Blood, Lineage, and Culture: Who is Really "Indian"?

This project examines the construction of Native American identity and the factors like blood quantum, lineage, social ties, and community and culture that shape that identity. This presentation will focus on the highly... [ view full abstract ]

This project examines the construction of Native American identity and the factors like blood quantum, lineage, social ties, and community and culture that shape that identity. This presentation will focus on the highly contested issue of blood quantum, which has informed both tribal enrollment and federal policies with Native American people. I discuss three tribes and their enrollment criteria to demonstrate the complex ways that they determine membership; various tribes negotiate their membership criteria through often contentious processes. Drawing from the work of scholars, both Native and non-Native, and Native activists and individuals, I foreground what Native people feel are the most important factors in shaping who they are. I found that blood quantum is never one of these aspects, but community involvement, a shared history, and familial and social ties are what dominate the conversation. I conclude that no single factor can be used to determine Native American identity, and that although there are no simple answers to questions of identity, community, and membership, more inclusive factors like lineage and community connectedness should be considered in membership criteria. Native American identity is a complex issue, and in my essay I offer insight into the contested question of blood quantum.