NAN Tribal Contraversy, or, how tell the real thing after the Awakening, maybe Options

[Kalvan]

I realize that this post could cause flame wars. That is not my intention, and I'm sorry if it does. (And if it's too inflamatory, I won't protest if the moderators choose to instantly close it, dock me Karma, and/or ban me for a {long} while). I will be using quotes to denote Federally non recognised tribes, without intentional prejudice to the merits of their claim.

Googling the string "fake tribes" at random came up with mentions of several groups claming not just descent from pre-Columbian Native American tribes, but actual continuity of tradition that is severely disputed. In some cases, like the "Washitaws," the "Erie Moundbuilders," the Delorme "Bands" of the Little Shell Pembina Ojibwas, and something called the "Wampanoag Nation" of Utah(!), and possibly the Federally unrecognized bands of "Shawnee" in Ohio and Indiana seem to be obvious frauds created for financial gain of their members and/or leadership. Others, like the Tennessee "Cherokee" groups seem to posess genuine (at least partial) descent, but their continuity as tribal groups is in severe question. Things seem to be even muddier with the likes of the "Lumbee" of North Carolina and the "Lenape" of New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania who have been recognised as Indian groups by Federally recognised tribes but whose Federal or even state recognition is in limbo.

Of course we also have things in the Shadowrun continuity like the "Re-Education Centers" [cough]Death Camps of Kansas and Texas, and after the NAN were formed, "Pinkskin" groups like the Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, and Children of God enclaves in the PPC, as well as metatype "tribes" like the Sisinreach and Cascade Ork.

By all means, discuss. Or, if there's already a still open thread in this forum, please link to it.