My name is Jules Brison. My Cherokee name is Kamama. Most know/knew me as Julie Thornton, former Miss Cherokee Nation 2013-2014, Junior Miss Cherokee Nation 2012-2013 and Miss Oklahoma Indian Summer 2015-2016. I also served on the Cherokee Nation Tribal Youth Council for three terms(not consecutive) and was also in the Cherokee National Youth Choir for numerous years.

Currently, I'm focusing on bettering my artistic abilities in various forms of textiles and teaching cultural arts to other tribal citizens.

There's my backstory... what's yours?

Everyday I have people tell me that their "great, great uncle" is 1/2 Cherokee (or the very original "Cherokee Princess" is on the current rise yet again). We see people on social media claiming to be Native American, that aren't, profiting off the fact that they are falsely claiming to be. On the opposite side, we have tribal citizens who do not know any of their own culture, who actively take part in using tribal benefits. Where do you draw the line? What does it mean to be Native American? Does being Native American mean that you simply have a CDIB card? Or is it something deeper?

I, and many others, would argue that to be Native American isn't simply just having a card. It's knowing your culture in addition to that, actively participating in your tribes cultural programs, knowing your tribal language and just as important, knowing your tribal history.

Today, I had someone ask me "My wife is 1/4 choctaw, does that mean anything?" With my response being, "that's a personal choice, does she know her culture?" , he was quick to anger. Then followed the all too familiar statement, "No, I'm talking about benefits, does she get anything? She lived on the reservation in Oklahoma." These questions are all too familiar to me. It seems that each day I am approached asking what "free stuff" I receive or how they can "sign up" to be "INDIAN" .

I am asked where the "tepees" are and where all the "Indians" are at, when these individuals come visit Oklahoma. But time after time my answer isn't good enough for them. My tribe didn't wear headdresses nor did they live in tepees (like the nomadic tribes of the North). Somehow that makes me less "Indian" to them. In reality I don't fit the stereotype, so my culture is pushed to the side.

I am Native American, what are you? Do you know your culture? Do you know your language? Your tribal history? Let this be an eye opener for those who do not know their culture. There are resources for tribal citizens to know and learn. Our biggest fear as a Nation is to lose our culture. Take part in the stance against this. If you're a tribal citizen, act like one. Know your culture, your people, and your language. Don't be a statistic against it.

SGI/WADO