kyflutedancr

I have a difficult situation. I have no heritage that I can determine. I don't mean native blood, I mean any at all. My mother is adopted and my grandmother remarried before my father was born. I can hardly trace my grandmother's line back 4 generations. I have always wanted to belong somewhere, but it is kind of impossible. So far I've been welcomed at the local Pow Wow's and I dance during intertribals, mainly in Trad. style, but I am unsure if it would be proper for me to dance in regalia during a Traditional session. I study Native American history/culture and I am an Archaeology and Anthropology major, so I have heard of adoption ceremonies. Does anyone think that this would be a possibility? I know that the great spirit flows in me and that I am called to dance, but I don't know if it is proper.
Any help is greatly appreciated. Pilamaye tiaspaye!

Noyaha

You're not lost Bro.....I see you right there! Seriously tho, surely there is SOME indication of who your people were. Do you have any native physical characteristics? If not, what physical characteristics do you have? I can remember getting a little bent outta shape when all one side of family knew was the dreaded Black Dutch. I just figured I'd never know what tribe ran through my ma's line. Found out last night it is Comanche. Outta the blue. Hang tough.....when/if you're meant to know....you will.

As far as adoption goes though, I only have experience adopting animals others have thrown away. I'd suggest chilling on this one too. Once again, if its meant to happen, it will. In the meantime, keep digging. Someone knows something....bet on it.

As far as your dancing being 'proper' or not.......hmmmm.....if you go into the circle with respect and honor, then how can it be improper?

Good luck!

Migiziwomen

wow i feel for you it must be hard not knowing where your lines are. noyaha is right on the money when you are meant to know you will. sounds like you got a good head on your shoulders, getting educated, dancing. someone in or around your family knows something, someone always does. good luck to you and keep us posted of the new events.

what part of the country are you from?

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kyflutedancr

Im from Kentucky. And sadly Migizi, no one does know. My mother's real mother was noted as anonymous on her adoption certificate and even though I've asked my grandmother, she will not say who my dad's father is. All in all, my family is just disinterested and really doesn't care where we came from. I am the only one to ever even attempt to find my heritage. Noyaha, I do think that I have native blood because of some physical features. My mother and I both have high cheekbones, really dark brown/black hair and eyes, and we both are dark complected("indian dark" in the summer as she says, lol) My only problem is that even if I am meant to know, I'm not sure if I will be able to.

Noyaha

Don't stop digging Bro. Natives have more physical characteristics than just high cheekbones....;) I can't recall them all off the top of my head, but look at your feet. Is your second toe longer than your big toe? Hold up your fingers. Are they crooked (especially your little finger)? Natives also have a pigmentation on their retinas. Next time you go for an eye exam, ask the doctor if you have it. There are countless others, but you'll have to research them.

And don't feel bad about you being the only one in your family who cares. At least you do. None of my direct cousins cares about their ndn blood and they all know about it. Find an extended family member who was either raised in the tradition or is just as interested as you are. I was lucky to find a cousin.....and one who knows all kinds of things I never even thought about....lol....like that thread running now asking about the Cherokee/Blackfoot connection (of which I refuse to reply because of the blatant disrespect in that thread). But he told me how we have a Blackfoot grandmother and a Choctaw grandfather. Wish I could remember everything he said, but in a nutshell, ndns (Blackfoot) were taken off the rez and told if they fought in the civil war, they'd be given freedom. That's how some Blackfoot came to be in the south.

Anywho, keep digging Bro and talk to Creator. Where there's a will, there's a way....;)

Wojapi4Me

[quote=Noyaha] ndns (Blackfoot) were taken off the rez and told if they fought in the civil war, they'd be given freedom. That's how some Blackfoot came to be in the south. [quote]

Are you kidding? Please tell me that you're kidding?

Ok...we need to clarify something here. Are you talking about people from the Blackfeet Confederacy, the Blackfoot (siha sapa) Lakota or simply black people?

Because the Civil War started in 1860, and there was very limited contact with most of the western tribes during this time period. Certainly none that would make any of them want to travel south to fight in a war. This makes no sense.

