im adopted and my birth father was part native american, how can i go about finding if he is on the indian rol

Question

i have never met him. he has no desire and neither do i. i know his name at birth. his mother's first and middle name and his name is on my original birth certificate as natural father. his mother was full blood but im not sure what tribe. any help is greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

The Bureau of Indian Affairs website may be of help to you:

http://www.doi.gov/ancestry.html
http://www.doi.gov/enrollment.html

If you have his mother's name, you can try tracking her through the Social Security Death Index (assuming she's dead) to find her death certificate which would list all pertinent information.

If she's still alive, then you will have a harder time because of privacy laws. You will have to research her without her knowledge or permission. The tribes won't let you have information on their members (or in most cases even acknowledge someone as a member) without that person's permission.

If you can figure out what area she was from, you can probably locate the local tribes. But that assumes that she's originally from that area and never relocated. If she is alive, you will inevitably have to make contact with her if you want to know about her heritage...whether you develop a relationship with your biological father or not. Or else you have to figure out where she is and wait for her to die to find out more.

Answer 2

Okay, here goes. First do you know his tribe. If so, you can research and contact that tribe to see if he is on the rolls. They will tell you the information you will need to ascertain his listing. If you don't, I believe there is a national council that could give you help.

Unfortunately, the most expiditious way would be to write your father a letter asking this question. If you are looking to be on the tribal roles, your father must first have gone through and proven his right to be listed. If he hasn't done this you will again need to speak to the Indian Council that governs your father's tribe and they may be able to help you onto the rolls.

There is alot of paperwork involved if no one in the family is currently on the rolls but if you feel that this is your right as well as your heritage, go for it. There are many benefits to being a documented member of a tribe.

Good luck on your quest.

Answer 3

Get drunk you should have a vision.