Why do so many people want to suddenly be Native American?

Wow, I didn't know that this was becoming a thing people mocked.

I don't have any kind of Native American heritage, but I genuinely think it would be so amazing to have it. I'd personally find it amazing to look back over your ancestry and find out about your Native American ancestors. I don't know why people do it. If they're doing it to insult the Native American culture, I can understand why you'd be upset, but I think many people say it because they genuinely think its quite an amazing bit of heritage to have. Maybe it is a bit daft to say I'm 1/28 Cherokee or something along those lines, but maybe you should take it as a compliment. You have an incredible piece of history.

Then I assume you are a citizen of one of the three Cherokee bands, right? Otherwise, you aren't Cherokee either....so say the Cherokee themselves. People who are not citizens, but have verified Cherokee ancestors, are people with ancestry....not Cherokee themselves. We don't come in percentages. You either are a citizen, or you are not. It doesn't matter one bit what other ethnicities you may have......we are Nations, with citizenship requirements.

And you are right...it is annoying to hear all these claims by non-citizens all the time. It belittles our sovereignty....our histories....all we have been through...and what real Native people, who live everyday as a Native person, have to still go through.

As for the why....many Americans do not have a cultural heritage of their own. When their ancestors came here, they ceased following the traditions of their homelands. For blacks, they were not allowed to practice their traditions, so much of it was lost. That is why so many cling to family stories and will list off ten different ethnic/national identities.....because they are looking for a place to belong. Do I blame them? No...it must suck to not know where you came from, and who your people are.......but I do set them straight. Native society doesn't work the same way as others. You can't be one of us, without citizenship and keeping ties to the community. The blood means next to nothing. All humans have blood that is near identical...and just having a Native ancestor doesn't magically inject a person with Indianess.

Not everyone wants to be Native American. The ones who happen to find out about the little lineage they have do have all right to be proud and learn about the culture.

But there are those tag a long people who thinks it's just cool.... that annoys me. My son is 1/16 Cherokee, his father 1/8. It's been proven they really are Cherokee by the nation. If my son wants to learn about the culture and even wants to be part of it I'm not stopping him because that's a part of who he is and where he comes from.

People are very interested in the culture because it was simpler and in-tune with nature, unlike now. Most of my ancestors are Native American, but I don't go around telling people I'm 1/9 Cherokee. I just appreciate nature. I think it's good more people are becoming interested because they crimes against Native Americans by the US government will come to light.

"people are running around saying I'm 1/15 Cherokee."

Followed shortly after by:

"I'm black and Cherokee and maybe something else."

So, you're pissed over percentages?

I guess these people want to feel special and exotic. To be honest, most people from America are mixed with something else, somewhere along their family line. Honestly, when everyone starts saying that they are mixed with so and so, it really isn't special anymore : x

I think it's just the losers that say that like wiggers because they're ashamed to say they're 100% white and they think it will make them cool with non-whites. Some of them say they're part mexican or black too.

Who cares? I'm white and a real native American, you tribal guys were native to a land mass. Your ancestors would never of considered themselves native to "America" they were native to their territory. Why do you embrace that horribly misleading term and shame your ancestry?