American Indian Benefit?

Question

I have not had contact with my biological mother in close to two decades, I am 34 now. Recently a sibling from her came into contact with me and shared with me some of the history. Well my mom is full Cherokee Indian and recognized by her tribe at White Top Mountain. Which means I am 50% Greek and 50% Cherokee. What benefit does this for me? My sibling told me since he is recognized he can hunt in NY for free; fish and wildlife. I am just curious if anyone can advise me of any unaware benefits I may have being 50% American Indian. thanks and please, stay clear of the fight that I am trying to get over on my US Gov. I am not, I am just curious what benefits I could acquire.

Answer 1

Unfortunately, "White Top Mountain" is not a federally recognized Cherokee tribe. There are only 3 federally recognized Cherokee tribes: the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, United Keetowah Band of Cherokee, and the Eastern Band Cherokee. Further, NY is not anywhere near the ancestral homelands of the Cherokee. How your sibling receives 'benefits' in NY is beyond me.

For anyone to receive any benefits (federal,state or tribal) one must first be an enrolled tribal member/citizen of a federally recognized tribe. Each of the previously mentioned federally recognized Cherokee tribes has its own enrollment requirements: CNO requires descendancy from someone on the Dawes Rolls, EKB requires 1/4 blood degree, EBC requires 1/16 blood degree and an ancestor on the Baker (?) Roll. Depending on which (if any) of these tribes your biological mother is enrolled in you will have to satisfy that particular tribe's requirements in order to apply for and gain enrollment. Once (and if) enrollment is achieved, most 'benefits' would come from the tribe directly.

Answer 2

You can recieve help with medical,schooling and even owning your own home some tribes help you start a business and theres a few Native american colleges that are free. Depending on the tribe you can get help with food like turkeys on christmas there a lot of things that the tribes do for there people. You could call your tribe and they could tell you all the programs that they have.

Answer 3

Unlike many other ethnicities where the only deciding factor on whether you belong to them is your ancestry, gaining legal status as a Native American also requires recognition on your part of that culture. If your mother introduced you to other Cherokee, the medicine man gave you a name, and so on, you could be counted as native american. You have met the blood requirement (assuming your mother is at least 50% Cherokee). Since your brother qualified, you probably could as well.

Benefits? There are scholarship opportunities and other programs for minorities that you would be able to use, but since you aren't college age, I can't think of many benefits to you. The biggest benefit for native americans seems to be the status of 'nation' given to them in their treaties--allowing their communities a great deal of self-regulation, such as allowing them to open casinos in states that normally do not allow gambling.

Answer 4

you should also understand there are 2 varieties of "Blackfoot." a million - Blackfoot of Canada and their kinfolk in MT who're nicely-referred to as Blackfeet. 2 - Southeastern "Blackfoot" or "Cherokee-Blackfoot" which isn't something more desirable than an Indian Blood fantasy - or a pretend tribe, to be blunt. once you're roots are from the Southeast or you're African-American and also you've were given no association to the northern plains tribes...you at the prompt are not interior sight. You both have very miniscule quantity of Indian blood of unknown starting place or you do not have any blood in any respect - considering a number of those claims have there genesis with African-individuals households who were "passing" ...to describe away darkish effective elements, it changed into more desirable perfect in White society to have a "little Indian blood". Cherokee turned right into a nicely nicely-known tribe and Blackfoot changed into likely a tongue-in-cheek form of component in the starting up (and this tribe changed into being stated contained in the media and dime novels of the overdue 1800s-early 1900s), notwithstanding it quite is turning out to be followed as an "identity" by using descendants who heard those memories of "Blackfoot" blood.

Answer 5

No benefits accru until your registration is accepted by the Tribal government. Each tribe has its own benefits, some from treaties, and some from investments, leases, etc.