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KnowledgeBases > The American Indian Education KnowledgeBase > Element 2 > Activity 1 > Task 2: Understand Eligibility for Tribal Membership

Guideline: According to the U.S. Government's Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), no single federal or tribal criterion establishes a person's identity as an American Indian.  Enrollment criteria vary, and are determined by the tribe from which Indian blood may be derived.  Generally, if linkage to an identified tribal member is far removed, one would not qualify for membership.

To be eligible for BIA services, an American Indian must be:
  • a member of a tribe recognized by the federal government,
  • of one-half or more American Indian blood of tribes indigenous to the United States; or
  • for some purposes, be of one-fourth or more American Indian ancestry.
Tools Everything You Wanted to Know About Indian Tribes _EXTERNAL_LINK
Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Indian Tribes, reprinted from: The Grand Ronde Tribes newspaper The Smoke Signal, provides a series of questions and answers explaining who Indians are, where they came from, tribal structure, and other related questions about Indian sovereignty, culture, and values. It can be used as an instructional and orientation tool for teachers.
References Guide to Tracing Your American Indian Ancestry _EXTERNAL_LINK

This link is to a U.S. Department of the Interior guide addressing the purpose of tribal enrollment, membership requirements, how to apply, and how to locate an ancestral tribe.

References Native American Indian Genealogy _EXTERNAL_LINK

This link to Access Genealogyis provides such Native American records as tribal histories, final rolls, census, and an extensive collection of online books.

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Next: Task 3: Be Familiar with the Structure of Tribes, Clans, Bands, and Extended Families Previous: Task 1: Understand Federal and State Tribal Recognition


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