I was always told there was a “Genuine Cherokee Indian Princess” in our background. For year we knew nothing of our background as my dad kept it very his for some reason we never found out. When I did, I found a mention of the Cherokee Indian Princess in our background, but it did not jibe with the regular ancestry.
End result, there was NO Cherokee Indian Princess in our background, it was a family myth.
Now, my wife may have Cherokee or other Indian in her background. Her cousin was married to a genuine Cherokee for years.
Back in the early days of Oklahoma when the roles were established, it was considered a shame to be part Indian so many people did not sign up.
Now they wish they had ans there is MONEY involved!
There is a rumor in our family that there was a some Choctaw princess in our past too. Just a rumor.
My godson who has white girls hanging all over him, really only dates ethnic (mainly Filipina) women probably for the same reason TransRachel dates black guys. He wants to be their knight in shining armor.
My husband heard the same kind of “Indian in our background” but no details. Finally he asked his oldest aunt. Said said “ yes there was an Indian grandmother, but don’t worry, she was a white folks kind of Indian”.
My husband wanted nothing more than knowing that he had Indian blood, but apparently it was something shameful back in the day.