Unfortunately for Arla, the reason that she has to have the card to sell or show her baskets as "Authenic Native American Made" is because of those New agers, fakes and phonies who look at the craft of the Indian person and say, hey I can do that and make a lot of money off of it. So the Indian person who that may be the only means of income, because they can't get a job because of the discrimination in the job market, suffers. If the fakes and frauds had not ruined it for the rest, there would not be a need for this law. ;-) ----- Original Message ----- From: John & Arla Williams <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, May 24, 1980 4:35 PM Subject: Re: [CHAHTA] Blood Quantum, or Card Carrying > I too, as of this date am not a card carrying Indian.The only time I was ever asked is when someone asked if I would like to exhibit my baskets at a pow wow and I can't here in Oklahoma without a card. > There are still shows I can do that are classified Native American and Nature. I had a Navajo ask me to exhibit at Mesa Verde and all they wanted was some kind of document stating that I was Indian. > If we are not fullbloods we have another part that needs to be honored and descrimination comes in all colors.When you go to a pow wow here everyone talks and is sociable and couldn't care less if you are a card carrying Indian.No one asks how much Indian are you. > In all my life I have only had two times when I was looked at as less,by another Indian.I wasn't as dark so evidently I wasn't Indian. I would say that wasn't an Indian thing on their part but a personal issue they hadn't dealt with within themselves. > I have to address my white side as well as my Indian side. My husband in his infinite wisdom helps me to remember that. We were at Tushkahoma reading some old articles about trading between Choctaw Basketweavers and farmers. My husbands family were big farmers in MS. I asked my husband if he thought my family had traded with his family? He looked at me and said Arla,your family probably traded with each other. > Yes I would love to have a CDIB card.I may never, but card or not I want to be who I am and honor all parts of myself.I want to learn all I can about my heritage.For centuries there was only oral history.If that is all I am to have on my family then I will continue to pass that history to my children and grandchildren. > I have learned much from these Choctaw lists and plan to learn more. > Chi Holloli Arla > > > > > > > Thank you, you hit the nail on the head! You are exactly correct. As a > > "non card carrying" Indian myself, who hangs out with.. from full bloods > > all the way down to a little bit of blood.... and from many different > > tribes... some are elders on the council of their tribes. I have always > > been treated with respect for who I am, not my blood quantum. Not once > > have I been asked "do you have a CDIB card?"... not once have I been asked > > "how much blood are you?"... nor.. "are you a real Indian?" You're right > > when you say you can spot someone who has been watching to many movies! > > > > ==== CHAHTA Mailing List ==== > Home Page: > http://freepages.cultures.rootsweb.com/~choctaw/index.htm > Choctaw Chat: > http://freepages.cultures.rootsweb.com/~choctaw/chat.htm > >