If my great grandmother was full blooded Choctaw, what would I be?
The question of blood (Blood quantum) comes up frequently and is a complicated question. Blood Quantum was developed by the federal government to define qualification by ancestry to who is Native American. This form of identity is not based in any traditional ways of knowing. All federally recognized tribes have different ways to determine who their citizens are.
There are three federally recognized Choctaw tribes; Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians and Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Each of these tribes have different ways in which they decide citizenship into their tribe. If you know which of these tribes your ancestors were from, you can contact them directly to learn more about them.
It is important to know who you are, where you come from and who your ancestors are. Make sure through this process of learning more about your culture, the history of your tribe and traditions, that you start from a place of respect and curiosity.
Good Luck,
Auntie Manda
