Recent comments in /f/todayilearned

jerry_03 t1_j7ab6sh wrote

Native Hawaiian here. Ethnically and culturally we are considered Polynesian (or Pacific Islander, which includes other ethnic groups from the Pacific/Oceania besides Polynesians).

Its estimated theres about 5,000 pure blood Native Hawaiians left, out of an estimated 300,000 mixed-race Native Hawaiian population.

Native Hawaiians are not federally recognized as being a Native American tribe, there were efforts in the past to do so, but it was shot down in congress.

We do indeed have a State administered "Office of Hawaiian Affairs" (OHA). and in regards to the tidbit about reservations, we do not have reservations either. Or corporations like the Alaskan natives. We do have whats called "Hawaiian Homelands" which is basically just parcels of land strewn through out our islands that are reserved for Native Hawaiians to (originally) homestead on. Now much of it is regular residential housing. Theres a whole controversy about it but i wont get into it here.

And we dont have a "quantum" thing based on tribal membership, because well, Native Hawaiians dont have tribes. If you can trace your lineage to the Native peoples who lived in Hawaii prior to Western contact (1788 A.D.) you are considered Native Hawaiian. However there is a 50% blood quantum requirement to receive a parcel of land via Hawaiian Homelands.

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Chiefo104 t1_j79t5hs wrote

We are in California. Our payments are called general assistance and that allows it to be tax free. Our Indian health(run by the 5 local tribes) gives out food a couple times a month. When our tribe does it people bitch about what they are getting so it's not worth the hassle. The majority are thankfully but a small percentage ruin it for everyone.

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