Gots a question for You!!!

Parents Forum
1

<p>Okay......
My grandmother was a Navajo Indian... so technically I am 1/4 Native American...but if you look at me... I am as white as can be</p>

<p>My friend also has a grandfather who is a navajo....but he actually looks like a Native American... and he is putting that down as his ethnicity..........</p>

<p>Is that Right???? Would I be able to do the same????</p>

<p>Also.... I am 50 % deaf........should I include that in my app??
Thanks for the help</p>

2

<p>What?!</p>

<p>If either your mother or father (or, you know, both) are actually Native American, then you can put that down. If it is just the one grandparent, then you could put that down as a secondary ethnic identifier. I reckon you could. </p>

<p>Oh, if you are 50% deaf, then totally put that down. I mean, why not?</p>

3

<p>Umm.. well I guess my mom is Half-Native American.. then but she doesnt totally look N.A.--- I just dont know the rules to that</p>

4

<p>"Would I be able to do the same????"</p>

<p>Yes. I know a woman who was one-eighth or maybe even only one-sixteenth American Indian (there are rules about this) who got preferential admission to the Oregon medical school as a Native American. She had blond hair and green eyes. 1/4 NA...go for it. Or you can check multi-cultural if that choice is available.</p>

5

<p>If your friend has a CIDB - Certificate of Indian ( or Alaska Native ) blood he can claim that as his ethnicity. Looks alone are deceptive. It's a bad crutch to lean on.</p>

6

<p>"Tribal membership has different requirements for each American Indian tribe. To the Navajo Nation, they use the Blood-Quantum Sytem. One would be considered an enrolled member of the Navajo Tribe, if that person is at least 1/4 Navajo, and at least one of their parents is 1/2 Navajo and is an enrolled member of the Navajo Tribe. This proof is recognized by a C.I.B. (Certificate of Indian Blood), which can be considered your tribal enrollment paper, and your Birth Certificate. A C.I.B. would be obtained by applying with the Navajo Office of Vital Records in Window Rock, Arizona, or their agency office."
<a href="http://www.lapahie.com/Dine_Census_Right.cfm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.lapahie.com/Dine_Census_Right.cfm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

7

<p>Looks don't matter at all. You have to be able to prove your claims though (see 2dsdad's comment). For some tribes even 1/16 is enough to be claimed "native american"</p>

8

<p>ohh ok
What if my grandmother passed away... and my mother is not an enrolled member of the Navajo tribe............</p>

<p>Im really confused now........</p>

9

<p>^</p>

<p>follow 2dsdad's post with regards to your granny, I guess.</p>

10

<p>ok...... my problem is.... i dont think anyone is an enrolled member --
could be wrong I'll find out for shure tomorrow</p>

11

<p>I'm no expert, but you may have to get your Mom to enroll as a tribal member first. Then you could apply for membership. But tribal membership and ethnicity for the purposes of college applications may have two different sets of requirements. You may be able to just check a box on the application and never be required to provide further proof to the colleges. I just don't know. But you should pursue it because admissions committees, let's be blunt, are very desirous of recruiting Native Americans. It will give you a leg up on the competition and may make scholarship money available that you would not otherwise qualify for.</p>

12

<p>Okay thanks 2ds dad
Im going to find out tomorrow my exact situation.....Thanks for the responses!</p>