First Peoples: A Documentary Survey of American Indian History
First Peoples: A Documentary Survey of American Indian History
Yes a white person who is less than a tenth Indian has a right to claim to be Native American. This is because of the principle of self-determination and sovereignty. Native Americans acquired this status in the 1970s and have over the past four decades fought to reshape their relationship with the wider American society. Based on this premise, it is therefore clear that any individual can claim the Native American identity because the Indian tribes make their own decisions, run their own affairs and chart the course of their own future. However, all these must be consistent their culture and values. Basically it is up to the Native Americans themselves.
Today, any white person can claim a Native American identity if the following requirements are met. As earlier mentioned the principle of self-determination is based on the Indian tribes’ cultural and values. As a result, the degree of one’s commitment to the Indian culture plays a crucial role. Cultural identity is very critical to claimants of Native American identity. In addition to this, one’s Indian genealogy needs to be authentic despite the proportion of ‘Indianess’. The degree to which one believes in Native American philosophy also plays an important role in determining the right to identity. Finally, one must be enrolled to at least one of the Indian tribes.
Bibliography
Calloway, Colin G. First Peoples: A Documentary Survey of American Indian History. Bedford: St. Martin's, 2012.
