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Hello Again;
I know, in my previous posts, that I mentioned that my moms family and my dads family are from Indian Rez.’s , but I never said that I was. Thats because I wasn’t even born in the United States hehe. I was a military brat from day one. My dad joined the Armed Services when he was 18. He basically told his mom, “I gotta go make something of myself, I cant just sit at home.”
I have read posts on this web site written by different folks, explaining the circumstances surrounding ‘difference of opinion’ concerning Indian peoples, on varying levels. There are alot of contravercial ideologies out there. And when you stop to think about it, those same arguements are occuring right now across the globe. Makes you wonder how egocentric and or cultural centric the world must be.
As a child, the world was a Huge place, and I felt lucky enough to have been able to visit many places.
I was born in Rota Spain, at the time my father was in the Navy. He served as Crash and Rescue aboard 2 aircraft carriers one was the USS Kennedy, the other I cannot remember at this time.
That 747 that crashed into the Atlantic in the 80’s, he was there doing his job.
Later he switched services to join the Army, where he hoped to be home more often. Didnt work out that way. Later he was sent to the Gulf War.
22+ years in the military, I have lived 9 of those in Europe. I was there when the Berlin Wall came down, a most historic event. I met an elderly woman at one of the local parks, she was sitting on a bench. She bent down into her hand bag to pull out some bread for the swan and geese, when I saw strange numbers tatooed on her arm. I was young, later I learned what they were. And here in our country we have peoples fighting to get Identification Numbers, not so dissimular then the ones branded on that womans arm. To me they mean the same thing.
I have visited many places as a child. England, France, The Azores, I even got to visit Morrocco Africa. I have lived in Washington State, Georgia, Virginia, and now Missouri (as well visited other states).
The world is a small place after all, what we see here we will see anywhere else we go. The rest of the world is not so differnt from our own lil communities we construct. But thats something we tend to forget about or ignore.
A military life is hard too, in a different way then say…Rez life, but hard is hard no matter how you look or feel about it. I come from a background of servicemen, Gulf War, Vietnam, Korea, WWII, WWI. Beyond that I havent found any military documentaion yet.
Just my two cents
Kristin
Kristin,
We have a lot in common tho I never got out of the states. I was 22 years a AF wife. My first husband and father to my children was stationed on an Island just off Japan, served 2 terms in Thiland and four years with the US AF Thunderbirds ( sheet metal specialist….somebody had to keep the planes in the air) The rest of the time we spent stateside. While with the Thunderbirds he traveled all over the world and I got used to staying home and keeping the home fires burning.
I didn’t grow up with the knowledge of my heritage. Mine was hidden and only spoke of by elders in whispers. Over the years I ask questions but many times was told to stop my digging or I would find more than I bargined for. You are very lucky that you have the memories of your relatives and stories you have been told.
We hear so many times about the “round up” that occured resulting in the trail of tears. Many Indians/mixed bloods hide in the mountains. Mine made it to the appalachian mountains of West Virginia and Kentucky.
hello Ladies, well for once someone is making sence of these issues of Identity, I know from my own expierence that numbers are no way to define ourselves, really niether is religion , politics, or any other social institution.
We are who we are I define myself as a person of mixed descent!
I know exactly where I am and who my ancestors are, many are nameless but all gave me my life.
Thanx for the sharing and best to All, Tom
Aye
My father, once he switched services, lived the rest of his career as an Communication Specialist, because he switched services he was docked in rank, he finally retired as an E8, Staff Seargent. He has a full college education and a resume thick as a book on everything he can do. Lo when he retired he tried to get a job within is specialization, and thay all told him he was “Too Overquallified”. Bleh. Just because you have a colledge education and or have millitary training speciallization doesnt seem to mean anything in the civilian workplace apparently. That was a dissapointment. So now, with all that education he has, he works in a food factory.
Kristin
Hello Tom!!!
Im glad to finally get to meet and talk with you.
I could very easily stash away some money and make a trip out to NC to the rez to go get my CDIB card if I wanted. I have a few uncles that are registered too. But the key words there are *If I wanted*. I dont need that card anymore then I need another number to have to memorize. I have trouble as it is remembering my own phone number.
Hehe Im afraid that one day I will be walking thru Wal-Mart just as an announcement comes over the PA, announcing my licence plate number (for whatever reason) and I wouldnt be the wiser about it, cause i have never remembered that dang number LOL.
Those federal monies allocated to individual nations should stay on those nations reserves. I dont live there, I dont need to take those monies away from the folks that really need it. If I did have my card I would take that money each month and give it straight back to them. I wouldnt take my parcial of land either, I dont need it. When I go back to visit I stay at the homes of friends and family. My family has 10achres of land here, some of my hubbies family who came to Missouri have 30achres of land here.
I had an arguement once with an individual who is regestered with the Navaho nation, he told me, “Why not take the money, the more people are registered the more that nation gets allowcated federal monies, and the US government owes the Indain Nations of this country more then they will ever be able to pay back”.
That is very very true. But like I said even if I did hold that card I wouldnt take the money for myself. When times get rough and I need help with money, or food or clothing, there are other ways to attain assistance right here in the very city I live in.
There are non proffit orginazations all over the country out there for the single purpose to help individuals who need it the most.
Im not affraid to say that I have had to get Emergency Utility assistance. Im not ashamed to say that I have to get help from our local family services in attaining food stamps to feed my family.
But these things are set up for that purpose, and those Federal Monies need to stay on the reservation to help those individuals for that same reason, and more to help build better shelters, homes, school buildings, supplies or what not.
We all have identifications, for me, I have, Drivers Licence number, Dependent Millitary ID number, Medical Insurance Number, Credit card number, Social Security number, FDS number,
hehehe address number, phone number, geesh I dont need another number to tell me who I am.
Btw, all those neat little numbers, cards, property, personal belongings, cant all fit in the casket when we die. I was told once “We own nothing, we are only borrowing it for a little while,
we will not be remembered for our belongings only for what we do with our lives”.
Kristin
I have the same reaction to the enrollment number issue. To me, the precedent is AKC papers. It creeps me out. I understand how some people want the credibility, the recognition involved, for social or emotional reasons, but there are lots of ways to recognize one another. For me that’s what’s important, that we recognize each other.
Hey Girls!
Well that card issue will always be around, by enrolling it bumps numbers up and the folks on the rez. do get more money, being on the recieving end of those dallors for some really helps them out, but there’s the clincher, being there to get it, and if you reside off the rez then perhaps things should be adressed but even on the rez up here some are very rich dallor wise while others are poor, so go figure.
I think those that do need it deserve it, those that don’t need it should give to the education system, housing etc.
One of my close relatives actually de-enlisted her daughter after her father obtained a card for her!
The answer is simple and Kristin you have already addresed it.
I wish that more would be as honest.
ps After a long winter we maybe in for some warm weather this time last week we recieved about 4 inches of snow! And I am waiting to get my garden in still.
So give those wonderful Magnolias a deep sniff for me.
I sure do miss the south!
All the best Tom
Hey Linda, well I have been in the south many times and in Louisiana for 2 months at a stretch, in north Ga, for up to a month at a time visiting friends etc.
I hope to be there again this winter for a longer stretch.
Do you know anybody at William & Mary? Do they know what you do? If not, let me know before you come down and I’ll try and arrange something.
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