Ken Packie, “Buffalo Dancer”, Chetwynd BC Competition
Saturday morning I watched Michael Smerconish. He discussed Senator Elizabeth Warren’s allusion to her Native American ancestry. Apparently she received recognition at various times for her ancestry and that may or may not have advanced her academic career.
This is a quandry for many Americans who have been told tales of Native heritage. Most often it is not easily confirm able and the blood quantum is relatively low, 1/32nd or less. More importantly, most of these individuals have not participated in Native American culture – they have not lived the Indian way.
In fact the relationship between the Native American culture and modern America is generally not clearly understood. Modern Native American culture in many instances is focused on Native lands (and water), their enterprises, and various distinct tribal cultures. In my experience, tribal councils cherish their sovereignty and they are defined in U. S. law as nations.
