Michelle, That is very well put, as in North Carolina every tribe that has been given state recognition has had to prove that they have existed as a community distinct from their white/black neighbors maintaining social, political, and family ties as a tribe residing in a distinct geographical area, in the past having their own churches,schools, and recognition from other tribal groups as being Indians. The Catawbas struggled for years before regaining federal recognition, and were caught in limbo for years being State Recognized but not federally recognized, and not having access to adequate housing, education, and health care. After being restored to Federal status suddenly they are considered Indians again by other federally Recognized tribes. --- On Sat, 8/9/08, JMSchohn <[email protected]> wrote: > From: JMSchohn <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [CREEK-SOUTHEAST] The Irony of Current Creek Membership > To: [email protected] > Date: Saturday, August 9, 2008, 12:05 PM > I have served for many years as tribal historian and federal > recognition officer. So I can tell you that the ability to > speak a unique language is not a requirement but can be used > to fulfill the cultural continuity requirement. > > I would also not assume that every state recognized tribe > is a fraud and that the only "real" tribes are > federal ones. My tribe is state recognized. We are in the > process of status clarification with the federal government. > I was told by one of the historians at the BIA that our > people had one of the easiest paths to federal recognition > of any of the remaining unrecognized tribes and that it was > just a matter of putting the documents together. > > Does this mean every state tribe is legitimate? Of course > not. But don't paint them all with one brush. There are > many tribes, particularly in the southeast, that remain in > tribal communities, that govern themselves through the > churches they established when their traditional religion > was outlawed. I personally can document my tribe from first > contact. And I can demonstrate that ever single member is > descended either from a soldier who fought in a company in > the Revolutionary War that was identified as a PeeDee Indian > company or from someone who lived in the communities with > them. Most of our people descend from more than one of those > soldiers. I personally descend from four of them. > > When the Catawba had their federal recognition restored in > the 1990s, suddenly federal Indians who had denounced them > as not real Indians suddenly accepted them as such. And > Chief Blue, to his credit, told them they were lap dogs to > the BIA for treating the Catawba as something less than a > tribe until the federal government said they were. > > We are not Indians at the whim of the U.S. government, and > we are a tribe whether they recognize us or not. We seek > recognition because of the benefits it could bring to the > quality of life of our people, not because it will make us > Indian. The Creator already did that. > > .....stepping off my soapbox now....... > > Michelle > > > > In a message dated 08/09/08 11:53:00 Eastern Standard Time, > [email protected] writes: > Isn't that a little over assuming the state officials > are much more ignorant > than federal officials, or won't seek further > information from creditable > individuals? Everything can be traced back to some kind of > money in some > way....either having to give or to keep from taking....but > present or future > finances are always involved. This is an observation and > opinion as well. > TT > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "csmoke" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]>; > <[email protected]> > Sent: Saturday, August 09, 2008 12:58 AM > Subject: Re: [CREEK-SOUTHEAST] The Irony of Current Creek > Membership > > > > Leon, > > I do not know all the fed reqirement for being > recognized, but do know > > that you can add speaking their unique language. And > I think there is > > something about all these tests met and being in > existence for 200 or more years. > > There is a "native site" (commanchelodge..) > that I think lists criteria > > for recognition, plus a listing of all the recognized > tribes. > > > > So, I think you could go to the site I mentioned and > see who is federally > > recognized. There are state (only) recognized groups > (who may be > > legitimate in many ways and have a good heart...) , > but I hear that the problem with > > that is a " local" chief or whatever can > blow a smoke at the state > > bureaucrats...throw in some genealogy/etc, and the > state officials do not > > know nothing from nothing.... it looks ok, recognize > them. Does not mean > > anything special.. my view. > > > > Richard B. > > > > ------------------------------- > 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