Identity

Piece Description

Indentity examines the controversial question,  “Who is an Indian?” Who should define who is Indian, and based on what criteria? In the last census more than 4.1 million Americans reported some Indian blood;  2.5 million reported only Native American. Most Native American tribes base membership on blood quantum; a Federally imposed definition on Indians. Most Tribes define membership based on a minimum of ? blood quantum. Some extreme leaders feel that marrying outside the tribe means that children could lose citizenship in the tribe. Many Indians criticize this bureaucratic approach to identity.  The complicated politics of tribal enrollment also creates tensions between mixed race Indians and those who consider themselves  culturally “purer” because of their high blood quantum. Today children are born who do not have enough “blood quantum” in any tribe to be enrolled but are considered part of the Indian community. T he issue has become even more complicated thanks to the vast sums of money introduced by Native gaming.  In some cases people are removed from Tribal rolls. Who  and how these issues  are decided is key to the future of sovereignty. 

Voices:
Attorney Patrick Guillory,  a Muskogee Native , successfully represented disenrolled Tribal members and founder of Mixed Race Nations, an organization working with urban youth.
Wintun leader, Caleen Sisk Franco
Anthropologist Susan Lobo, author of “Urban Indians”
Joe Garcia, President of the National Congress of American Indians.
Morningstar Gali, SF Bay Area Urban Indian leader.