For those of you who often wonder if the old family legend of Indian blood is true, but are confused about the mysteries of the Indian culture, here is an interesting article on genealogy from one of the newspapers in Tahlequah OK, home of the Cherokee Western Band. Jackie > KNIGHT RIDDER NEWS SERVICE > TAHLEQUAH, Okla. -- It's inevitable if you're > American Indian. > Somewhere, when you least expect it, a non-Indian > person will step up > and say, "My grandmother was a Cherokee Princess, I > am trying to find > out how to become a member of the tribe." The > speaker always assumes > that all American Indians know each other and are > experts on tribal > enrollment. The question can come from the mechanic, > the professor at a > large university or a next-door neighbor. > Descendants of the famed > Cherokee Princess are everywhere. She is elusive. > Few who tell about her > can actually remember her name. But she was "quite > an old gal" with high > cheekbones and brown skin. "You could see the Indian > in her," they might > say. It's often difficult, but if you're an American > Indian, be polite, > try not to laugh and direct the person to the Bureau > of Indian Affairs > for more information. The mythological Cherokee > Princess is a legend in > Indian country. Powwow emcees have used her for > years to get crowds > smiling. A Cherokee Princess joke is almost > guaranteed to get an > audience laughing, often leaving non-Indians > scratching their heads as > they try to figure out what is so darned funny. > Those who reside in > Indian country have long been known for their subtle > humor, often dry, > sometimes just plain silly. They have used the > long-standing stereotype > of the Cherokee Princess as a part of stories and > jokes. There are even > bumper stickers that proclaim, "My grandfather was a > Cherokee Princess. > It's an Indian thing." Perhaps no tribe has been so > maligned or > misunderstood as the Cherokee Nation when it comes > to tribal enrollment. > With more than 200,000 members, the nation has often > been accused of > enrolling anybody who applies. Misconceptions about > the process are > wide- ranging. It is misunderstood by Indians, > non-Indians and even some > Cherokees. One of the first myths that can be > debunked is that of the > Cherokee Princess. > She really did exist . . . well, sort of. In > years past, Cherokee > men had an endearing term for their wives. Roughly > translated, the term > meant princess. Many Cherokee people say they > believe this is how > princess and Cherokee were joined. Thus there may be > some truth to the > myth. The Cherokee Princess did exist, not as > royalty in the European > tradition, but as beloved and cherished wives. So > the next time someone > says they descend from a Cherokee Princess, you may > be able to reply, > with pride, that you are the descendant of a darling > or a sweetie pie. > In spite of perceptions that come from the princess > fable, the nation is > not a monarchy. As early as the 1600s and 1700s, it > recognized anyone > who lived on Cherokee land and lived by Cherokee > laws as a nation > member, regardless of ethnic or racial background. > Prisoners and slaves > were eventually considered members of the tribe, if > they lived as the > Cherokee did. Historical documentation points out > that the Cherokees > understood the finer points of integration and were > able to diminish > barriers of race and ethnic origin long before the > Constitution did. But > that very ability to accept outsiders may have added > to the later > confusion over enrollment. After removal from their > homelands, the > Cherokees ended up in what is now Oklahoma. In their > new home in Indian > Territory, they continued the practice of accepting > others into their > tribe. Then the government decided that the Cherokee > Nation needed to be > organized. Between 1899 and 1906, the Final Rolls > were completed, > listing those Cherokees considered tribal members. > This is where the > confusion began. The federal government didn't have > the final say on who > appeared on the rolls. The Cherokee government > worked with its people to > include even some who were against the rolls. The > consensus was that > most Cherokees may not have liked the rolls but saw > the danger of being > left off. The rolls gave Cherokees an identity that > would have to be > recognized by the government. For many who didn't > appear on the rolls, > it was simply a case of being in the wrong place. > Many Cherokees settled > into homes away from Indian Territory so they were > not listed. And even > though someone may be a full-blooded Cherokee, they > wouldn't be eligible > for tribal enrollment unless their ancestors appear > on those Final > Rolls. Genealogy is key for enrollment with the > Cherokee Nation. > Instructions for eligibility are available on the > nation's Registration > Department Web site, www.cherokee.org.