8
Jul

Native American tribes? Or culture clubs? Tennessee recognition ignites controversy

   Posted by: admin   in Cherokee, Federal recognition

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The Tennessee Commission of Indian Affairs recently recognized six Native American tribes. But those tribes have yet to gain federal recognition. As this USA Today story by Clay Carey illustrates, at least one federally recognized tribe has some objections to the process.

    For years, the tribes have been fighting for recognition, which brings with it federal money and new opportunities for individual members. But the argument over whether men and women … are part of legitimate tribes remains a bitter one.

    Mark Miller, a spokesman for the Oklahoma-based Cherokee Nation, said the groups are stealing the identity of established tribes.

    “Part of my family, way back, is from Germany,” Miller said. “I can go to Oktoberfest and I can do the songs and dances. But it doesn’t make me a German citizen, and I can’t create my own Germany.”

    A coalition of 10 former state Indian Affairs a letter to the state’s attorney general and secretary of State in late June claiming the vote that made the tribes legitimate was tainted by ethical lapses and unlawful secrecy.

The new tribes are the Cherokee Wolf Clan, Chikamaka Band, Central Band of Cherokee, United Eastern Lenape Nation of Winfield Tennessee, Tanasi Council and the Remnant Yuchi Nation.

The state recognition gives members of the Tribes the ability to identify themselves as Native Americans on loan paperwork, job applications and other documents, and also puts them closer to federal recognition, now granted – although not recently – to more than 500 tribes, which brings additional benefits, Carey writes.

Mark Greene, a Nashville lobbyist who works for the Cherokee Nation, calls the groups “culture clubs” and “Indian heritage organizations.” The Cherokee Nation has sued, asking a county court to void the commission’s decision.

Gwen Florio

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This entry was posted on Thursday, July 8th, 2010 at 8:13 am and is filed under Cherokee, Federal recognition. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

9 comments so far

Ganajoha
 1 

There is not one single requirement or condition for federal recognition that an of these fake groups can meet. It’s hard enough for legitimate Indian Nations to gain recognition, without having to battle all these hobbyists for position.

August 16th, 2010 at 5:31 pm
regina soulliere
 2 

i am really upset about what i am hearing…i live on the lower brule reservation in sd…my mothers name was crying wind…she was cherokee…i was a bastard child born of a man in the army who abandoned my mom…i never got to know her because she died of alcohol poisoning…i have been trying for years to prove who i am…i am now 54 and too old to fight… i am offended that these people can just pop up and be declared indian…my ancestor was on the dawes rolls and her last name was carr…the surname used to be o’carr…but not much paper trail…on my husbands and i marriage certificate her name is on it and we are listed as indian…how can they just become this so easily? i will never be allowed to belong to my people but i would never become fake. can you help me understand this situation…i work on our rez for the university of south dakota…my number to my office is 1-605-473-8045…thank you

November 1st, 2010 at 10:54 pm
caroline fitter
 3 

i would be furiuos too! somebody that is trying be one that their not-fake-trying to imulate themsevles into a culture-Native American-to falsely claim that their from First Nation people and even go as far as to make up a false band for selfish, devious reasons is wrong!you fakers out there,don’t expect for people, especially Native Americans to respect that,because this falsehood brings shame and these people have no dignity or pride. I give the upmost respect to the First Nation people whom are fighting for their rights.This is their country.Accept and respect them! i am of 30% First Nation blood from Oklahoma with German roots.Very proud and blessed.

November 3rd, 2010 at 3:40 pm
Chikamaka
 4 

These are NOT fake tribes! My ggg-grandmother was an Aniwaya–the Wolf Clan Tribe of the Cherokees. As well, there are the Chikamaka’s whose culture was stolen from them by White men. Look it up– The Battle of the Chickamaugas. 36,000 Soldiers lost their lives in that war, and INDEED this was a real tribe. I think it is important that these tribes finally get paid respect and recognition!

April 6th, 2011 at 7:12 pm
Chikamaka descendant
 5 

I am a Chikamaka descendant. We are not fakes! I personally am not looking for any State or Federal recognition. I don’t want special treatment for jobs, scholarships or anything else. We are proud of our heritage and nobody can take it from us. We have been taught to honor the land of forefathers, to respect our mountain home and to protect and preserve it. If that makes me a “hobbyist” in the eyes of others, then I guess that’s their problem.

April 20th, 2011 at 9:07 pm
Mark Macahill
 6 

Someone needs to print a retraction. These tribes are NOT recognized. The recognition was illegal because the commission made up the rules and violated state law in granting the recognition and the state attorney general ruled it null and void.
The Remnant Yuchi are FAKE, don’t know about the others. The Yuchi formed their tribe in january 2006 at a home in Bristol Virginia. Before that day, there were no Remnent Yuchis, no history and no tribe, it was all made up after that point. Many witnesses have came foreward and signed legal affadavits swearing they were present the day the tribe formed from nothing by four people and the state attorney general has all these legal documents just waiting till some stupid legislator manages to push thru recognition for this fake tribe of wannabes.
I repeat, the Remnant Yuchi tribe is completely FAKE, the chief is fake, the members are fake and there are no members in the entire group who can prove they are Yuchi or a decendant of any Native American.

April 30th, 2011 at 7:36 pm
Mark Macahill
 7 

And as for you”Chickamaka”, seems everyone’s grandmother was a cherokee. You make number 100,000 and 1. Can you prove it with a birth certificate, a cencus record, a living Native relative?? Likely your answer is NO just like the other 100,000 wannabe Indians. You should be ashamed, wanting something that is not yours and you think that just because you “say so”, people are supposed to think you are some kind of Native. Sad stuff!!

April 30th, 2011 at 7:41 pm
sparrowhawk
 8 

I fully understand how the people feel. I want nothing from the Gov’t for my ancestry. I had a wise elder tell me it’s no but t about blood quantum but what your spiritual heritage is. This gov’ts objective is to be able to say there are NO native amercans left. They have always done what they could do to destroy the N. A. You can be N.A. outside and white inside and vise-versa. My spiritual inheritance is N.A. I need no one to tell me who I am. I found the ancestors but after learning gov’t policy I wouldn’t register with them for anything nor would I give my info to relatives who only want monetary things. Let the people be wise as to what it really means to be a N.A. and take nothing monetary from those who need. Help FREE Leonard Peltier. I am Mahala family, Lone Wolf Tribe. I have a son and daughter whose spirit walkers are Crow. There are over 50 of us but not all follow the way of the yun wiya. May the Creator and maker of all life Bless those who need the most.

June 17th, 2011 at 9:44 am
Jeremy Pealer
 9 

From the time I start to remember I was told of my Apache and Cherokee heritage and grew from that time to think and recognize myself as someone who had come from these people (partly). I dont understand why full blooded Natives are offended by someone like me.
Eventually there will be none of you left… and you will be seeming more and more like the star bellied sneech (or the one without).
My Grandfather on his death bed was more concerned that i would follow up on our family tree was proud of his whatever percentage he was Native American… I hope he was never treated as rudely by the Eastern Lenape Band individuals as i have been when trying to make contact with them.
I am proud of my heritage… you people are embarrassing!

July 7th, 2011 at 12:41 am

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