Membership belongs to the nation
In the United States, deciding who is a citizen or member of a tribal nation is generally treated as part of tribal sovereignty. Each Apache nation, such as the Jicarilla Apache Nation, the Mescalero Apache Tribe, the San Carlos Apache Tribe, the White Mountain Apache Tribe and the other recognized Apache governments, writes its own rules, usually in a constitution, a code or an ordinance. There is no single Apache membership standard, and no outside website, company or government agency can confer membership in an Apache nation on someone.
Because rules change and differ, this article explains general ideas only. It is not legal advice. Anyone with a question about eligibility should contact the nation’s enrollment office through its official website.
Two common approaches
Tribal membership criteria generally combine one or both of two ideas.
- Lineal descent. A person qualifies by descending from someone listed on a base roll, a historic list of members compiled at a particular time, often by the federal government.
- Blood quantum. A person must have a minimum fraction of Native ancestry, sometimes the fraction belonging to that nation specifically, and sometimes Native ancestry from any federally recognized tribe.
Some nations use descent alone, some use a minimum quantum, and some add further conditions such as a parent’s membership or residency. These choices are made by each nation, and they can be amended.
Where blood quantum came from
The idea of measuring “degree of Indian blood” is largely a legacy of federal policy. Government rolls and allotment-era record keeping classified individuals by ancestry, and the federal Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood is still used for some federal purposes. When many nations adopted written constitutions in the 1930s under the Indian Reorganization Act, model documents encouraged similar membership language, and quantum requirements spread widely, though tribes made their own variations.
For that reason, many Native writers and tribal leaders describe quantum as an imported system, even though it is now written into many nations’ laws. Opinions within Native communities differ, and some nations have moved toward descent-based rules while others keep a quantum threshold. This article does not take a side.
Consequences of the rules
The practical effects are real. A person’s enrollment can affect eligibility for tribal services, voting, housing, scholarships, and in some cases federal programs offered to enrolled citizens. Because of that, enrollment can feel like a high-stakes gate.
Quantum rules can also produce uncomfortable results over time. Where members marry outside the nation or among several Native nations, children may fall below a threshold even though they are raised in the community, and a family can end up with siblings enrolled differently. Many communities are therefore discussing what the long-term effects will be. Because Apache nations are relatively small, these questions are especially close to home.
Overlapping histories
Apache history adds another layer. Families were moved, split and mixed by wars, forced relocation and imprisonment. The Chiricahua prisoners of war, for example, were held until 1913, after which descendants went to the Mescalero reservation in New Mexico or to Oklahoma, where the Fort Sill Apache Tribe is now recognized. As a result, close relatives may be enrolled in different nations.
Descendants of the Lipan Apache, who lived in Texas and northern Mexico, face a different situation, since many Lipan families are connected to other recognized nations and some communities seek their own recognition. Questions such as these are discussed more fully in articles on unrecognized Apache groups and federally recognized Apache tribes.
Dual enrollment and rules against it
Many nations do not allow a person to be enrolled in more than one tribe at once, though policies differ. Someone with ancestry from two nations may therefore have to choose, and that choice can carry family and emotional weight. Policies may also address adoption, which was an important kinship practice in many Apache societies, but the treatment of adoption in enrollment law varies and should be checked with each nation.
Belonging beyond the roll
Formal membership is only part of belonging. Community recognition often depends on things no enrollment office can measure.
- Family ties and the family’s reputation in the community.
- Participation in local events, funerals, ceremonies and work.
- Knowledge of language, place names and etiquette.
- Willingness to help relatives and take part in community life.
People who are enrolled but disconnected may feel they have a paper identity without the relationships to support it, while people with deep ties but no enrollment may feel excluded. Both experiences are common, and neither is reduced to a single fact on a form.
DNA tests and genealogy
Consumer DNA tests cannot establish membership. Nations rely on their own documentation and rolls, and genetic ancestry estimates do not identify a specific nation. Researching family records, such as census records and historical rolls, is a more usual path, and the National Archives and tribal offices are typical places to ask. Be cautious with websites or groups that claim to confirm Apache ancestry for a fee or sell “membership” cards, since they have no connection to any recognized nation.
A moving subject
Membership rules continue to evolve through tribal votes and legal changes. What is stable is the principle that belonging is first a question for each nation and its people, with law, history and relationship all playing a part.