I get a bit touchy on this subject, because it matters so much to me. I've a great grandmother, who was full blooded Cherokee. My father remembers her, but she and his parents all died when he was really young. He was orphaned. I am having trouble proving her heritage. It matters not that her photo clearly shows she is Native American. I didn't have her maiden name, until just recently. With the help of several cousins we've been digging up any records on our family we could. We just had a major break through this Spring of 2007!!! I know know her name, hand we've found lots of new records on her. Still tracing her parent's family to see what information is available, and if any records on file of her heritage. Often records will not indicate one's Native American heritage because of all the problems people went through years ago. Some records we had thought burned in a court house fire. It seems more have not. It is enough to continue my search on my heritage. If you checked my DNA, it would show I've a marker for Native American ancestry. However, legally, I can not claim this heritage. What is the problem with this, I ask? The problem is that I am denied the rights of a Native American because I can not thus far, track records to find a tribal record of my great grandmother or her family members . Thus, if not on a roll, not allowed to claim even to just be Native American legally. Many know that during the Trail Of Tears, some tribal members fled and hid, to escape forced re-locations. Not all were put on all the rolls. Add to this and what I know of my heritage, is mine escaped the move, and stayed. My DNA proves nothing legally. Eastern Band Cherokee would not claim me if I had the records, due to limits on time to file on age and blood quotas. My father would have met it, but not records. I know very few other heritages that you have to prove you are to claim legally. While I was working on the design and manipulating it, unusual figures developed in the design that I spotted. I wanted to do flames because the records burned that could have helped me. Very odd the Native American type figures formed. I will do a follow work in the future. With the new recent information, I may find the records I need to claim my heritage. The relocated Cherokke that were sent west were accepting members, but that has been in recent news as well, and looks like that avenue will be taken away as well. Still, to find some record will be ore than enough for me.