what is the most varifiable way to prove native american ancestry?

Answer 1

Scalp someone. No, just kidding....couldn't resist. In the past you had to have a paper trail of family tree documentation. Now, you can do it with DNA. By the way, I'm about 30% Cherokee.

Answer 2

What I think you mean by prove is to becomen enrolled in one's tribe. Once one is enrolled one will have certain rights as a Native person. It is true that no one needs to prove their ethnic identity but to have full access to rights for Native people one must be enrolled.

To become enrolled one must first should call one's tribe and find out the enrollment requirements. They are different per tribe.
For most tribes you have to prove descendency and have a certain blood quantum. To prove descendency oneneeds to have some record of her belonging to a member of the tribe that was recognized by the tribe at some point, hopefully an individual that was enrolled at some point. The average blood quantum standard is 1/4. Unless you are Cherokee, they pretty much accept any blood quantum.

Many Native people can never become enrolled because standards of enrollment are high and were set up by the White government to oppress Native people and Native people have yet to change them.

To become more involved in one'sculture one might want to look up local Native organizations or local tribes. Try going to Pow-wow's (because they are easy to find) and talk to community members there. Many colleges/universities have a Native student union where one can get involved or get more information.

Please remember ancestry is very difficult for many Native people.

By the way, I am Native, so I have some knowledge pertaining to this.

Answer 3

You should take a look at tribal rolls. We're the only people in the US who have to prove our ancestry, and because of that, the records are pretty strict. I'm half Eastern Band Cherokee (the ones in NC) myself.

Answer 4

Native american groups do keep a registry, if you know somebody from your family who may have been registered you've got an easy way to find out