A lot of folks are wondering why cards are no longer issued and memberships now longer exist... Well hopefully this will assist in the understanding.
I identify as Aboriginal, a blackfella from Australia... Its in my family from my fathers side (although I am pretty much white looking) and its in my heart and spirit with strong bonds to this land, my land... No card is given to prove blood quantum, no card is carried to prove my aboriginality, it simply is how it is.
When i went to the states and spoke to various peoples of the First Nations I found myself shaken, stunned and horrified. Blood quantum, little cards saying how much Native blood ran in peoples veins kept being mentioned and shown. Then there were many who because at the time the rolls were taken had no card because at the time, many people were scared of revealing their native connections, as they knew, (correctly might I add) that if their family name was on a list, then the government, and the haters would have a path to find and continue the persecutions that had disenfranchised and killed so many of their families and peoples.
So I asked the question of an elder... Why are these cards so important... The only other place I have heard of such a thing was Nazi Germany where so called undesirables had to carry cards to prove their... race! I could not find a reason to be bound by a card, a piece of talking leaf to prove that according to the WHITE mans judgement made someone a Native American... NOT by the judgement or acceptance of a tribe, NO that ability and right is completely under the control of someone who has never been native, nor ever will be... BUT if they do not accept you as Native, even your own tribe, will not accept you as Native... When did Native America give away its right to say who is family and who is not? When did The buffalo and bear become the follower instead of the leader and accept the word of those who have never walked the Red Road as to their own identity.
Hence long discussions followed with the other Elders behind RedNation. Did we wish to be known as a part of the system, built by non indigenous, did we wish to be a little club of recognition, or did we wish to simply acknowledge and accept those who walk the Red Road, to accept those who know who they are and make no judgement, nor support the judgement enforced upon indigenous peoples by those who have no clue? The Answer is no... We are no longer going to be part of that system, that is flawed and broken, that takes away identity and enforces the slavery that has been in place since the invasions of the past.
Original peoples didn't have certificates, all we do is to recognise the right of genuine people to identify themselves by their heritage. We hold no judgement, we do not need the defective history offered by the Dawes or other rolls to accept that someone is who they are... To those whom have cards... We thank you with all our hearts for the support... Do not throw them away, for they are something to be proud of, they offered the foundations to where we now are... You were part of building something that will stand the test of time and will always be treasured... But there are no more memberships, no more joining, because if you are here reading, then you already are a member of our family, those whom walk the Red Road.
It comes down to this... YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE...
When I was in the US, I had the honour of going to Cherokee North Carolina and spending time in the company of an Elder... His wisdom I will share. When we spoke he said
"I do not know who you are... That is not my path, It is your path to learn who you are and I may not judge you for that, I may only walk with you some of the way in the Great Journey the Creator has given you"That is what RedNation is about... We do not know who you are, we recognise you as a fellow travelers on the road to the Creator and we will share what we have with you... BUT we wont tell you who you are, WE wont place you in a box and lump you in a category, WE wont make you a number on a roll... WE Will share what we have and WE Will acknowledge your freedom to walk the Red Road...
End of the day, I'm a Blackfella, no card, no white man telling me its true... How come you need a white mans card to say you are a Redfella? Dont really make sense does it... You and only YOU know what you are in your heart, and that should be enough...
Ponder it friends... And may the Creator walk with you...
