ask-a-native

[ask-a-native]

Do Native Americans pay taxes?

Let me add a qualifier that this is not my field of expertise, either by experience or education, but I'll answer in a general sense. Keep in mind I'm speaking on Canada, not the US. But to my knowledge the US has the same complexity to the matter.

Short Answer: Yes

Detailed Answer: It's complicated

From a brief article on the matter:

Most income, sales and property tax exemptions only apply to status Indians (637,660) who live or work on a reserve. Less than half of all registered status Indians live on reserve so the number who are actually eligible for tax exemptions amounts to about 314,000 people. [1] To put it in perspective, somewhat less than half of all registered status Indians live on reserve so less than 1% of the total population of Canada are exempt from paying certain taxes.

All other Indigenous people – Inuit, Métis and non-status Indians - pay taxes on the same footing as non-Indigenous people.

Back to my own words.

"Taxes" is pretty broad so let's get specific:

Sales Tax

Some natives are entitled to some sales tax exemptions that vary case to case. In Canada, you need to be enrolled with a specific First Nation to be eligible for certain exemptions.

Because I'm a Métis citizen that means I don't have "Status" and am not enrolled with a (colonial constructed) First Nation, so I don't have much first-hand knowledge on the subject. But I know enough from others that it's a pain in the ass "privilege" to attempt to invoke in the cases you're actually entitled to it.

Keep in mind this (complicated) exemption is not actually a "privilege." First Nations are considered to fall under the domain of the federal government, not provincial. And many of the government services a non-First Nations Canadian (or American) citizen would expect from municipal and provincial governments are instead provided by the band or let's say, by the "reserve," that don't receive provincial or municipal funding. Those services are funded by revenue generated by the band's own enterprises, or from a fund generated by resources "owned" by First Nations, sometimes according to treaties, but generously managed by the federal government.

In my experience, the only significant, reliable sales tax exemption is if you're a member of a First Nation buying goods from a business located on reserve. Unfortunately, the business is still expected to pay the total of those owed taxes and wait upon a refund that often comes after a delay. Which is a headache for businesses owned and operated by band members who mostly service band members.

Income Tax

Yes. The only exemption is if you're a "Status Indian" (legal term) working on reserve. Any income earned off-reserve is taxed.

Property Tax

Functions the same as the others. There are exemptions for Status Indians living on reserve. I reiterate, if you own property on reserve. But otherwise you pay what everyone else pays.

Well that was an interesting start.

[ask-a-native]

So, as a native on the internet, this happens every so often in a similar vain, and it's gotten me thinking — and wanting to answer it for anyone else wondering. But first, I'll share an example of a conversation (with permission).

Asker: Can I ask you a question?

Me: sure

Asker: You are native american, right? I don't know if asking this is super offensive (tell me if it is), but what tribe (is that the right word?) are you a part of?

Me: Oh that's not offensive at all. If someone ever tells you that they're "native american" or Indigenous and gets offended at the question or refuses to tell you, that's a RED FLAG. In Canada we tend to either just ask where you're from, or use the word "nation." In the US I think the word "tribe" is a lot more common.

*I'll add an addendum (not part of the conversation) that in an anonymous situation someone might choose not to share because they worry it's too specific — especially if they're from a smaller nation — and could risk doxing. But it's not an 'offensive' question.

Me Again: I'm Cree-Michif. It's actually a little complicated to explain without a background of Canadian history and politics, because there's kind of a misconception that Michif/Métis just means "mixed." But it's just a nation/power structure that formed after the Europeans started to colonize, but before Western Canada was fully colonized.

*ie before "Canada" advanced westward, before smallpox and several epidemics and willful destruction of the environment and food supply enabled that advancement, several overlapping Indigenous multi-national (you might think, "multi-tribal") confederations ruled Western "Canada" and controlled trade with Europeans long after colonial powers would have you believe settlers "owned" and controlled said land.

My overexplaining ass again: But my family is based in a community where you get Métis (Michif), [redacted nation because the combination is too specific], and Cree in close proximity so to avoid confusion I say Cree-Michif so people know I have no [redacted nation] connections. Nations are complicated lol

*another addendum not in conversation: In my case where you're family is both Cree (I won't elaborate on the particular type of Cree because that does get a little too specific for the scary white part of the internet that could put this information together) or another First Nation and Michif, you tend to identify by your political identity/citizenship. Which for me right now is Michif but that might well change to [redacted type of] Cree as more and more past exclusionary laws are repealed (complicated). For many people in certain parts of Canada, the difference between being a member of a "First Nation" or Métis is whether your great great (possibly further) grandparents were enrolled into a "First Nation" and relocated to a reserve (sometimes consisting of multiple nations at that), or "compensated" with scrip (complicated) and fated to join what I'll semi-affectionately call the Métis Road Trash. It's more complicated than that of course but I'm trying to keep it as simple as I can.

