Post by Okwes on Dec 19, 2006 13:12:17 GMT -5
Tribes want true population count
The State - South Carolina
<http://www.topix.net/redir/loc=off-hosted-page/http=3A=2F=2Fwww.thestat\
e.com> November 19, 2006 As a white man, I knew no one would say
anything to me. As a young man with blond hair and blue eyes,
Roosevelt Scott was considered white. 'I know some people would have
given me a rough time if they knew I was an Indian,' he said. 'As a
white man, I knew no one would say anything to me.' But in the 1970s,
Scott, now 73 and chief of the Santee Indian Tribe, began claiming his
true heritage as an American Indian. State recognition has
helpedAmericans Indians like Scott reclaim their history, culture and
heritage. And with a renewed pride, organizations representing South
Carolina <http://www.topix.net/state/sc> 's tribes are hopeful American
Indians will be less reluctant to acknowledge their heritage and
participate in census counts and other surveys. 'Now we are recognized
as somebody,' Scott said. 'We don't mind telling someone we are Indian.'
But that hasn't been the norm. And the result has been low population
figures that do not accurately reflect South Carolina's American Indian
community. To blame, tribal leaders say, are illiteracy, a distrust of
outsiders and a history of persecution of American Indians. According to
the 2005 American Community Survey, about 30,489 American Indians live
in South Carolina. That represents 0.3 percent of the state's population
of about 4.1 million. 'There is this belief that many feel it is not
safe to reveal who they are,' said Barbara Morningstar Paul, Native
American Affairs program coordinator for the state Commission for
Minority Affairs. 'There is a tremendous amount of fear that there will
come more persecution and loss.' For protection, American Indians have
tried to blend in. 'We had to kind of hide and assimilate with people to
keep us here,' said Louie Chavis, Beaver Creek Indian chief. 'It's not
just the persecution of our ancestors. It's what we went through, too.'
Although younger generations are becoming more educated, a large portion
of the population is illiterate, which means census forms cannot be
filled out without assistance. 'We are trying to educate people that we
need to be counted,' Paul said. 'But the change will not happen
overnight. The change will come when more members of the community are a
part of the count. 'For a long time, we never had a reason to look up
into the sky at the sun,' Chavis said. 'But we kept moving forward. Our
pride is coming back, and we have regained humility. We are still here
and aren't going anywhere.'
The State - South Carolina
<http://www.topix.net/redir/loc=off-hosted-page/http=3A=2F=2Fwww.thestat\
e.com> November 19, 2006 As a white man, I knew no one would say
anything to me. As a young man with blond hair and blue eyes,
Roosevelt Scott was considered white. 'I know some people would have
given me a rough time if they knew I was an Indian,' he said. 'As a
white man, I knew no one would say anything to me.' But in the 1970s,
Scott, now 73 and chief of the Santee Indian Tribe, began claiming his
true heritage as an American Indian. State recognition has
helpedAmericans Indians like Scott reclaim their history, culture and
heritage. And with a renewed pride, organizations representing South
Carolina <http://www.topix.net/state/sc> 's tribes are hopeful American
Indians will be less reluctant to acknowledge their heritage and
participate in census counts and other surveys. 'Now we are recognized
as somebody,' Scott said. 'We don't mind telling someone we are Indian.'
But that hasn't been the norm. And the result has been low population
figures that do not accurately reflect South Carolina's American Indian
community. To blame, tribal leaders say, are illiteracy, a distrust of
outsiders and a history of persecution of American Indians. According to
the 2005 American Community Survey, about 30,489 American Indians live
in South Carolina. That represents 0.3 percent of the state's population
of about 4.1 million. 'There is this belief that many feel it is not
safe to reveal who they are,' said Barbara Morningstar Paul, Native
American Affairs program coordinator for the state Commission for
Minority Affairs. 'There is a tremendous amount of fear that there will
come more persecution and loss.' For protection, American Indians have
tried to blend in. 'We had to kind of hide and assimilate with people to
keep us here,' said Louie Chavis, Beaver Creek Indian chief. 'It's not
just the persecution of our ancestors. It's what we went through, too.'
Although younger generations are becoming more educated, a large portion
of the population is illiterate, which means census forms cannot be
filled out without assistance. 'We are trying to educate people that we
need to be counted,' Paul said. 'But the change will not happen
overnight. The change will come when more members of the community are a
part of the count. 'For a long time, we never had a reason to look up
into the sky at the sun,' Chavis said. 'But we kept moving forward. Our
pride is coming back, and we have regained humility. We are still here
and aren't going anywhere.'