Once again, I’m cutting and pasting…

Remember, on Tumblr, you can’t reblog someone’s message box. Darn it.

So, @custerdiedforyoursins always answers people’s questions with these great answers, and I always want to reblog her whole “Q&A” thing, but I can’t. So, I’m cutting and pasting it here for you:

Question:

Why do people react so strongly if people who pass for ‘white’ mention some indigenous heritage? And I don’t mean assholes who use it to justify racism, I mean people who just see it like any other part of their heritage. Part Scottish, part Irish, part Mi’kmaq.
 -Anonymous

Answer:

No one is denying that people who are, for all intents and purposes, white can have indigenous heritage. But, unless they are a part of the culture, an actual Native culture -their own tribe’s - not some commodified bullshit they’re buying off the internet or some $500 sweatlodge run by a white dude in AZ or some New Age crap in a book disguised as ancient Indian knowledge - they are not -A- Native American. They are someone with Native heritage, and it’s okay to say that.

I’ve noticed that a lot of people don’t like when you say, for example, that you’re “part Mi’kmaq”, because these are tribes and/or nations. You can’t be part French citizen and part American citizen. It doesn’t work that way. This is a part of the idea that you either are or aren’t -A- Native American. So, to avoid confusion, it’s best to say that you have Mi’kmaq heritage, since that’s the example you chose, instead of saying part Mi’kmaq. This is all just semantics of course, but the way that these things are being discussed on here - it matters and does make a difference.

I hope this is clear. I feel like I’m just rambling.

IF ANYONE WANTS TO ADD SOMETHING, PLEASE DO.
(end of answer)

(ME)

I’m not sure that the semantics matter so much. Generally, if in conversation with someone who has identified themselves as part Native, they will either enthusiastically tell you all about themselves (which gives you a chance to find an  excuse to extricate yourself from the conversation and run and hide from the faux-njn) or they will seem a little uncomfortable if you’re clearly a “real” Native and they just casually mentioned they are descended from a Native tribe but don’t know squat about it. That’s your chance to politely see if they want to know how to contact their tribe, or to change the topic. After a while you kind of get a feel for what people want, I think, but maybe I’m rambling, too.