Hopefully, people who come here are looking for ways to find out how they can determine if they have Cherokee ancestry and not any sacred wisdom or rituals...

Too many people spend too much on the internet searching for all the wrong things and arguing about who is and who is not something. I don’t join in on those arguments, however, I will make a couple of statements that I hope will help you with your research and avoid some pitfalls.

In the interest of clear thinking don't succumb to the wannabe ethic, which is an insistence that you be considered Native in every sense and that you have some god given right to demand knowledge, both cultural and ceremonial, from your recognized cousins.

When addressing Native people always identify yourself as a direct descendent.  It will save you a lot of grief and bad feelings. If you want to know what it takes to be a tribal member go to the Tribe’s website and they will tell you.

If you are or think you are a direct descendent, this is about genealogy research, not just about proving you have Indian blood.  I have listed a number of resources as links and they are the best ways to start your journey. If you have Native and especially Cherokee ancestry you can find it but it takes some hard work.

On being a Cherokee Mixed Blood Descendent

The difference today is not in who is a mixed blood but in who is registered and who had an ancestor on the Dawes rolls and whether a person was raised in white or Cherokee culture. In this country you are one or the other, again, not because of blood quantum, but because of the federal government's definitions and the tribe's right to establish membership. 

In Canada we would be known as Métis (Pronounced Meh-Tay) and have a standing of our own. In this country we have no standing with either the U.S. Government or the Tribal governments. The Chief of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma has admitted that there are many unregistered Cherokee, but that has not led to any offer of recognition, other than having an ancestor on the Dawes rolls. Proving descent, especially in the Cherokee Nations given the various tribal rolls, can be done. But that only proves descent, it does not establish a right to membership in a tribe or nation. One exception to that is that if you have an ancestor on the Dawes Roll for Cherokee, it qualifies you to be a Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma citizen. 

We can take great pride in our Indian blood for we come from a great people, who have a long and rich cultural heritage and who have survived as much as any people in history, but we can't  say that we are the same if we have not been raised in the Native cultures. There is blood and then there is culture. For most American Indians whose tribes have federal recognition, culture can win out over blood but in many cases blood quantum is the minimum requirement. 

But what of us who are direct descendents?

The path to claiming your blood is not an easy one, but bear in mind that no journey with a worth while goal is. Be aware that you are not alone. There are thousands of us whose ancestors left the tribes and mixed with the whites. My approach to understanding my American Indian ancestors and my living cousins is done with great respect. I wish only to honor this heritage and will make every effort to conduct my creative endeavors in music, art, and the written word in a way that I hope will not be misunderstood if I make any mistakes in my understanding. I hope they will correct my understanding in a friendly way.