Enrolling In Your Tribe Step 1 Genealogy Genealogy

Enrolling In Your Tribe

Step 1 Genealogy, Genealogy! Do you know which ancestor of yours is Native American? Trace it back! - Check Out The Census! Use old U. S. Census data - any census 73 years and older are publicly available. - Use The Internet! Ancestry. com & Genealogy. com are highly used and praised sites to trace your family tree - BIA! The Bureau of Indian Affairs, a US Government branch, has helpful tips, on how to trace your ancestry here.

Step 2 The Fun Legal Stuff ● Know your tribe’s qualifications. No two tribes are the same in terms of determining your status. Tribes range from requiring you to be ½ Native to 1/32 nd. Ask your tribal office before applying! ● Have your legal documents ready to go! To apply to most tribes, you will need the birth certificates, marriage certificates, and death certificates of you, your parents, your grandparents and anyone else that traces back to your Native ancestor. Learn about vital records here. ● Did you check the census? Most tribes want to see that your ancestor existed, therefore want proof that they were on a previous US Census.

Step 3 Not As Bad As Applying To Colleges, But… ● Many federally recognized tribes are self-governed. You are essentially applying for another citizenship. ● You cannot be registered to more than 1 tribe. ● If you don’t provide sufficient enough paperwork or evidence, you may be denied.

Sample Paperwork

Step 4 The Waiting Game ● Did your Tribal Council elect new members? Is your paperwork hard to read? Did you send computer-generated images or the actual certificates? All these factor into how long it takes for your application to be reviewed. This process can take up to 1 month.

Step 5 Welcome To The Tribe Congratulations on your Tribal ID! You’re now officially recognized by your tribe and by the federal government as a member! Depending on your tribe and their federal status, you may enjoy certain benefits on the reservation (or “the “rez”) or federal benefits when it comes to grants, taxes, and more. Source: http: //www. spokanealcoholservertraining. com/Server_Resources. php