If you are not a member of a federally recognized tribe and the
answer is no to either of the last two requirements, then transferring
into the Coeur d'Alene tribe is not possible.
Where do I begin checking my ancestry? I know I have Indian blood
in my family.
Gather as much information about your grandparents and/or great-
grandparents and go to the genealogy section of the nearest city
library. If you have birthdates and places of your ancestor's, that
would be very beneficial. From this point, you should check with
the area BIA
office to see which tribes are in the region of your ancestors
birthplace and begin your research with the local tribe (s). Then
you will want to contact the closest tribe(s) and provide the information
that you have discovered to the enrollment office and ask them to
check their rolls and for a family tree if an ancestor did appear
on the rolls.
Where do I go for blood test to show that I am Indian?
There is no such test. If you wish to test for paternity,
check with your local court system to request a valid clinic/hospital
for testing. Remember, you must have another person that you are
testing to show that there is a relationship with to justify the
testing. If the other person being tested is not an enrolled member,
then the paternity test is unnecessary.
Am I available to receive benefits from the tribe because I live here
on the reservation?
Only if you are a member can you receive tribal benefits. However,
you might want to check with Benewah
Medical Center and the Tribal Wellness Center for eligibility
for those services. If you are a member of another federally recognized
tribe, you may want to check with the Fish and Wildlife program
for options there.
