spike

Im new to powwow.com and feel I need to express my feelings about going to my first powwow in May of this year. Because I have been researching my roots and found that I have Native ancestors on my Mothers and Fathers side. I can`t prove any of them but I know they existed. I was drawn to the powwow like a magnet was pulling me , and I felt the power and love of the dancers and the music. The drums felt like my own heartbeat. The men and women dancers were so beautiful in their regalia , dark skin, hair, and eyes. I went home that day with tears in my eyes, wishing that I was full blood. My skin is white but my heart is red. I am learning Lakotayapi to honor all those who will hear me. This is my story.
My wish is to find out more about my Native ancestors. I`ve noticed a link here to finding your DNA and I would like to ask if anyone has used the DNA link to find their roots ? I only wish to satisfy my curiosity.

trob226

Hi, Spike. I too am largely white with some Indian ancestry and have used DNA, not to prove anything because it probably won't, but just out of curiosity. You are probably talking about autosomnal DNA testing, which purports to tell you that x% of your DNA looks like caucasian DNA and x% looks like Native American DNA. It has a lot of limitations and will only pick up what goes back to about your great great grandparents, because beyond that the % is just too low to pick up (that is, you have 16 great great grandparents, and 1/16th amounts to about 6%). Even if it picks something up, I wouldn't consider it "proof" - the science is just too young to trust. If you can't determine your Indian ancestry by conventional methods, you're probably out of luck until better testing methods come along. But don't feel alone. Many, many mixed blood people exist but can't find their ancestors.

Ginger

Welcome To Powwows .com Spike

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spike

Thank you both for the reply. Thank you Ginger for the welcome, and thank you Trob226 for the advise. I suspected that the DNA test might not be a good source for evidence. I will just have to be happy with the little bit of information that has been passed on to me from my mother. Her father told her that his grand mother was full blood. And , I think that my dad`s grandmother was Native American but it was never mentioned , and I didnt get to ask before he died.

Wyawaqacumen

Spike,

Blood doesn't define a man. It's how he feels, how he acts.

I'd say that your note here tells me that you are certainly native Lakota, even if you are a white man.

Keep it up. The Lakota are a people that deserve a lot of respect, white man or native american.

I stand next to you, your brother.

Wyawaqacumen
Bearman of the Lenape

MayChe

Hi spike! Welcome to the site!

trob226's right. there are many, many mixed blood people who can't prove their ancestry but that doesn't stop them from being who they know they are. Don't give up on the genealogy digging though.

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Historian

Hau Spike,
I understand your desire to have "proof", but as some have already said, you already know who you are, so go with what you feel. Ask questions, learn, and above all, be respectful, and you will begin to understand the things you search for. Welcome to the boards.
Toksa ake,
Historian

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subeeds

Hi Spike and welcome to the forum. It's quite an interesting place-and fun too!

tsuj510

That's a load of crap, Sir.

Spike-whoever you are, just hang out dude. Don't make any assumptions and despite what anyone tells you, a note can't tell anyone what your heritage is. Jeezus-H Christ!

Can you tell by my writing skills that I'm half Jewish/American Indian? No.. I didn't think so..

Just take it easy and be yourself-whoever/whatever you are.

I'm here to tell you half of the folks who spew that tripe are crazy

Wyawaqacumen

I'm sorry you don't agree with my assessment and understanding of culture "sir."

Just because we don't agree doesn't give you the right to be offensive to me. If you really had any conceptualization of what true tradition means, you'd certainly also understand that in most cultures, many native American cultures, politeness is certainly very important.

Perhaps you should try again, and this time, be polite.
Or perhaps, next time, I won't be so polite to you.

tsuj510

One difficult aspect about the net is that one cannot intuit tone.

My use of the word Sir was based in respect; I don't agree with you, and its unfortunate you chose to internalize that. Just trying to have a dialogue, here..

That being said, feel free to lecture me about true traditions if you feel inclined. Its a free country, innit? I was raised to speak my mind and to call a spade a spade. While politness is important and most reasonable folks understand this, it is, IMHO, a stereotypical statement to say that we, as Indians, are any more polite than any other group. We're just people, no better or worse than the next.

And while we're on the topic of politeness, threatening statements are the opposite of such. I happen to be a gentleman, so I'll let that go this once.

Do not threaten me again please.

spike

Thank you tsuj510 for your advise. I only want to listen and learn, quietly and without being disrespectful or offensive to anyone. I welcome everyone`s opinion and hopefully I can sort out the words that will help me to learn more. Im not trying to be any more than what I am.
I also want to thank everyone else for the kind words of welcome.

tsuj510

It's all good-no problem!