Is anyone a cherokee indian or a descendant of any other native american tribe?

Question

i grew up knowing somewhere along the lines i was cherokee but until now i didnt know how much i actuall was is anyone else a descendant if so how did you find out and do you have mny ohysical features of an indian?

Answer 1

At first I didn't have a clue.But in doing the genealogy part of the equation, I found out that my ancestors live in the middle of Cherokee territory in Tennessee.  Then I started searching for the extended family, which came out of North Carolina, where the Eastern Band of Cherokee reservation is. I found my relatives listed on some of the early Cherokee Rolls, so I was able to satisfy my (by then growing desire) to feel I belonged....

Answer 2

I'm Half Penobscot...You could try going to the Reservation, and asking some of the people that work there(You know, The people who handle things on the reservation.), they might be able to tell you where to find information on your ancestors.

Answer 3

You know this irritates me to no end when people go out of their way to look for something when it really means nothing. I mean if you're white, you're white. There is nothing wrong with that. And I say this because you live the life of a white person, and your immediate ancestors lived the lives of white people. This is not to blame them, but they were only doing what they could to improve their chances of survival. Now when you proclaim yourself Cherokee because your 5th great grandparent or whatever may or may not be Cherokee it demeans those who actually are Cherokee. I'm talking the people who were forced onto a reservation or forced up into an inhospitable mountaintop to survive, which most of them didn't. Be glad you're white.

Answer 4

I am a Chippewa Indian.My great grandma on my Mom's side was full Indian. So I am 1/8 Indian. I don't think I have the Indian features though.My great grandmother sure looked Indian though. You can look your name up on www.indianancestory.com and see if the last name matches.Then in order to prove it you will need a birth certificate of the relative that was full Indian.

Answer 5

My parents are from el salvador, i'm mestizo (mix indian and native amercian), i have either pipil, lenca indian ancestry or both

Answer 6

Hey i think it is great that people want to know where they came from!  I love to know who my ancestors were.  It makes me feel like I know my place in the world.  A distant cousin of mine researched my family history on my Dad's side back 300 years and it was so interesting to read about the people that came before me.  I don't think it is about color.  It is about knowing your background and who you came from.

In my country, the indigenous people getting reacquainted with their ethnic roots had been proven to be effective in treatment for addictions as well as some other anti social behaviors.

Answer 7

My great-great grandmother on my mother's side was Cherokee Native American and on my father's side my great grandmother was Kuna Native American (I think). I think that the best ways to find out are to check your ancestors in the Census records and see what they were  listed as; hire a geneaologist to guide  through the process, as race has always been a big issue in America, so many times when someone passed as white, they claimed to be white for better treatment in life (sorry to say, but welcome to America); and ask the older members of your family, because they probably know something. I believe that one of the answerers above listed indianancestry.com, which is said to be useful.

I found out from my mother's father and my father's mother, when I was tracing my ancestry for a geneaology project. Honestly, I do not proclaim myself as Native American, mainly because I am Black, and as the user above stated, I live the life of a black person (struggles and all), and it really does not matter. The world sees a Black male when it looks at me. As for Indian features, people have said to me that it is obvious from my features that I have Native American in my family line. I assume that this is because of my hair and according to others "high cheekbones." These, however, could also be African fetures or possibly those of another nationality. There is really no way to tell, because all Native Americans do not look alike, as no other nationality does. I agree that if you are white, just be fine with what you are (not that I am saying you aren't), because chances are that it will in no way really affect your life, and it demeans those who are full-blooded native american. I am Black and proud. Be proud of who you are! :)

Answer 8

"...how did you find out..."

From family. How much, by dividing it by each generation after the last "full blood". Features..not that I know of.

Answer 9

Some of the records were lost, destroyed by fire.

You can contact the Cherokee nation threw email, give them what information you have and they might be able to locate some descese relatives for you.

Answer 10

My husband and children are Cherokee. They have a provable ancestor on the membership rolls of the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, OK. This roll number is how they are identified as part of the tribe and are subsequently eligible for benefits through the Cherokee Nation. There are a lot of Cherokees who are authentic but don't have a way of proving that they are descendants of someone on the rolls. One of my sons is darker skinned than the others, also one of my nephews and a niece. It is not really noticeable that anyone else in the family "looks Indian". My husband's Grandmother was half Cherokee and one quarter Choctaw. She really did look like the stereo-typical Native American woman. Her  nickname was "the Squaw".

Answer 11

i am chocktaw indian.