Name: Dustin Hawkins
From: mount pleasant michigan
E-mail: jailbird_1989@hotmail.com
Date: May 07, 2007
Time: 10:20 AM

Comments

i just read that genealogy thingy and to be honest it pissed me off your downing people who want to learn about their history. i’m from mount pleasant were the natives get percap and how much it affects them. i would never want money or a free scholarship i just want to be proud of my heritage and were my family comes from and it is like people like you that makes me mad you think people who are mostly white are trying to infringe on your rights as a native american. where i’m from the “white” people would never want to be native the natives here are a disgrace to the native population with their drug problems and alcoholic ways. most of the native youth here don’t know or don’t care about their background. now don’t get me wrong their are people in the tribe here who want to know and seek it out but their are many who just sit on their asses and blame the white people. yes, white people did do the natives wrong but get over it stop stand up and accept you’ve been wronged, turn the other cheek don’t stoop to their level. that is all i have to say. if i have upset u please tell me. i just wanted to get my point across. please write back


—–Original Message—–
From: Goulais, Bob
To: jailbird_1989@hotmail.com
Sent: 5/7/07 6:15 PM
Subject: Ahnee-Boozhoo…

Hey Dustin:

Miigwetch for your guestbook entry. Lots of good points. I was in Mt.
Pleasant in February for Mid-Winter Midewiwin Ceremonies. I enjoy it
there very much.
My genealogy page IS meant to discourage, inflame and poke-fun at true
“wannabes”. It is meant to trigger some reaction, discussion and
questioning of one’s motives.
I’m not “downing people who want to learn about their history”, as you
stated. I admit that I am downing people who are only looking for a
status card or perceived benefits of being a “Status Indian”. I’m
certain that the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe get hundreds of applications for
membership (with legitimate genealogical research) – not because they
want to learn about their history – but because they want the “per-cap”.
You have nothing to fear – if your motives are pure and good. As yours
are! (How do I know?? – well I know of your grandfather, Garnet Avery
and we are cousins.
Not sure of the lineage specifically, but I can put you in contact with
the Avery family.
Unlike US Tribes – local Bands do not control membership. To be a
Status Indian you have to meet the criteria of the Indian Act. From
your description, your mom?/dad? Avery is eligible to be registered
under 6 (2) of the Indian Act. Unfortunately, that means you may be
ineligible to be registered. But it doesn’t hurt to try.
But as you point out – registration isn’t important. Knowing who you
are, learning about your history and people is what’s important. We are
Anishinaabe and nothing can take that from us.
Miigwetch for stopping by. I’ll be moving your second guestbook entry
to my Blog as a discussion item.

Good luck in your search.

Bob Goulais

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