[amie-b]

hi all,

i am usually on the guatemala board, but wanted to ask a question here. is it possible to adopt a native american child if you are not an official member of a tribe? both my hubbyand i have Iriquois heritage, and phisically is is quite evident in him. we also have an adopted daughter that is Maya Indian. we'd like to adopt another child, and tought we would look into a native child from north america. i have degree in history and have learned a great deal about Native Americans. i find the cultures and lifestyles very fascinating. Any info you can offer would be great!! thanks
amie

[iamctb]

I would refer to this document. Is your husband a member of his tribe?

[ddhuab]

but I think maybe it happens when the birthmom wants to privately place the child with adoptive parents, and the tribe has to approve it (I remember a recent course case -- within last five years or so -- where a judge messed something up and the adoption was anulled or something and the little boy went back to the tribe).

I AM MAINLY TRYING TO BUMP THIS, AS I AM INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE FROM RESPONSES.

I remember doing a history fair project once on the Act mentioned above, and I know that was made in reaction to the state taking children away based on the prevailing American ideas (at the time) of what was considered "best for the child", not taking into account the difference in cultures.

The result is, I believe, that it is VERY difficult to adopt a Native American child who is a member of a tribe. (A former co-worker said her nieces adoption was even complicated when it was discovered she was 1/8 Indian, related to a tribe). I am part Native American, and like your husband, it is very apparent in my appearance. One of my early hopes was to adopt a native american infant, but I got very vague information in my research, and the prevailing opinion seemed to be that if you have no documented tribal ties then you would not be able to adopt.

I tried several yeas ago to become part of a tribe, since my dad finally got his tribal card late in life, I believe. (But we were estranged, and I couldn't always get a full and truthful story from him). One of my cousins was told only so many members of a family were allowed to apply and live outside the tribe (?). I finally gave up when my dad died and I was almost through with college anyway.

I think adopting children of Native American heritage is easier/possible for adoptive parents who live in an area where Native Americans are a large part of the population (parts of Oklahoma, for example), because there may be many who have decided to live outside the tribal life.

D.

[iamctb]

I have not read all of your threads, and can only tell you how it works with the Cherokee Nation. Our ancestors a hundred yrs ago were forced by the American Gov't to register our heritage with them. This was called the Dawes Roll. From what my grandmother told me growing up, for the native americans, there was one huge flaw in that process, mainly that if you were a certain % Indian, you could not own businesses or homes in certain areas, and for that reason, some of our ancestors actually lied about how "much" Indian they were, so what the CHerokee Roll shows is diluted. ANyway. TO become a member of the Tribe now, in 2006, and have a verifiable "card", you must have a direct ancestor ggrandparent etc that showed up back in the day and got their ROll number. That is the number I had to use to join the tribe. Having said all that, in order to adopt a child available with the Cherokee Nation you have to "prove" you are CHerokee with this CDIB card (certificate of Indian Blood).
That I am aware of, each tribe has an adoption division.

[wolfgurl]

Originally Posted by ddhuab

I tried several yeas ago to become part of a tribe, since my dad finally got his tribal card late in life, I believe. (But we were estranged, and I couldn't always get a full and truthful story from him). One of my cousins was told only so many members of a family were allowed to apply and live outside the tribe (?). I finally gave up when my dad died and I was almost through with college anyway.

My friend is talking to her chief about accepting me into their tribe, I was adopted in 1983. I'm a 1/4 Native (very apparent in my appearance as well) from the West coast of Canada and I have no idea about what tribe or nation I'm from. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to find out the truth lol! My search for my biological parents has gone absolutely nowhere! D'oh!