what percentage or fraction of american indian do you have to be to be entitled governemtn benefits?

Question

I am wondering what percentage or fraction of american indian one has to be to qualify for government benefits. i am wondering this more for my grandmother. if anyone knows any websites or any good onformation related to the topic it would be greatly appreciated. thank you in advance.

Answer 1

To becomenenrolled in one's tribe is often a difficult process. 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 one needs 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.

If you don't have contact with your father then you can ask the tribe to look for his last name. They can look this up and see if his family line is registered. If so then your in luck. If they don't immediately find it then you can use the tribal newspaper and submit an article asking if anyone has lineage to your father.

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 2

That completely depends upon which Tribe and Clan of American Indian she "claims" to be. The process of proving your Native heritage is very difficult.

Has she ever lived their ways? Has she ever been taught their prayers? Has she ever lived as an "Indian"? If not, many Tribes will not accept her.

It's a lot of work. I've been doing my geneology for the last ten years. I have enough blood and proof to register with the Cherokee Nation, but I was not raised their way and I WILL NOT take anything from them.

Answer 3

Well if it's small, then forget it. I'd rather have the benefit of knowing the family history then using it to try to get money. Leave the other kind of benefits to those on the reservations that really need it.

Answer 4

You have to be at least 1/16th, and must be able to prove it. The tribes (and the US government) do not take this lightly.

This question has already been addressed and resolved here:
http://sg.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070116212933AAEFAW8

Answer 5

1/16 th

Answer 6

90% of Mexicans are Indians and aren't getting benefits or casinos


I sure hope the Chinese let whitey have casinos

Answer 7

I am pretty sure it's atleast 50%. One of your parents would have to be native.

Answer 8

i believe it's 1/16th