if I could go back in time or be anyone, I have always thought/said that I would want to be a Choctaw woman in the late 1700s, just so I could learn the old ways before the foreign influences on the tribe. Ok, getting off my soapbox. Notice I say nothing or very little, then I just start ranting? LOL? Yokoke Shelley

There are many opinions as to where the term "indian" came from. I personally like the one that says the Spanish used the term "in Dios" to refer to the natives they found on this continent. They were a people "in Dois"....."in God". I like that. The world "Indian" does not offend me. I've heard it and used it all my life and I'm too old to break an old habit now. However, when I go into the schools I do remind the children that there are those now who are offended by the word, and for them to start the habit of referring to native people as "Native Americans" or "American Indians". dusty ----- Original Message ----- From: Choctaw <choctaw@bscn.com> To: <CHAHTA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2001 11:57 PM Subject: Re: [CHAHTA] twinkies > A Native American is anyone who is born in American. Personally, I think we > call ourselves indians without second thought, but when someone else does, > we think they are referring to someone from India. Sort of like blacks > who don't mind being called "nigger" by each other, but are offended if > anyone else calls them that. > I THINK that the term Native American is the "politically correct" name > right now, although most "indians" prefer American Indian. > Speaking for myself, I think I prefer Indian or American Indian, of the > three, but I would really rather just be call Choctaw. > I remember being probably four or five years old and learning that I was > Choctaw. We at the time happened to live on Choctaw St. and I of course > felt there was a reason for that and it was cause I lived there LOL We had > a neighbor who had a bumper sticker on her car that said "Cherokee and Proud > of it" I remember wanting a car just so I could put a Choctaw sticker on > it. I can say that I am 37 yrs old and have a bumper sticker on my car that > says "Proud to be Choctaw". I also remember that I said I would marry an > indian and my kids would "show" their indian more than I do. We all know > that doesn't always work, but it does tell me that at a very early age I > knew I was more indian inside than I looked on the outside. > When I've been asked if I could go back in time or be anyone, I have always > thought/said that I would want to be a Choctaw woman in the late 1700s, > just so I could learn the old ways before the foreign influences on the > tribe. > Ok, getting off my soapbox. Notice I say nothing or very little, then I > just start ranting? LOL? > Yokoke > Shelley > > > ==== CHAHTA Mailing List ==== > Need more CHOCTAW information?? Visit Judy White's pages at http://accessgenealogy.com/native for rolls, data, etc. >