I am not certain the proper place for this, but basically I have been trying to confirm the Native American blood in our family and am having trouble. I know that my grandfather's mother was Native American, a very hard worker and deeply spiritual. Her children know she was Native American but cannot agree on the tribe. Her grandchildren say she was a gypsy. My mother's side of the family apparently had multiple Native American grandmother's and grandfather's but noone can ever tell me who or from where.

Understand that I am not trying to go to school or get benefits from this knowledge. I am in the middle of a Master's degree and not trying to live on a reservation. I have simply always wanted to know. When I was little I always felt a great connection and loved to be outside just enjoying the stillness and the life around me. For whatever reason I picked up Cherokee learning cassette tapes from the library and enjoyed learning to sing songs in Cherokee. I have often been asked what tribe I come from and my children, while blonde because of their father and grandmother, have many of the same Native American traits very clearly in their cheek bones, eyes, toes, etc. I am simply in love with cultures and people and I want to get to know this side of my family.

I am baffled as well by my DNA results which did not include Native American ancestry. It is fairly obvious to most by looking at me and my father and children and the stories of close relatives who were Native American make me wonder if this test is a bit off or simply does not have enough information concerning their DNA?

I would love to hire someone to help me look through my tree and make confirmations and unstick the stuck parts (for instance my fairly obviously but unconfirmed grandmother is a mystery and I cannot find her parents or any records of her!). I just don't have 1900 dollars. The most I could possibly pay right now would be a few hundred, and that is for a job done not per hour. Where could I go?