CHOCTAW-D-request@rootsweb.com wrote: > Subject: [CHOCTAW] Confused about census now!!1 > Date: Wed, 8 Mar 2000 21:48:48 -0800 > From: "Sharon" <sharander@home.com> > To: CHOCTAW-L@rootsweb.com > > I was pretty clear from all the discussion regarding how to fill out the census that we DID NOT have to be a tribal MEMBER in order to identify ourselves with our true heritage of American Indian. But the following message doesn't seem to say that - or am I misunderstanding?? This message which Alice says is from the Census Bureau says: > > " American Indian or Alaska Native -- A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America), and who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment." > > Because they use the word "and" this links "American Indian or Alasks Native" to "tribal affiliation or comunity attachment" - meaning that in order to be an American Indian, you must have origins to original peoples AND you must have tribal affiliation or community attachment !!! > > I am really confused now - what should we who are Indian but are not tribal members do???. > > Sharon You do not have to be an enrolled member of the Tribe to participate in the census. If you consider yourself to be Native then I encourage you to reflect that in your response. Please refer to the following article: Filling in the Census by Mary Blount, Ph.D., Census Tribal Liaison, Muskogee Creek Non federal Indians are not getting the full story on how to enumerate and be counted as Indian. These are the rules given to Federal Tribes by the Census Bureau To make sure you are counted, follow the steps below. Check Indian as the only race listing no other admixture (white, black, etc.). Enter the name of your tribe using only 19 letters. Check with tribal officials to ensure everyone in the tribe is using the same tribal name with same spelling. Be sure that person #1 on the Census lists as Indian, because everyone in the household will be counted as the same race as # 1. Pass it on and your people will be counted appropriately. There are two forms, short and long. The long form has the added question about ancestry which asks nationality, i.e. what your parents-grandparents were. Again, what is filled in is important. What I am telling my tribe is to enter " North American " since the race is already listed as American Indian. The coding information is true for all minorities, since how the Census statisticians deal with the data is the key. Only full bloods of any race are listed in the primary census reports that are promulgated for national use. The secondary census report data seldom get wide spread discrimination; thus, anyone not counted as full blood does not get counted into program funding which is based upon the primary race count. I know it sounds complex and it is, since it is essentially a governmental, money saving device. -- André Cramblit, Operations Director The Northern California Indian Development Council ( http://www.ncidc.org ) NCIDC is a non-profit organization that helps meet the social, educational, and economic development needs of American Indian communities. NCIDC operates a fine art gallery and gift boutique featuring the best of American Indian Artist's and their work, with emphasis placed on the work of the Tribes of N.W. California. (http://www.ncidc.org/gift/gifthome.htm#anchorgift)