Status cards cheap...

[CDNBear]

Tribal privacy? What if Im part of the tribe...........I am yanno I got my number and my tribal name. Now can I learn? Now can I be accepted? Does it take a number to let me in?

This quote prompted me to open a dialogue on an issue that has been put forward to me many times.

"What about your status card?"

What about it?

It doesn't define me.
It doesn't represent a preconceived ideology.
It doesn't reflect my beliefs...
My feelings...
My Nationality...
My loyalties...
My past...
My future...

And so on.

In fact I have no idea what it does for me. I've thought of cutting it up, throwing it in a fire or mailing it back to the MIA.

Being Native isn't about a card, special rights, privileges or access to anything. It's about my ancestry and that's it.

Yes, most definitely yes, I am proud of my heritage, but it is just a small part of who I really am.

At the end of the day, or my life, I will be who I am, with or without a piece of plastic in my pocket to tell me who I belong to.

I am and always just will be Okwai. Nothing more and nothing less.

 

[Scott Free]

It defines you as property of the Queen. It is a legal loophole not well understood and deliberately kept quiet.

I admit I don't know much about this topic. I have a native friend that gave me the run down but I'm afraid that since it didn't have much to do with me I can't remember.

The gist is that if you don't want to be chattel you have to get rid of the card. You can turn your status in (I was surprised to learn that) and yes, you are giving up something for something. I know it isn't turning your back on your heritage but saying you want to be your own person. Like I said, its some kind of legal thing that I am absolutely no expert on but my friend was and he thought it was a good idea.

 

[Nuggler]

Hey Bear; it saves you 7% at Canadian Tire, ok.

jeez, don't knock it. Send it to me if you don't want it.

;-)(nug the wannabee native)

 

[lone wolf]

With the ex, it useta get me cigarettes cheap. Then I got smart - dumped her and quit smoking....

(her card turned out to be a left-over from one of her way too many boyfriends)

If it gets abused ... it's jus' gotta be worth sump'n

 

[karrie]

My uncle has no treaty status. My cousins have no treaty status. Many of their aunts, uncles, cousins, have no treaty status.

But I dare someone to tell them that because they don't have a card in their wallet, they're not native. lol.