Once again, Michelle. Well said. K. ----- Original Message ----- From: JMSchohn To: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, August 09, 2008 10:08 AM Subject: [CREEK-SOUTHEAST] On who is a wannabe I have never considered someone with Indian ancestry and no tribal ties to be a wannabe. When I think about wannabees, I think about the folks with a "Cherokee Indian princess" great great grandmother or the boy scouts at pow wows with not one drop of Indian blood but the finest regalia money can buy. I think about New Agers who are "Indian in their heart," or even better, "Indian in a previous life." As tribal historian and genealogist, I have met many people searching for their heritage. There is a longing there to find out who they are and they have little more to go on than whispered rumors in their own family. Sometimes I can help them document who they are and sometimes not. Often, I can point to traditions in their family that they didn't know where Indian, or to physical features that reveal their ancestry. But those folks aren't wannabees. Those folks are our lost cousins, and for those of us who are fortunate enough to have always known who we are, our job is to help them find their way home. Michelle In a message dated 08/09/08 12:44:56 Eastern Standard Time, [email protected] writes: I must agree here. For over 4 decades I have searched for answers, for proof of my NA heritage. My grandmother and her family told us that her own mother was full blooded "Indian". Even my uncle on my other side knew the truth but when I asked about it, it was as if it was a dirty little secret and the family kept it hushed. You on this group who know who you are, who your grandparents are have no idea of the torment of not having the proof to justify the pull of certain music, certain books, things that confirm your identity. We may be wannabees but we are wannabees for a reason. NA blood runs through my veins and I can't prove it with written documents. My grandmother has been listed as black and then white on census records but never Indian. I was told I was black Irish and to let it go. I think that as knowledgeable and brilliant as some of the contributors here are, they are also condescending and mean to those of us without "papers", the mutts, the mongrels who only want for ourselves and our children a link to that nation of our elders. It is sad when one can trace their ancestors of Irish or English ancestry back to the 900's AD but not 2 generations back to our Native American ties. It is beyond sad, it is heartbreaking and then to go to a site in hopes of finding some way to get past that brick wall only to be called a wannabee and made to feel stupid for looking for what you have found is wrong. Barb ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

I understand the wannabee talk, but on this list there will be no putting anyone down. We are all searching, that is part of the purpose of this list. If you can't be nice to your brothers and sisters, then don't answer at all. So many people on this list contribute so much to the group, and then sometimes one miss spoken word hurts many, think about what you say and remember I am the grouch on this list!! Judy List Mom On Sat, Aug 9, 2008 at 10:22 AM, Kathie M. Donahue <[email protected]>wrote: > Once again, Michelle. Well said. > > K. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: JMSchohn > To: [email protected] > Sent: Saturday, August 09, 2008 10:08 AM > Subject: [CREEK-SOUTHEAST] On who is a wannabe > > > I have never considered someone with Indian ancestry and no tribal ties to > be a wannabe. When I think about wannabees, I think about the folks with a > "Cherokee Indian princess" great great grandmother or the boy scouts at pow > wows with not one drop of Indian blood but the finest regalia money can buy. > I think about New Agers who are "Indian in their heart," or even better, > "Indian in a previous life." > > As tribal historian and genealogist, I have met many people searching for > their heritage. There is a longing there to find out who they are and they > have little more to go on than whispered rumors in their own family. > Sometimes I can help them document who they are and sometimes not. Often, I > can point to traditions in their family that they didn't know where Indian, > or to physical features that reveal their ancestry. But those folks aren't > wannabees. Those folks are our lost cousins, and for those of us who are > fortunate enough to have always known who we are, our job is to help them > find their way home. > > Michelle > > In a message dated 08/09/08 12:44:56 Eastern Standard Time, > [email protected] writes: > I must agree here. For over 4 decades I have searched for answers, for > proof of my NA heritage. My grandmother and her family told us that her > own mother was full blooded "Indian". Even my uncle on my other side > knew the truth but when I asked about it, it was as if it was a dirty > little secret and the family kept it hushed. You on this group who know > who you are, who your grandparents are have no idea of the torment of > not having the proof to justify the pull of certain music, certain > books, things that confirm your identity. We may be wannabees but we > are wannabees for a reason. NA blood runs through my veins and I can't > prove it with written documents. My grandmother has been listed as > black and then white on census records but never Indian. I was told I > was black Irish and to let it go. I think that as knowledgeable and > brilliant as some of the contributors here are, they are also > condescending and mean to those of us without "papers", the mutts, the > mongrels who only want for ourselves and our children a link to that > nation of our elders. It is sad when one can trace their ancestors of > Irish or English ancestry back to the 900's AD but not 2 generations > back to our Native American ties. It is beyond sad, it is heartbreaking > and then to go to a site in hopes of finding some way to get past that > brick wall only to be called a wannabee and made to feel stupid for > looking for what you have found is wrong. > Barb > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >