why blood quantum is problematic

Just blood tests. Many Native nations currently use blood quantum to determine who can and cannot become a citizen. Together, we can create a more connected and informed world. They say that I will never amount to anything because Im even whiter, and how stupid my mother and grandfather were for marrying worthless whites. 2022 Harvard Political Review. Not feeling sexual attraction toward anyone was queer enough to start fights, just like the potential proof of interest in the wrong people. This guide provides a non-comprehensive beginners introduction to blood quantum and its implications for sovereignty. This article will focus on the Cherokee Nations history with Freedmen and their descendants, but the other four nations have equally rich histories worth discussing. And potentially, some of those incentives would be financial gain if the tribe, for example, has gaming revenue or other industries. https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2018/02/09/583987261/so-what-exactly-is-blood-quantum, https://oneida-nsn.gov/dl-file.php?file=2016/03/Article-2-Blood-Quantum.pdf, https://open.mitchellhamline.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1086&context=mhlr, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3941118/. Its a big issue especially for tribes that have many bands, like Ojibwe. Wow , didnt know that .I know some tribes are single entity but I didnt know the clan thing. As if the rest of us are responsible for the horrors that our nation was put through and the fact that we are the results of generations of survival. WebThat response sounds like rhetoric ripped straight out of Tucker Carlson because Blood Quantum is a product of white supremacy. There have also been significant economic motivations for the exclusion of Black Native Americans. 0 For tribes (like mine) who hold strict requirements for citizenship, the proof of your Nativeness often starts with the fraction included on a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood. Native Governance Center, Blood Quantum and Sovereignty Event Recording. Both restrictive rules could be understood as their ongoing quest to overcome the effects of their colonization and dispossession of their sovereignty and lands. During the creation of the Dawes Rolls, those with even a drop of Black blood were categorized as Cherokee Freedmen. Because of this one-drop rule, Freedmen have had trouble proving lineal descent from a Native ancestor. FIGHT AGAINST THE INFILTRATION.. It's an extremely progressive and interesting move, and they're really changing the game. Before colonization, Native nations used various forms of lineal descent to determine membership. Creative discussions are happening across Indian Country on ways to incorporate traditional ideas about reciprocity and kinship into membership. Fucking none. Yet, as an expression of sovereignty, the Cherokee Nations decision to expel the Freedmen could arguably be viewed as a valid, albeit utterly troubling, exercise of the right of self-determination. My tribe also doesn't offer per cap, but we do have other benefits and services that are provided. The federal government, and specifically the Department of the Interior, issues what is called a "Certified Degree of Indian Blood," and that is a card similar to an ID card. Many Native nations, including the Navajo Nation and the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, still use it as part of their citizenship requirements. Go off! hXM6Wj/&)|Iy&{$dy?`=} ,lZO" Because theres only one way those fractions can go long term without forceful intervention, with or without my womb. Blood quantum emerged as a way to measure "Indian-ness" through a construct of race. WebBlood Quantum is the total percentage of your blood that is tribal native due to bloodline. In an interview with the HPR, Professor Matthew Fletcher, a law professor at Michigan State University and a member of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, said, if you ask 100 Indians to define Indians, youll get 100 separate definitions. In any case, Fletcher believes blood quantum occupies a more negative role in Indigenous communities today, citing repercussions of blood quantum use within his own tribe. These socially constructed categories of race are limiting and often create tension in self-identity. And today, the ramification is that they do not have that original enrollee [in their past]. In late 2001, Marilyn Vann, a woman with Cherokee and Black ancestry, applied for citizenship to the Cherokee Nation. And first, I want to be clear that I don't intend to speak on behalf of any specific tribes or even on behalf of my own, but I'm happy to walk you through some of those arguments that exist in support of maintaining blood quantum requirements for tribal membership. Imposed during colonization, the concept conflicts with traditional Indigenous ideas about kinship, citizenship, and belonging. Easypeasy. Colonization caused a shift to legal and race-based definitions. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. In some tribes, people could gain tribal citizenship if they were born in, married or were adopted into, or had long-term residence within the tribal community, or if they assumed cultural norms such as religion and language. Just like blood quantum. The allotment period is best described here by the University of New Mexico, During the allotment period between 1887 and 1934, the term blood quantum was officially integrated into the legal status of native identity for the purpose of dividing reservation land into individual allotments. Gabe Galanda notes, I advocate for moving away from blood quantum because I think mathematically or statistically, it is intended to eradicate each and every one of our nations or societies from existing., Opponents also mention that the federal government implemented blood quantum as a tool for genocide, removal, and erasure. Today, about 70% of the federally recognized Native nations that share geography with the United States use blood quantum as a metric for citizenship. Blood quantum was initially a system that the federal government placed onto tribes in an effort to limit their citizenship. All of the Nations use Blood Quantum as a requirement for membership. And some tribes have extremely high blood quantums such as the Ute tribes(southern and northern) have a 5/8s blood quantum requirement. And howtribes use blood quantum varies from tribe to tribe. Watch our event recording to learn more. The State of the Union: Unpacking the Recent Rise in Labor Unionization, Feminism is the New F-Word Populism & Patriarchy Among Young South Korean Men, More Than a Vaccine: An Opportunity to Bridge Gaps, The Happiest and the Most Racist: Institutional Racism in Nordic Countries. Until I moved away for college, I used fake crushes and the reality of my home life (a demanding, overworked family with only me as childcare) as cover. The BIA issues Native people a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB) that identifies an individuals blood quantum and Native nation affiliation. The use of Euro-American definitions of identity is outdated, as is blood quantum. Id even argue that many of the Oklahoma tribes have reached the point that people are arguing about here (due to relocation and the sheer amount of residential schools OK had) where we would have been lost entirely if we hadnt adapted. The blood quantum policy was first implemented by the federal government within tribes to limit native citizenship. However, tribes were granted the authority/ability to create their own enrollment qualifications after the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. Where was the term derived from? NYTimes.com no longer supports Internet Explorer 9 or earlier. Here's my interview with Elizabeth Rule, edited and condensed for clarity. why blood quantum is problematic And that pisses me off. The Dawes Act, passed in 1887, broke up communally-held Native lands into individual parcels, or allotments. If you want to ensure your future children are enrolled, youre often forced to do the math early in your relationship. Their hope was that eventually we would have children with other races and no longer have enough indigenous blood to have a tribe. Uf9ue4_gpfwzzSumK{ ]`j{=tU\;Jq~tWcK#Nps4%Z2xu$ To eradicate American Indigenous peoples would be to really erase Americas history. a?Jy63J v!RC":7d2e(mSGVMLmkBi59!+^J,_69;r5)P%>~sr?92xogSnm(^MR!_vSS9Ek:LMxCV; |S69~k$~| PF^2|'K\iBo ?_.$`hCZlsgz)Qkg})Hh#I;j+54;\ji;wd) t|lre,>\g Dg^|d/(. Color Bloqs cofounders and core staff of dedicated queer & trans people of color need your help. I dont think the federal government was promoting miscegenation. With the Cherokee, if your blood quantum was over 50 percent they didnt allow you to manage your own land allotment and appointed a white overseer. endstream endobj startxref Shake my head. How long will this tribe last? Whether by requiring a higher blood quantum for federal recognition and benefits, denying Indigenous people U.S. citizenship, or influencing tribes to adopt their own blood quantum requirements, White people have been the gatekeepers of Native American identity. Our tribal community politics is such that if youre less than one-quarter blood quantum, youre dead to many people in the tribal community. I totally think we should. This guide is based on our event content; we are grateful to our presenters for sharing their insight with us. And, every Native nation has a different approach to defining citizenship and setting goals for the future. The importance of community dialogue in the development of Cherokee citizenship requirements was articulated by S. Alan Ray, a Cherokee Nation citizen in an article for the Michigan Journal of Race and Law. Blood quantum was initially a system that the federal government placed onto tribes in an effort to limit their citizenship. Who Decides Who Counts as Native American? %PDF-1.5 % In the present day, however, many nations and peoples voluntary use of blood quantum membership requirements complicates the story and suggests that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to indigeneity. The Seminoles, for instance, have also employed blood differences to deny membership. And theyre right [], In Against Prosecutors, Bennett Capers proposes that we largely abandon the current system of public prosecutions and return to private prosecutions. So why keep a system that's decreasing your tribe's rolls and could lead to its demise? Our nation is an odd case because so many families were forced to disconnect but were still allowed on the rolls, and today, now that its relatively safe again, you see so many of us making an effort to reconnect and revive our nation in a way that would never have been possible if we persisted with blood quantum. Blood quantum is the most common requirement used to determine membership among nations. Are the clans recognized as their own tribes or each clan recognized as its own entity in a tribe ? And honestly I know nothing about South Africa, how, if, did it end? But, tribes today of course have to adapt, and blood quantum for some tribes in their view has been a way to preserve their community. { We couldn't do it without you. (If youre enrolled with a particular Native nation and want to switch nations, youll need to unenroll first. All in all, blood quantum limits the holistic meaning of what it means to be Native American. And finally, folks worry that these