Download PDF The Great Vanishing Act Blood Quantum and the Future of Native Nations Norbert S Hill Jr Kathleen Ratteree 9781682750650 Books

Product details Paperback 350 pages Publisher Fulcrum Publishing (August 21, 2017) Language English ISBN-10 1682750655

The Great Vanishing Act Blood Quantum and the Future of Native Nations Norbert S Hill Jr Kathleen Ratteree 9781682750650 Books Reviews

• This book is a series of documents that contain well referenced bibliographies. It is written and edited by Native Americans. I found this book the best reasoned approach to a real problem facing all tribal hovers governments in the U.S. We must define who our members are and citizenship requirements of risk continued loss of membership and extinction of recognition with loss of sovereign recognition as indigenous nations.
• Very well written book that uses several authors to look at the possible decline of Indian Nation citizen numbers due to the historic use of blood quantum and the resistance of Nations to change to a better system.
• It exceeded my expectations I was very pleased with my purchase. I am worried about we as a Native nation inadvertently wiping ourselves out. Tbis book helped a lot.
• Excellent essays by mostly a solid group of writers.
• Who is an Indian?
  Robert A. Yingst
  
  Kathleen Ratteree and Norbert Hill have collaborated to offer up some excellent writings to help answer the question Who is an Indian?
  
  My wife recently discovered through the Geno Project of National Geographic that she has Native American blood. Geno Project takes the saliva sample you submit to them and identifies your unique DNA through scientific analysis of your saliva. For my wife it was confirmation of something she has long suspected but could not prove. So it is with personal interest and more heightened curiosity that I read The Great Vanishing Act, Blood Quantum and the Future of Native Nations.
  
  Before reading this work of Ratteree and Hill, I contemplated what my wife’s 2% Native American means in this debate. Not much according to blood quantum. But Quanah Parker’s mother was probably 0% Indian. Yet, Cynthia Ann Parker was more Indian than some I have met who claim full blood quantum. Nautdah (her Indian name) could probably not qualify into the tribe of an Indian Nation under blood quantum or DNA or genealogy. Should qualifying for tribal citizenship be akin to the process of becoming a card carrying member of the Daughters of the American Revolution? Written records are key to membership in the DAR. Hatched, matched, and dispatched are critical - that is - genealogical proof of birth, marriage, and death on the way from you to your ancestor who fought in the War of Revolution.
  
  The science of DNA is relevant to this discussion even if not dispositive to escape from blood quantum. If DNA from Quanah Parker’s mother Nautnah could be tested it would not be able to reveal the genesis of the zeal with which Nautdah embraced and longed for her Indian “roots” after they were taken from her. Under blood quantum or DNA she probably would not make it into the Comanche Nation.
  
  One contributor to the book, Jessica Kolepenuk is not so sure that DNA testing is the way to go anyway. She claims in NDN DNA that DNA is not “safe yet”. Her look at DNA testing seems to be saying that it too is more political than scientific so she cannot fully embrace it. She shows just how emotional it can be to find who we are through this type of testing as her testing confirmed her Indian origins, but did not confirm her friend. She claims that science is over coding the Indian traditions and heritage in a way which she calls “gene talk”. She does not fully deny the science and is perhaps acting consistent with Harjo’s observation that the Indian way is go easy into the future, weighing all but incorporating that which works and discarding the rest.
  
  The theme that comes through from these writings is that Indians want to define themselves and not be defined by others. That is what blood quantum does, seems to be the consensus. Native Americans were here when this was a country yet to be and their influence on the people of what became the United States of America is real though often overlooked.
  
  Hill and Ratteree have successfully put together different perspectives of Native American writers who have understanding of what it means to “walk in two worlds.” Being “tribal” for Native Americans seems to bring with it perpetual conflict.
  
  How American Indians have dealt with this conflict is through “traditions, openness and patience” says Susan Shown Harjo in her condemnation of the blood quantum as “bleeding us dry.” Her passionate description and plea to Native Americans is to not forget the traditional ways of deciding citizenship. With over 560 Native nations today having governmental relations with the United States, she urges shopping around to figure it out the way Natives have always done it. Maybe India, China, Zimbabwe and others have something to teach and learn from.
  
  As a way of defining Native identity, Gyasi Ross cuts to the chase by calling blood quantum “stupid.” “No question it was adopted in bad faith, with bad intentions and a bad fit for Native people he says. “ It’s goal was to end Native heritage he claims citing the Dawes Act of 1887 which “gave” Indians land with strings. Blood quantum was used to figure out the stings to pull as Indian heritage came under attack in a most insidious way.
  
  The Great Vanishing Act, Blood Quantum and the Future of Native Nations contains writings which help us understand in many ways what it means to be Indian. “We have a rich history of persistence, determination and resiliency at White Earth, and I carry that history forward with my actions today” was the statement of Chairwoman Vizenor trying to press for implementation of the policy of descent not blood quantum voted by the people of the White Earth Nation.
• I enjoyed reading this book as I've been fascinated by the evolution of native american bloodlines and what it truly means to be native american