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If pro is the opposite of con, then wouldn't progress be the opposite of...lol

Migiziwomen

you know there is such a strong belief in that saying if you were meant to....or if it is meant to be.... you have to stay positive, have faith in the creator, maybe you are meant to do something you cannot even imagine yet. kyflutedancr :My only problem is that even if I am meant to know, I'm not sure if I will be able to.

this is what you have to let go of, if you were meant to know you will, there is no other meaning to that. obviously you have been drawn to the native spirit, it seems to come from within, where with wannabes it is something they put on. you know noyaha again gave some really good advise, and i really only have one more thing to add. you feel native it must be in you keep doing what you are doing. your answer may come from someone you would never think of, and it may not be what you wanted to hear but it will be what you are supposed to know even, and this is the hard part, even if you are never supposed to know.

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Okwataga

well maybe they(choctaw and blackfoot) met at boarding school in oklahoma possibly chillicothe or they were all sent up to Hampton or Carlise... who knows how or where

But I don't remember anything about the Blackfeet coming down to win any kind of freedom by fighting in the Civil War.....??????

Now I know some Blacks were given the chance that if they fought and survived they won their freedom...

But back to the point of the lost one - just start looking at library records going to court hosues if you have the time start looking up family names YOU KNOW there are records out there you just have to have time and look and be persistent in your search

do you have any family names you can pass on here some us do research... or place of births, who people married, ....

Noyaha

That's my problem too Okwatago...;) My memory isn't so good. I will have to ask him again, but this is a trusted source (he's done much research through the Warrior Society down here). If memory serves, he said the Blackfoot were brought to the Red something Agency in Missouri. I guess anything would have been better than living on a reservation. But, yes, some did come south. I distinctly remember him telling me this as I was a little confused about how the heck they came to be in the south myself. Prolly no different than when they took the Apache and dumped them in Florida and Alabama. Who knows? I wasn't there, but I do trust my source.

Oh, and Scott *last name edited by ~mato*.......of grief! Your disrespect deserves nothing more than to be IGNORED! My cousin is a respected medicine man and when it comes to taking his word over yours......well.....you don't stand a snowball's chance in hell bro......now run along....don't you have some other Cherokee and Blackfoot you need to be out there dissing? I'm sure they all love you as much as I do......NOT!

Noyaha

hahahahaha......went in to block singerdad (tired of your nasty disrespectful posts).....I can't block you Scott! You're a moderator!??!!!! hahahahaha YOU? Unfreakingbelievable. Okay, I'm outta here. If this is the kind of people who run this joint, then who needs it? I will get my powwow information elsewhere. I was wondering why you were so free in spewing your vile negativity.......will wonders never cease?

Okwataga

Noyaha - where does singerdad spew negativity??? he asked a question that you have not answered

Just need to know which Blackfoot and or Blackfeet you are talking about and they are different and not from the southern states....

and as natives we were free already - did not have to fight for our freedom / just our land and our rights

Migiziwomen

hey i saw that episode the other night where he tells the broc to stop mocking him....i laughed and thought of you and your aviater. good times, and for the record i do not think that you were spewing anything. lord knows i have said worse when i was angered by some nut on here. not to say that noyaha is a nut. [quote=Singerdad][quote=Noyaha] ndns (Blackfoot) were taken off the rez and told if they fought in the civil war, they'd be given freedom. That's how some Blackfoot came to be in the south.

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Wojapi4Me

Wow...hit a nerve here huh? LOL

Where is the vile negativity? All I did was ask a question. Is it the Blackfeet Confederacy? The Blackfoot (siha sapa) band of Lakota? Or simply black people?

As for being a moderator...yeah kinda funny considering how outspoken I am, but I was asked...I didn't do the asking. And as for blocking people...what are you even talking about? On one hand you talk about freedom and then on the other you talk about blocking people who say stuff (or rather ask questions) you don't like.

As for names...since you felt the need to post mine...do you at least have enough guts to post yours?

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If pro is the opposite of con, then wouldn't progress be the opposite of...lol

Emmy

u know i think its kinda funny how when people r challenged and have no answers 4 questions posed they just get all huffy and leave.

as for the cherokee/blackfoot thing i think its kinda funny that this person u speak of is the only person who knows of the blackfoot coming to fight and mixing with cherokees, as opposed to the facts of the other (see thread)

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Oh yeah, I used to know Quentin...He's a real...He's a real Jerky

~Flat Beat~

kyflutedancr

How did we go from the right to dance to an argument over whether or not the Blackfeet migrated to the southeast????

danbear