![]() ![]() White settlers first imposed blood quantum in the early colonies as a way of limiting the rights of Native people. The concept of blood quantum dates back to the 18th century. That was really the underpinning of how we belonged.” The fundamental tenet of kinship was reciprocity–reciprocal duty to one another, to your people, your clan, your longhouse. As Gabe Galanda explains, “Before contact, the great majority of our nations today self-identified as kinship societies. Many Native nations also had ways of granting citizenship to non-kin, such as adoption and marriage. Before colonization, Native nations used various forms of lineal descent to determine membership. (If you’re enrolled with a particular Native nation and want to switch nations, you’ll need to unenroll first.) Where Did Blood Quantum Come From?īlood quantum is not an Indigenous concept. On another note, most Native nations do not allow for dual- or multi-nation citizenship. If a prospective citizen’s blood quantum is lower than 1⁄4, they are not eligible to become a citizen of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe. For example, the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe requires members to have 1⁄4 or more blood quantum from Lower Brule. Many Native nations currently use blood quantum to determine who can and cannot become a citizen. The BIA issues Native people a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB) that identifies an individual’s blood quantum and Native nation affiliation. For example, if one parent has 1⁄4 “Indian blood” and the other has 1⁄2, their children will have 3⁄8 blood quantum. (We’ll say more about why the amounts were usually incorrect later.) Calculating blood quantum involves dividing an individual’s parents’ combined degree of “Indian blood” in half. These amounts, often incorrect, continue to affect blood quantum determinations. Starting in 1884, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) used Census rolls to assign blood quantum amounts to Native people. federal government to disempower Indigenous people and separate them from their lands, resources, culture, identities, languages, and futures. Blood quantum is a stand-in device for lineage imposed by the U.S. It’s not possible to actually calculate the amount of Native blood someone has. For example, when we have children, our biological features are not split in half. Rooted in eugenics, the concept lacks any scientific basis. Blood quantum appears as a fraction and is “calculated” based on an individual’s family tree. What is Blood Quantum?īlood quantum is a concept created by white settlers that refers to the amount of so-called “Indian blood” that an individual possesses. This guide provides a non-comprehensive beginner’s introduction to blood quantum and its implications for sovereignty. We encourage readers to stay up to date on conversations happening around blood quantum and citizenship within the Native nations and communities closest to them. And, every Native nation has a different approach to defining citizenship and setting goals for the future. The conversation around blood quantum is continuously evolving. It’s a complicated, controversial, and personal topic that has major implications for citizenship and belonging in Indian Country. Introduction “Defining citizenship is probably the most sovereign act a Native nation can make.” – Megan Hillīlood quantum. This guide is based on our event content we are grateful to our presenters for sharing their insight with us. Jill Doerfler (University of Minnesota Duluth), and Gabe Galanda (Galanda Broadman PLLC). Elizabeth Rule (American University), Dr. The event featured Megan Hill (Honoring Nations + Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development), Dr. Native Governance Center held a virtual event on blood quantum, “Blood Quantum and Sovereignty,” in March 2022. ![]()
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