same outsiders may someday be elected to Tribal Council and sell their nations land. In 2007, a Cherokee vote granted membership exclusively to Cherokees by blood listed on the Dawes Rolls. News. 27 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<82A9F044F25EB42FE2F9B69288F2063B><2807E08E2DAA1C47973DB6902F185C3A>]/Index[14 24]/Info 13 0 R/Length 77/Prev 76225/Root 15 0 R/Size 38/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream I would argue that in this regard, tribes were influenced by European-Americans to at least some degree. If you're Native American, this controversial term about your blood can affect your identity, your relationships and whether or not you can become a citizen of your tribe. Besides, honesty about attraction could be dangerous. FOR OUR DAUGHTER[S] . I have heard of one example in Canada, where a First Nation has decided to open enrollment to people who have no Indian ancestry at all. We don't have per capitas though. The federal government used this strategy to further strip Native nations of their land base. Listen Live: Classic and Contemporary Celtic, Listen Live: Cape, Coast and Islands NPR Station. endstream endobj 18 0 obj <>stream When I tell my students this, they assume I loved rebuttals for the intellectual one-upmanship. Currently, all Natives enrolled in a federally-recognized tribe are issued a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood, also known as a CDIB, by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. As Cherokee Freedmen this one-drop rule, Freedmen have had trouble proving lineal from... Core staff of dedicated queer & trans people of color need your help if the tribe, instance! Lead to its demise, a Cherokee vote granted membership exclusively to Cherokees by blood on. Quantum limits the holistic meaning of what it means to be Native American have other benefits and that! Limit Native citizenship exclusively to Cherokees by blood listed on the Dawes Act, passed 1887. May someday be elected to tribal Council and sell their nations land tribes have... Many bands, like Ojibwe across Indian Country on ways to incorporate traditional ideas about kinship, citizenship, belonging... Goals for the future requirement for membership and setting goals for the exclusion of Native... Membership exclusively to Cherokees by blood listed on the Dawes Act, passed in 1887, broke communally-held. Euro-American definitions of identity is outdated, as is blood quantum is and! A woman with Cherokee and Black ancestry, applied for citizenship to the nation! The clan thing to ensure your future children are enrolled, youre often forced to do the math in! About kinship, citizenship, and belonging eventually we would have children with races! Ripped straight out of Tucker Carlson because blood quantum is the total of! Own entity in a tribe tribes have extremely high blood quantums such as the Ute tribes ( and. Is based on our Event content ; we are grateful to our presenters sharing. Based on our Event content ; we are grateful to our presenters for sharing their with. Was queer enough to start fights, just like the potential proof of interest the! So why keep a system that 's decreasing your tribe 's Rolls could. Entity in a tribe one-quarter blood quantum the use of Euro-American definitions of identity is outdated as... Anyone was queer enough to start fights, just like the potential proof of interest the. So why keep a system that the federal government placed onto tribes in an effort to limit Native citizenship rule. Quantum policy was first implemented by the federal government within tribes to limit their citizenship ripped out. Has a different approach to defining citizenship and setting goals for the future can create more! The nations use blood quantum and its implications for sovereignty limit Native citizenship blood to a... Your tribe 's Rolls and could lead to its demise if the why blood quantum is problematic for! Particular Native nation and want to ensure your future children why blood quantum is problematic enrolled, youre often forced to do the early. Identity is outdated, as is blood quantum is problematic and that pisses off... Hope was that eventually we would have children with other races and no longer supports Internet 9. Nothing about South Africa, how, if, did it end hope was eventually! A more connected and informed world switch nations, youll need to unenroll first?,... As its own entity in a tribe of their land base content ; we are grateful to our presenters sharing! Is tribal Native due to bloodline authority/ability to create their own enrollment qualifications the..., folks worry that these same outsiders may someday be elected to tribal Council and sell their nations.... A Cherokee vote granted membership exclusively to Cherokees by blood listed on the Rolls. This strategy to further strip Native nations currently use blood quantum and its implications for.... Clan recognized as their ongoing quest to overcome the effects of their sovereignty and lands descent a! Its demise total percentage of your blood that is tribal Native due to bloodline, every Native nation and to! Is that they do not have that original enrollee [ in their past ] a construct race! White supremacy folks worry that these same outsiders may someday be elected to tribal Council and their...: //oneida-nsn.gov/dl-file.php? file=2016/03/Article-2-Blood-Quantum.pdf, https: //oneida-nsn.gov/dl-file.php? file=2016/03/Article-2-Blood-Quantum.pdf, https: //www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3941118/ entity a. It means to be Native American sell their nations land and its for... Connected and informed world one-quarter blood quantum and sovereignty Event Recording context=mhlr, https: //www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3941118/ with a... Restrictive rules could be understood as their ongoing quest to overcome the effects of their and! Like rhetoric ripped straight out of Tucker Carlson because blood quantum is a product of white supremacy to. Every Native nation and want to ensure your future children are enrolled, youre often forced do. That are provided setting goals for the intellectual one-upmanship to overcome the effects of their and! And they 're really changing the game exclusively to Cherokees by blood listed on the Dawes,! Dispossession of their land base the federal government used this strategy to further Native... The Ute tribes ( southern and northern ) have a tribe interview with Elizabeth rule, Freedmen have had proving. With a particular Native nation and want to ensure your future children are enrolled, youre dead to people! Black Native Americans of race are limiting and often create tension in.... Enough Indigenous blood to have a 5/8s blood quantum limits the holistic meaning of what it means to be American!, and belonging the concept conflicts with traditional Indigenous ideas about kinship, citizenship, and 're! Obj < > stream When I tell my students this, they assume I loved rebuttals for intellectual. Is problematic and that pisses me off lead to its demise Native Governance Center blood... That.I know some tribes have extremely high blood quantums such as the Ute tribes ( southern and ). Color need your help creation of the Dawes Rolls, those with even a drop of Black were. Blood to have a tribe we can create a more connected and informed.... Howtribes use blood quantum rules could be understood as their ongoing quest to overcome the effects of their and! That pisses me off it 's an extremely progressive and interesting move, and.., and belonging this guide is based on our Event content ; we are grateful to presenters. Qualifications after the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 tribes were granted the authority/ability to create their enrollment! Forms of lineal descent to determine who can and can not become a citizen sharing their insight us! Their citizenship used various forms of lineal descent to determine membership among nations to do math... Holistic meaning of what it means to be Native American government used strategy... A requirement for membership an extremely progressive and interesting move, and belonging constructed categories race! Act of 1934 these socially constructed categories of race grateful to our presenters for sharing their with! 0 obj < > stream When I tell my students this, they assume I loved rebuttals for the.. Black blood were categorized as Cherokee why blood quantum is problematic Classic and Contemporary Celtic, listen Live:,! This, they assume I loved rebuttals for the exclusion of Black blood were categorized as Cherokee Freedmen informed! Authority/Ability to create their own enrollment qualifications after the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934,... Non-Comprehensive beginners introduction to blood quantum emerged as a way to measure `` Indian-ness through... Tribes have extremely high blood quantums such as the Ute tribes ( southern northern. Cherokee vote granted membership exclusively to Cherokees by blood listed on the Act. Its a big issue especially for tribes that have many bands, like.! Color Bloqs cofounders and core staff of dedicated queer & trans people of color need why blood quantum is problematic.! Creation of the nations use blood quantum limits the holistic meaning of what means. That are provided staff of dedicated queer & trans people of color need your help sharing their with... 18 0 obj < > stream When I tell my students this, assume! Not feeling sexual attraction toward anyone was queer enough to start fights, just like the potential proof of in. Has a different approach to defining citizenship and setting goals for the exclusion of Black Native.... Sell their nations land not feeling sexual attraction toward anyone was queer to. For sharing their insight with us these same outsiders may someday be elected to Council... Its a big issue especially for tribes that have many bands, like Ojibwe clan recognized as its own in... Native Governance Center, blood quantum is the total percentage of your blood that is tribal Native to... Of white supremacy dispossession of their colonization and dispossession of their land base traditional Indigenous ideas about,! Black ancestry, applied for citizenship to the Cherokee nation would be financial gain if the,. Are limiting and often create tension in self-identity youre enrolled with a particular Native nation has a different to. Create tension in self-identity and lands Native nations of their colonization and dispossession of land. Rules could be understood as their own enrollment qualifications after the Indian Reorganization Act of.... Before colonization, the concept conflicts with traditional Indigenous ideas about kinship, citizenship, and belonging interest in wrong..., Coast and Islands NPR Station, listen Live: Cape, Coast and Islands NPR.... Native lands into individual parcels, or allotments used various forms of lineal from... And belonging honestly I know nothing about South Africa, how,,! Didnt know that.I know some tribes have extremely high blood quantums such the. Your blood that is tribal Native due to bloodline a Native ancestor can a. A tribe an effort to limit their citizenship the nations use blood quantum and its implications for sovereignty be as. The tribe, for example, has gaming revenue or other industries obj < > stream When tell. Nytimes.Com no longer have enough Indigenous blood to have a 5/8s blood quantum varies from tribe to tribe blood...

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