hsmomstef

what is a federal card?

Tarhunt

jag08:

Here's another thread on this. I found nothing on how colleges do this on google (if there is a standard way). Was it a high school counselor that told you this, or some admissions officers? I'm not trying to be aggressive, I just want to know where this info is coming from.

claiming native american status?

jag08

Tarhunt:


It was actually my sister, a junior at William and Mary, who told me about it. Then my dad and i got more involved in figuring out more about it. Also, a few other people have told me, but I do plan on calling the admissions office later today and ask them the actual statistic.


hsmomstef:

A federal card is basically a card that every student is required to fill out every school year and is held on file in the archives I guess in the city that I live in. You provide your name, parents names, DOB, race, military status, etc.

hsmomstef

I have never heard of a "federal card". Is it something that those who do not have US citizenship have to fill out? I am just curious. Neither myself, nor either of my children have ever had to fill out a "federal card".

gunsandbutter

Coming from someone in your exact boat:

I have applied to all my schools claiming white heritage because even though I am 1/8th Cherokee Indian, I am not a registered member of a tribe and thus do not have the same lifestyle as others who share my bloodline.

As much as I would love to take advantage of it, I can't, and on the common app site I used, you literally cannot move forward in your application if you claim native american heritage without a tribe.

It's not so much your blood, its your activity.

So you're outta luck, sorry.

ErlindaP

I'm not native but I once worked for a few years for the Native American Studies Department of a large western flagship state U so I have some small knowledge base in this area. I think different tribes have different requirements for tribal enrollment as far as the percentage of native blood called for. East Coast Tribes have generally been in longer contact with Europeans during colonial times often with more inter marriage. They might require less tribal inheritance to become enrolled, I've heard of tribes that require as little as 1/16th which would qualify you in those cases. For some of these tribes there is an advantage to adding members-for example-if they are trying to reestablish tribal recognition for the entire tribe (many tribes were unrecognized during the 1950s) more members helps their cause. On the other hand if they have reestablished the tribe or never lost tribal status and there are tribal benefits that are being distributed on a per capita basis they could be leary about Johnny Come Latelies who might seem to be wanting to cash in.

Lots of people don't realize how very different the individual tribes' circumstances, politics and cultures are. Whatever you are doing for college, if you have an interest in this part of your heritage you should contact the tribal council and find out what their process is for establishing tribal membership, and if that is not possible at this point, you should be in contact with the tribe to learn more about you great great grandmothers and their culture. If you fit their requirements for tribal enrollment and can establish membership and are genuinely interested in the culture and establishing an affiliation, then it may be ethically OK to check both boxes. Otherwise I think just using it as part of an essay topic, provided it has had some real impact on your identity, is as far as you can ethically go. Most, but not all, Indians I know in the west are not thrilled by the "my native great great grandmother" story, particularly when it is pulled out to cash in in some way. Their histories are incredibly painful. On the other hand-tribes that are trying to reestablish themselves, whose members were scattered or unrecognized decades or even generations ago are eager to trace any and all kin. You need to talk to your tribe to find out where they are at with all this. My guess is that on one level or another they will be glad for your interest provided it is real. Sorry this isn't a simple answer but you really aren't asking as simple a question as you think you are. The bottom line is-you are asking the wrong people by posting this on this board-you need to contact your tribe and talk to the council or the elders, the tribal historian or whoever they point you to to find out more.

ErlindaP

I don't know what band your Grandmothers belonged to but here is a link to the constitution of a band of Abenakis in Vermont. There are a number of bands with presence on the web. Good Luck in your efforts to reconnect.

http://www.abenakination.org/Constitution.pdf

spideygirl

Erlinda - great post. I think it is sad how jag's ancestors were persecuted by Europeans and probably strongly discouraged (if not forbidden) from being culturally Native American. They assimiliated and inter-married with the newcomers to North America. A few generations forward, their descendant may not even be allowed to pass as one of them, but this time by the tribe itself.

andreaaaaaa

your parents great great grandparents are your great great great grandparents, and you have 32 great great great grandparents. two of them are native american, so that makes you 2/32 native american = 1/16.

ErlindaP

It's impossible to say how the Abenakis would react to someone in Jag's circumstances seeking to establish tribal membership. One thing I did learn from working in the Native American studies department is that it is a huge mistake to make a general statement about Native people based on your experience with a single tribe. Every tribe is different. And it goes without saying that every individual in a given tribe is also different. Jag-contact the tribal council if you are serious about this. If nothing else you will learn a lot.
The Abenakis have a pretty extensive web presence. You may be able to answer some of your questions on their site.

norcalguy

Let the colleges decide. Tell them you're 1/32 Native American. Tell them you don't have a tribal card. Tell them you've never done anything associated with your NA heritage in your life. If they choose to grant you URM status, then no one should have any qualms about it.

jag08

norcalguy:

you are so right.
I'm not going to lie and say that I am involved with my Abaneki heritage or pretend any of that. I'm going to tell the truth, and if they don't accept my qualifications, hopefully they will accept me for my grades and extracurricular activities.

spideygirl

Just make sure you say 1/16th, though.

ErlindaP

By the way Jag-the spelling is Abenaki-according to the BIA and the tribal web sites I saw.

I hope you are interested in learning more and reconnecting with the tribe. At least one band I saw is trying to reestablish tribal sttatus so they might welcome people tracing down their native heritage. Maybe the desire to get an edge in college admissions could lead you to a very interesting history, where you have personal ties. My daughter is 1/8th Jewish-her Grandfather and his relatives were refugees from Nazi Germany. We are not a Jewish family but her personal connection to the holocaust has made her more sensitive to human rights issues and fired her interest in government and politics. You will gain personally if you try to learn more about this part of your background. Getting a liberal arts education goes beyond playing the admissions game, as I'm sure you realize.

jag08

spideygirl:

"Just make sure you say 1/16th, though."

but am I? I didn't think you could add the two together. Isnt it like you add 1/32 and 1/32 and divide by two. That would still make 1/32. Ah, so confusing! Anyways, if anyone knows anyone who knows anything about Abenaki involvement in the Virginia/NC area, let me know.