Native American, DNA Test.. you are or you are not...
@dnatureofdtrain (5273)
Janesville, Wisconsin
March 12, 2018 8:24pm CST
I know I may really upset many with what I am about to say here. But, Someone need to say this. First off... DNA Test is only mandatory in some Tribes, bands or nations to enroll if you do not have a relative on certain rolls or lists or enrolled before. But does enrolling or not enrolling make you a Native American or not.
First off everyone that lives on North America and South American continent are Natives to America.. and Are therefor Native American...
Not all Native Americans belong to a tribe, band, or nation... As they say in Canada a First Nations...
There are over hundred of cultures, spiritualities and traditions native to America.
Some are born into their tribes, bands, or nations...
others are accepted into their tribes bands or nations symbolically, or have adopted their ways... in respectful healthy, non exploitative manner.
Others through some reasons only known to them have found in their heart to self identify with a culture, race, or religion... that may not always be understood why they identify themselves as such and many want to call them want to bes and other nasty names.
How dare anyone call any one a bad name for acceptinh something good into their heart and their self identity.
Then other people like myself have been adopted legally, and symbolically.. into another culture and heritage and still accept their own.
I was born with 9 native heritages, Irish, Scottish, and Amish...
I will not get a DNA test to prove this my mother was Cherokee Tribal enrolled, and I enrolled no.. I do not believe people should have to enroll to prove their heritage or blood, and I believe all races and religions of people deserve good benefits.. I was blessed by an Amish bishop of my fathers community ti still be considered Amish and start my own community... that is more worldly.. than the traditional communities. So I am Heinzist, Amish Indian. The word Heinzist came from my adopted Grandpa who was the last to call himself such in the family no one else wanted to use the term so I ended up the Heinzist. And I am Native American.. and it should not matter what is or is not in my DNA.... I am what I am in my heart regardless of a few little strands of protein in my blood.
To me the DNA based discrimination has grown to be just as bad as racism, and other negative form of discrimination.
People are born into a culture or tradition.
People are adopted into a culture or a tradition.
People are accepted into a culture or tradition.
People are drawn to a culture or tradition they may correctly or incorrectly identify with.. Does this mean if their identifying is incorrect that is makes them not of this tradition or culture.. No.. We all have stereotypes we may get drawn to or sucked into at a time....without knowing it... We just need to learn better these ways and traditions.
Then there are thousands of people who have not culture, no identity, not natiion and for them the DNA test may help them feel where to belong.. Many also love those tests to discover heritages that were never known to them...
But in the end.. is it what is in one bloods that matters or what is in one's heart?...
or both..... If the blood is different from the heart then should one drop their self identity and passion for what they come to self identify as.
It is like all things on group may say yes we know she or he or they are this or that. The next group will argue to the death they are not one of us.. they do not live by our cultural standards, know our nation, know our ways so they are not us... when they truly are but grew up separate....
I believe this DNA to prove your Native American.. form of discrimination needs to fade away.. unless for specific programs and such... designed based on.. but really in the end...
If a child from one culture is adopted to one of another culture.. They should be allowed to identify as both cultures... legal or symbolic... or an adult heard a story that was in their family for years they may find out as incorrect.. should not be expected to just suddenly give up their identity over that..
Your identity is who you are.. names, nicknames, ways of life., walks of life...
As long as one is not exploring, harassing, or damaging about how they identify themselves. Let them be.. Let them be their selves...
instead of seeing it as threat.. look at it as.. they are trans racial, or non traditional people of what they say, and do not take it as threat unless it is...
You are who you are regardless, of race, religion, culture, tradition and nationality...
So What if they done or not done their DNA...
Why does cultural identity always have to be based on blood or heritage? .... Some people find it offensive is someone from another race pretends to be them or claims it if they are not..
As long as one is not exploiting, scamming, or acting ignorant about it what is the point? ..
I know growing up I was harassed out of claiming my native heritage for awhile. I do not have to do DNA my biological mother was tribal enrolled as Cherokee..
But I also get the same harassment when I state my biological father was Amish and I am considered Amish.. so... i am non traditional as I accepts the other communities would not.. They say to say that is my Indian, Irish or Scottish, or heritages side when I do.
and have been blessed to start me own Amish community by the Bishop of one community of my fathers.
Why is a big deal in today's day and age, where discrimination and harassment based on what is in your blood or what is in your heart is not suppose to be harassed or discriminated against.
Some people heritage and culture is by what is in their blood, others heritage and culture is by what is in their heart. For many even if it never showed up on their DNA they are what they claim to be, as it is in their heart they have joined the way, the culture and tradition....
I get laughed at all the time. But I myself am Heinzist Amish Indian New World Order... Heinzist because of my religion and spirituality and my 15 other heritages through adoption and acceptance of my adopted families one symbolic one legal...
Then my 9 native heritages, Amish, and Irish and Scottish...
Adoptions do not show up in DNA but you are what you are through adoption. Whether it is cultural acceptance and adoption, legal adoption, or personal self identity.. which even the United Nations says we can choose our self identities and cultures....
It is not always a blood thing, sometimes it is a heart thing, and how dare any of us take away something good from another's heart. Even if we think the story is based on fiction... If you go back far enough in the history of all our people they did things at one time based on a non fact....
Some are trans racial, some people are.. So what.. As long as their not scamming exploiters I do not care, or as long as they are not using my path's identity to harm others... Scam, exploit, harm.. damage.. .. Then it is not an issue to me...
You are who you are and always will be so regardless of what he says, she says, they say.. be yourself, and proud of yourself.
Many of my heritage on my Lakota side do not want to be called Native American because of what I stated at the introduction and because it loses their peoples culture name, heritage and identity..... by over generalization... others like myself have no issue being called this, and some of my tribes bands and nations are still a mystery. And would I get the DNA test.. but if something came up on it that did not match my family identity.. I still would not reject my family identity... nor would I my adopted families identities..
3 people like this
1 response
@arthurchappell (44998)
• Preston, England
14 Mar 18
DNA testing should be there for all - such discriminations are terrible
1 person likes this
@dnatureofdtrain (5273)
• Janesville, Wisconsin
16 Mar 18
Yes, it should be.. I do not like the whole DNA test to prove it system.. I find it terrible..
1 person likes this