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Me and this older woman was talking.. She was a good friend of my mother-in-law, and a friend of my grandmother's. Well one day I was in this older woman's bedroom, and we just was talking about normal day to day discussions.. And so, I happened to mention my heritage to her.. I told her that I was African American mixed with Indian. And she then told me that I was not an Indian, and that I did not look like one. And I told her that I was, and that I was told this by my relatives. Then we went on to talk about something else.... And then a little while later, she just brought this up... She says, well you do have those deep eye brows like an Indian. I did not say anything... The truth is, I am mixed with Indian.. I was very upset when she said this to me. I felt that she had no right to tell me what I am not, when I know what I am.. When she saw me as being an Indian.. Her version was considered me looking exactly like an Indian, wearing the clothing that they wear. And speaking in an language that was understood by her. I know that Indians come in many forms of the way that they look. I have been asked by many people if I was Cherokee or am I from the Philippines? I have very jet black hair, and the skin complexion that resembles a trace of mixed heritage. You can look at me and tell that I have a mixed heritage in me. My cousin told me that I was mixed with Indian. All my life I thought that I was African American. That is what I have been taught to know. I have been asked by many people if I was mixed in my race? I told them no, because that is what I thought.. Then I always wondered about my grandmother that passed away several years ago. This was my daddy's mother. She looks just like an Indian. She has the high cheekbones, And she has very beautiful silky jet black hair, that I find very uncommon in the African American culture. Her skin complexion is very much similar to an Indian. Her mom used to live in a teepe. I was told that her mom hair was so long that when she was sitting in a chair, her hair was sitting on the floor.. It was just that long. Well, when I was in sixth grade, my hair was very long. I remember sitting on my hair. So, now I a wondering who am I? I still put on my race as being African American. This is another entire subject that I must get situated. When this woman made this remark to me, I felt like I was being discriminated very much. I felt like she was telling me that I am a fake, and that I am not what I say that I am. I know that this sounds crazy.. But, I felt that my heritage was attacked. It did make me feel very bad... When it should not have.. When my grandmother died, there were relatives of her that came to her funeral, and they were dressed just like the real Indians were dressed in India. The women had on silk wraps, and they had very long hair.. They were very pretty.. The men were handsome, wearing black and white dressy clothing. They did not look like like they were from America. They looked like they were from another country.. From what society would see.. I really am not trying to let her words effect who I may truly be. Please don't take this discussion as me being mean or vindictive. I really don't know if I am the race that I say that I am. I may could be an Indian and not know it.. I was taught that I am an African American. I have been looked at very curiously by many people of different racial back grounds.. It is like they see something that they know, or is very familiar with. I know that there are many people that say that they are mixed with another racial heritage, but they don't look anything like they say they they are. And I do know that in some cases this is very untrue. They can have an heritage and not look like it at all. Like my sister-in-law.. She says that her grandmother is mixed with white and Indian, but she does not look like she has any Indian culture in her at all. I told her that I was mixed with Indian, and she seemed to get highly offended. She came back at me with the words, well, my daddy's grandmother is mixed with Indian... But, she looks like she is pure African American. She even has coarse hair like an African American. My point to this older woman is this... If, I resemble an Indian, then maybe I have an Indian heritage in me.. If she can see no traces what so ever of the Indian heritage in me, then I may not be an Indian.. Then, I may just have Indian roots that runs in my family, similar to what my sister-in-law has..