"What's Your Nation?": Stop Asking, Start Digging! A No-Bullshit Guide to Finding Your People.

"What's Your Nation?": Stop Asking, Start Digging! A No-Bullshit Guide to Finding Your People.

“What’s your nation?”

For many, this question feels like a homecoming; for others, a gut punch. For those who know their tribal nation and are connected to the community, it’s a badge of pride. For those who don’t, it can feel like a door slammed in your face—a reminder of a connection severed by history, policy, and trauma.

But the truth is, that door isn’t locked. It may be heavy as hell and rusted shut, but it can be opened. All it takes are the right tools and the determination to push through your own discomfort. 

If you’re tired of that sinking feeling and ready to trade uncertainty for identity, then stop asking and start digging. This is your no-bullshit, get-it-done guide to starting your genealogical research.

This isn't about claiming a quantum; it's about claiming your people.

Step 1: Sit Down With Your Elders. NOW.

Forget the internet for a second. Your first and most important database is your family.

  • Who: Parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles—the older, the better.

  • What to Ask: Don’t just ask “Are we Native?” That can get a shut-down. Ask for your family's stories. Ask about their childhood, their parents, where they lived. Names. Places. Maiden names. Nicknames. That “weird” cousin who always travelled. Write it ALL down. Record the audio on your phone. This is your gold.

The Real Talk: Time is not on your side. Every day we lose elders and their stories forever. This is your most urgent step. Do it with respect, with humility, and with the understanding that some memories might be painful. Hold space for the bravery and pain that comes with telling tough stories about oneself. 

Step 2: Mine the Paper Trail (This is Where the Work Is)

History tried to bury us, but they didn’t know we were seeds. And seeds leave records. This is detective work. Get a notebook.

  • Census Records are Your Best Friend: Start with the 1940 U.S. Census (the latest publicly available). Find your grandparents or great-grandparents. Look for them. Then track them backwards through the 1930, 1920, 1910, and 1900 censuses. The 1900 Census is especially crucial—it often lists "Tribal Affiliation."

  • Where to Look:

    • FamilySearch.org (100% FREE. Run by the LDS church, which has a problematic history, but their genealogical archive is unmatched. Use the tool, know the history.)

    • National Archives - Dawes Rolls are key for the Five Tribes (Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Seminole). The Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 are also invaluable.

  • What to Look For: Names, dates, places. But also look for clues. Did they live on or near a reservation? Was their race listed as “Indian” or something vague like “Black” or “White” that might have been used to hide identity? Terms like "boarder, lodger, or student" were often used to account for Native children in boarding schools.

     

 

Step 3: Get Specific to Your Nation

This is where you move from general genealogy to reconnection.

  • Identify the Tribal Nation: Once you have a family names and a potential region or nation, GO DIRECTLY TO THE SOURCE. Step one is to find the official website of the tribe you believe you descend from.

  • Find Their Requirements: Every tribe has its own rules for citizenship. Some use blood quantum, some use lineal descent. LOOK THIS UP. Their website will have a "Enrollment" or "Citizenship" section. This is your target. This tells you exactly what you need to prove.

  • Contact the Tribal Enrollment Office: BE RESPECTFUL. These offices are often understaffed and overwhelmed. So, do your homework first. When you call or email, be specific: “Hello, my name is X. My ancestor, [Full Name], who I believe was a member of your tribe, was listed on the [Name of Census/Roll] around [Year]. Could you please guide me on the next steps for verifying this?” Have your information ready.

Step 4: Hold Your Head High, No Matter What

Here’s the real medicine. Paperwork is one thing. Identity is another.

  • If You Find Your Documents: Congratulations. Your journey has a map. Follow it. Learn your nation's history, its language, its stories. Show up for your people with humility and a willingness to learn and serve.

  • If You Hit a Dead End: Maybe the records were destroyed. Maybe your family hid their identity to survive. This does not erase your heritage. It just means your path is different. You can still:

    • Support Native Sovereignty. Fight for our rights. Advocate for our land and our people.

    • Support Native Artists and Businesses. Economic power is community power.

    • Educate Yourself and Others. Learn the true history of this land. Dismantle stereotypes.

    • Be a Good Relative. Act in ways that honor our shared values: respect, reciprocity, and community.

Your journey to find your nation is sacred. It is an act of defiance against erasure. It is hard, frustrating, emotional work. But it is your work. And you don't have to do it alone.

We See You. Now Let's Get To Work.

This isn't just about finding a name on a roll. It's about finding your place in the circle. At Good Medicine Collective, we honor the work of our enrolled citizen artists and we champion the reconnecting relatives and allies who support them. We are all essential to turning the tide.

Your next moves:

  1. Call your grandma. Right now. Go!

  2. Get your library card. Access those records.

  3. Support an enrolled artist and wear your culture with pride. Put your money where your heart is and bring authentic art into your home. Let it remind you of what you're fighting for every damn day.

This is nation-building. Grab your shovel.

NEED A PLACE TO START? SUPPORT THE ARTISTS WHOSE WORK CARRIES OUR STORIES. 

GOT A STORY TO SHARE? TAG US AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY ON INSTAGRAM. 


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