By Lee Longhorn

“If you’re that concerned about gay people getting married, then don’t marry one.” -Whoopi Goldberg, Back to Broadway Stand-up

My parents celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary this summer. Both my parents are multi-tribal. My mother is of course Sac & Fox, Seneca-Cayuga, Wyandotte, Onondoga, Creek and Seminole. My father (well, actually step-father) is Creek, Yuchi and Cherokee.

One day, not too long ago, my mother told me that I should marry a Creek. At the time, I was seeing a young Choctaw girl and it hit me. How can you worry about other people’s marriage when your standards aren’t the same?

I ponder and question my standards in a potential significant other. I actually kind of gave up worrying about blood quantum and the requirement that they be an American Indian. But in the event that I should marry someone of American Indian ancestry, should I worry about blood quantum? Furthermore, should I allow others to worry about my relationships, as well?

Pure Blood Status

I’m a huge fan of Harry Potter. I read the books and watched the movies but there’s something that isn’t really captured in the movies. For those of you who haven’t read the books, this is your spoiler alert: I’m going to ruin the ending. I’m sorry, but I have to for you to understand where I’m going with this, just bear with me.

In the book, Harry Potter has two companions: Ron Weasley, who is a pure-blood wizard and Hermione Granger, who is what the wizards call a “muggle.” A muggle is someone born of non-magical parents and who have no magical ancestors in their bloodline. At the end of the series, Ron and Hermione get married and have children. This got me thinking about marrying full-blood tribal members.

The dilemma is this: Should I be the one to split that blood line? The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians requires a blood quantum of one-half. That means that if I were to have a child with a member of that tribe, that child would be half Choctaw, and a certified member, in the eyes of the tribe. However, our child would then have to reproduce with a Choctaw member with a blood degree status of at least one-half. If not, their offspring would be ineligible for membership.

Of all my tribes, my children will not have the option to enroll in Sac & Fox Nation. I am the last of my family to be eligible for tribal membership because the tribe’s blood quantum is set at 1/8 or more. Unless I were to have children with someone from that tribe, that lineage in my legacy would be gone, at least in the eyes of the tribe. (In most cases, you can only be federally recognized by one tribe or by one tribal entity, unless that tribe allows dual enrollment.) Until recently, we had the same dilemma on my Shawnee side. In Oklahoma, only a handful of tribes require a blood quantum of one-quarter. The Absentee Shawnee was one of them. At one time, my biological father and I had talked about that. I now no longer have to worry about that since the tribe lowered its quantum requirements to 1/8.

Deeper than skin, thicker than blood

I think you would call me old fashioned. As I enter adulthood and on my way toward meeting that significant other, I would say that my standards are lower than what others may want. Despite blood, ethnic status, or even education, I would say that now I only look for someone who is somewhat educated, motivated, dedicated and willing to support me while I support them. I can find that in anyone. In fact, I think I would never see that information on a Certificate Degree of Indian Blood card or tribal enrollment card. If it was, then I would ask they remove the blood quantum information.

Lee Longhorn is an intern reporter at the Muscogee Nation News.