So what's your background (country of origin, ancestors, etc...)???

[All7OfUs]

I'm French, Belgian, Scotch, and English. 1/4 each. DH is Polish, Dutch, and German, so I guess that makes our poor kids a little of everything European. Potpourri, for sure!! Honestly, though, our kids are culturally Kazakh than anything now. They speak it fluently, and sometimes act more Central Asian than American!!

 

[lucy_love]

Well, I guess I'm 100% Native American since I was born in the United States.

My ancestry is German. They weren't famous or anything, just dirt farmers. I come from a line of warriors from the Civil War on up. I have many interesting anecdotes about the GreatGreat Grandfather in the Civil war and his brother, but long stories.

I grew up adjacent to the Seneca Nation Indian Reservation in WNY, and have done many humanitarian missions to Indian Reservations in the West. Interestingly enough, all of the Indians I met called themselves Indians or American Indians. I've only heard them referred to as Native Americans by the government and people who don't live on the reservation. I never saw a prosperous reservation, even those with casinos. The casinos I saw were managed by a Japanese organization, and outside of a few of the people from the reservation having jobs, the people saw very little of the wealth produced. I saw a lot of government officials showing up to open health clinics, after which they pat themselves on the back and go home, leaving the actual problems behind. Our government has created a tremendous problem with no real way out. Health issues like alcoholism and diabetes are rampant there, along with oral health issues and heart disease, and the government's answer is to build beautiful clinics and feed supplies to them, but not give them the means to staff them. I was at one reservation in Montana where the government funded a community college. The courses taught - Native American Studies. I talked with a number of the residents and the big complaint was - they couldn't get a job with a major in this. They wanted math and science, but the Bureaucrats thought this is what they needed. Those who travelled off the reservation for an education usually returned without one - they were unable to make the transition into the American society due to their isolation.

Just my observation.

When I was researching for my paper, I asked several Native Americans what they prefer to be called. Several of them said indigenous; we are taught to say in the education system Native American. Interesting! I loved reading what you wrote.

 

[Colson39]

I think most prefer just to be called what they are. Seminole, Cherokee, Blackfoot, Sioux, Arapaho, Apache, what have you. Whenever I've visited the reservations, we just say that.

Normally if someone asks me in person what I am, I say Irish, Blackfoot, and Sioux. To which I normally get "What the heck is Blackfoot and Sioux???"...lol.

 

[Rhonda]

I think most prefer just to be called what they are. Seminole, Cherokee, Blackfoot, Sioux, Arapaho, Apache, what have you. Whenever I've visited the reservations, we just say that.

Normally if someone asks me in person what I am, I say Irish, Blackfoot, and Sioux. To which I normally get "What the heck is Blackfoot and Sioux???"...lol.

My DH is part "Sioux". His grandmother lived on a reservation. He's always been taught that the term "Sioux" is actually a demeaning name -- and they prefer to be known as Dakota (or Lakotah, depending on the tribe and where it's located).

 

[ftwildernessguy]

My DH is part "Sioux". His grandmother lived on a reservation. He's always been taught that the term "Sioux" is actually a demeaning name -- and they prefer to be known as Dakota (or Lakotah, depending on the tribe and where it's located).

This is the problem with the US today - we've lost that melting pot mentality and are into our individual identity too much. Now we are such a mixture of backgrounds that it seems people are picking and choosing their ethnic identity for whatever will benefit them the most. I have some patients who are Vietnamese but lived their entire life in France. When asked about their origin, they say they are French. I am all for maintaining individual heritage; customs and traditions are an important part of family heritage and who we are, but I am american first - hence my offense at the term Native American. Anyone born in the US is a native american. I've spent a lot of time in foreign countries and learned a lot about their cultures and always had a great relationship with the native peoples. One thing they all have is a strong sense of pride in their country, however, regardless of their background, and they identify first with their homeland. We have lost this in the US, and seem too fragmented socially now.

 

[Shannone1]

This is the problem with the US today - we've lost that melting pot mentality and are into our individual identity too much. Now we are such a mixture of backgrounds that it seems people are picking and choosing their ethnic identity for whatever will benefit them the most. I have some patients who are Vietnamese but lived their entire life in France. When asked about their origin, they say they are French. I am all for maintaining individual heritage; customs and traditions are an important part of family heritage and who we are, but I am american first - hence my offense at the term Native American. Anyone born in the US is a native american. I've spent a lot of time in foreign countries and learned a lot about their cultures and always had a great relationship with the native peoples. One thing they all have is a strong sense of pride in their country, however, regardless of their background, and they identify first with their homeland. We have lost this in the US, and seem too fragmented socially now.

I understand what you are saying. I feel like we are ALL Americans who live here and sometimes people get too hung up on labels.

 

[Colson39]

My DH is part "Sioux". His grandmother lived on a reservation. He's always been taught that the term "Sioux" is actually a demeaning name -- and they prefer to be known as Dakota (or Lakotah, depending on the tribe and where it's located).

You are correct on that I don't know much about the Sioux or Dakota side of my family, I'm much more Blackfoot. I grew up knowing I was Blackfoot, I only found out about the Sioux side from my grandmother when I was like 17.

 

[loveDmouse]

I am proud to be an American! I would like to go back and look at our lines. I know we have Irish in us.

 

[We4mickey]

I am german. One set of grandparents came over on a ship when they were 18, the other was born here from german immigrants. I'm easy, but DH is a mutt. English, french, german, irish and serbian are all on his side. Thus we have a DS who is dark haired and olive skinned and one that is a redhead and fair skinned. Go figure!