Whats your ethnic background?

I don't have the papers, but until my g'grandfather married my (probably half) Winnebago g'grandmother, it is pure Dutch, or at least the book says so. :giggle: Once they moved to Illinois, there just wasn't much Dutch around. That was about 1860. The immigrant ancestor was a Cornelius Van der Veer.

Yeah-- they did their best to stay out of the Revolution.
 
Reba said:
Well, "white" is neither an ethnicity nor an ancestry. :) (Of course, no color-related word is an ethnicity or an ancestry.) It's just a descriptive adjective.

I guess using German, Irish or Native American provides more information about culture and history than a word that provides only a skin color.
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Exactly. :) But American is. And yes, I could say German...but is my family really German American? That kind of died out when my grandmother aged. So I may have German-American memories, but this isn't the faderland. And...all of this 'pure white' talk here is kind of weird.

I can't tell the difference between my friends who say they are "Irish", "German", "Swiss", etc...they're all pretty much Americans who love to wear green on March 17th. Even the Jewish ones.:afro:
 
TheOracle said:
Exactly. :) But American is. And yes, I could say German...but is my family really German American? That kind of died out when my grandmother aged. So I may have German-American memories, but this isn't the faderland. And...all of this 'pure white' talk here is kind of weird.
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I think you've really hit it on the nail for me.

I don't remember my fathers family, so I don't identify with being German. I don't know my mothers family, so I don't identify with being Irish. I used to have some red hair, it's gone silver already. I speak a bit of German, but not very well. So I identify as far back as I can go. I am an American, and my whole line started out in Africa. Opinion-wise, I am African-American.
When I am asked on surveys, on applications, on requests, what I am. I pick "Other" and for write-ins I put down human. It's what I really am. Because of my roaming, my broad experiences, and my interest in just about everything and everyone, I feel more connected to everyone on Earth, than just a few particular areas that my close family may have had history with.
 
When it comes to the old lineages, I agree with you. Anything older than g'grandparents that is not truly Native is just plain American, because of the cultural assimilation. Unless they were something like Amish or New Amsterdam Dutch, or Mormon, who self-isolated. I think then we can see some parallels with the "Peruvian," where immigration after the initial invasion is not such a big issue.

My m grandfather was born and raised in England, although the family had previously lived in the US. My p grandmother's mother was an immigrant from Ireland, although we can't find any records. My p grandfather's parents were born in Germany.
 
I just realized this topic is under the Debates section. Why?
 
Maybe because the OP expected a heated debate about racism.
 
MCB said:
The hygienic protections of the OT law gave them a certain degree of protection. Others blamed them for plague because of this. :confused: Strange logic, when hatred kicks in.

Peruvian--- many Hispanics are so mixed, that appearance is the best measure. The mixing goes too far back to trace. The Spanish generally mixed with the Natives very easily. Just like the French in Canada. Catholicism has something to do with it, I think. :cool2:
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I watched history channel about Black plague and learned where those people were immgrant ( misspelling) to north. Boiled water saved them, but then how non-Jew people knew? Thank god we have science to help us with those problems we have today.

French in Louisiana too but none of my husband's family had any native in their blood and they were very Catholic. I wonder if any of them were slave owner? Can not find it their history but my English ancestors (protestants) were slave owners and I am shame to know this. I found some information about my great-great-grandparents owned few slaves on their farm in Tenn back in 1700's and early 1800's. English people back then in east USA were mostly slave owners than Irish people. I have some Irish in me and my Irish ancestors were not slave owners. Why English, why French, why Spainards, why Portgual people , those were the one who hurt most people. Still long way to go to heal the scars of today.
 
I do know that my Great Aunt (who has since passed away) spent about 5 years or so doing the family tree on my Maternal grandfather's side. I mentioned it in a previous thread and with JClarke before. My mother's family on her father's side is basically all in Australia. The tree goes back to 1571 and Galway, England. (I think that's it.) She did not use a computer and it is all written out in longhand. I am the last person she wrote on the tree as I was the youngest that she knew at the time. She did not have the fact that my brother's and I had married and had children. Sha also did not have the info of my mother's brother's and all their divorces. (1 had 3 and is currently single and the other is on wife #4)
 
Reba said:
Are your dad's parents still living in Sendai? If so, have you heard from them since the earthquake?
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No, they were immigrated to Hawaii in early 1900s. Both of them were decreased in Hawaii. However, my sister still search my grandparent's relatives in Japan.
 
deafsmogtech said:
No, they were immigrated to Hawaii in early 1900s. Both of them were decreased in Hawaii. However, my sister still search my grandparent's relatives in Japan.
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I hope your sister finds good news.
 
Its a tad tricky for me since I'm adopted and do not know who my biological parents are ( the Devil could be my father for all I know...) but from what I was told and it could be untrue or just something I was told when I was a kid to ease my curiosity since my adoptive parents don't really know much of them, My father is Irish, had Red hair, red beard, green eyes. My mother was German, brown hair..eye color, unsure. My grand parents I was told were migrants from Dublin, Ireland.

I have green eyes and red/blonde hair, very fair skin...could be true. Who knows? Those that actually know " what they are" lucky you! My records are sealed by the court and they can never be unlocked. Not the kind of adoption I had....It was a closed adoption. My reflection will forever be a mystery. :)
 
no idea I am not sure I guess I don't know ethic my background I don't know!
 
Dutch, Irish, German, Native American. My grandmother is a full blood Miami Indian.

Her sister's son is a Navajo Gourd dancer, Vietnam Veteran, and was selected by the US Army to award the codetalkers their Warrior Medal of Valor:



[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ6tehqR2mM[/ame]


Making A Scene Productions-For all your video & web needs... The Warrior's Medal of Valor is the first medal ever minted for the Native Americans to honor all military personnel -- active duty, reservist, and Veterans.

This medal was designed and developed by Marshall Tall Eagle Serna, whose vision is to make this prestigious medal available to all those that have served this great country of ours.

The Warrior's Medal of Valor was approved by all Nations of American Indians and has been presented both to Veterans and active duty personnel at various Native American ceremonies since its conception in 2002, regardless of the recipients' cultural background. In Prescott our first presentation was May 26, 2007 at this Prescott Intertribal Social, since then we have awarded 565 medallions.

The Warrior's Medal of Valor invokes two sides to it. First, the patriotic one (Bald Eagle in foreground, the American Flag in the background, with two single Eagle feathers at the bottom of the coin). The revise side gives you the opportunity to engrave your name, branch of service, or dates of service, dates of combat.

In honor of your faithful service to our country...

Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alfonso Santillan Jr. Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame

Invocation ....................................Larry Kimmel Arizona Territory Gourd Society
Presentation of Colors . . . Aerospace Science Leadership Academy (JROTC) Prescott High School

Program

The Warriors Medal of Valor . . . . . . . . Alfonso Santillan, Jr. Sergeant, USMC (retired)

Head Presenters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ed Albert Larry Kimmel




Ceremonial Drum Group . . . . ..Northern Drum: Saste Tatoja
Flag Song Southern Drum: Strong Heart Honor Song Victory Song
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Stein, I just wanted to let you know I really liked that uTube video. That was powerful.
I haven't had the opportunity to participate at a pow wow in an Intertribal for some time. :ty:for sharing that.
 
i guess i'm a little bit of everything.. irish, italian, french, english

am i weird for wishing i was eurasian??
 
I have W African,European,and Native American (Powhatan Confederacy) ancestry.
 
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