Poor Asker who didn't know what they were getting into: Well, I definitely don't have a 10 in Canadian story. Or that class at all.

Me: haha probably not because it's intentional disinformation on Canada's part

"What was that about?" you might ask.

Well, I notice this issue comes up a lot around circles not exposed to "Native Americans." I use that term for the sake of recognition. In a formal setting typically "Indigenous" works if you're talking in a broad sense, but the problem is that it often has a broader interpretation than "Indigenous to North America." Both work in a pinch, though they might come off a little awkward in the wrong situation they won't come off as rude. "Native" kind of gets a bad reputation because of the way racists will use it, but honestly it's the term most natives are comfortable using in informal settings when not referring to a specific nation (see, I even did it there) and "Indigenous" comes off as a little too formal or awkward. But if you're an "outsider" to the subject it's still probably the safest term. Just don't say "Indian." Some natives from the older generations and certain... (subcultures? I want to say?) will use it but it's specific to those contexts. "Indigenous" works fine most times with the occasional "Native American" if you need to get more specific. Even if you're talking about natives in Canada. "Aboriginal" kind of works but it's really fallen out of favour and these days it's more associated with Australia.

Where was I? Right. The colonial powers deliberately under-educate and misinform the world about the matter and I find people are unsure of how to approach it.

So I prefer to compartmentalize my various online activities and so usually keep my real world politics to my real identity, and the politics I can’t do there to… somewhere else. But I have an interesting, diverse reach here not only of people I probably wouldn’t ordinarily engage with, but of people who might not normally engage with or be educated on the subject.

And I do feel like people are often scared to ask questions they worry that, out of ignorance, might come off as “stupid” or racist. But those are also often the questions on people’s minds…

I end up in situations a lot, be it voluntary or accidental, formally and informally, where I'm designated the educator on “native matters” to an assortment of people, even international groups. Moreso than other natives because I tend to operate in more international enironments, am formally educated on the matter, and... I’m on the whiter side of the “racially ambiguous” spectrum and for some reason people in general seem to trust my ability to speak “objectively” on the matter than they might otherwise. Can’t imagine why…

So I figured this might be good practice for real life, for anticipating and preparing for those questions people might be afraid to ask.

So I'm starting a sideblog where the anon asks are enabled. Where people can ask whatever "stupid" question regarding Indigeneity has been on their minds. Keep in mind that I am one person with one citizenship with one experience, and I obviously don't speak for all natives, or even all of my nation. But I do have a lot of experience, and knowledge of other experiences, that I reflect on. And I'd call myself knowledgeable and pretty (formally and informally) educated on a lot of matters related to colonization to the point where it makes people uncomfortable — always a good sign.

So what can you ask? Pretty much anything regarding the general concept of Indigeneity as pertains to North America. I'm sure I'll get more specific later on but for now I'm just starting out informally

For example:

my experience or "qualifications" (that I'll explain as specifically as I feel comfortable on the internet. I'll probably also make my own post about it pretty soon)

fictional portrayals

history

terminology

"appropriate" language

"stupid" questions you were too afraid to ask

Some I'll answer in my own opinion, in my experience, to my knowledge, and/or according to my research. I'll try to make it clear which one I speak from.

Again, starting informally. Start off little by little, see what people want to know. And maybe we'll get into some deep dives that I can actually use in real life.

My one boundary

I'm going to be coming at this in good faith because again, I don't want people to worry about their questions sounding racist. Which means that, to the point where I can be sure the racism is unintentional (don't worry, you won't cross that line by mistake) I'm going to be answering in good faith. Intentional racism will be mocked and debunked accordingly, unless I simply lose the patience an choose to ignore it.

So since I'm already going to be extending my patience a lot in the interest of educating and debunking colonial myths, I am not interested in over extending it for fandom war gamergate 2.0 nonsense.

The anon option is for questions regarding Indigeneity only. It is not for your fandom war bullshit. It is not a way to reach me after I decided you were annoying or troubling or simply did not have the patience for your nonsense and blocked you. I disable anons here for the same reason I block — I am not interested and I do not have the patience. I know that some of you are reading this because I know that some of you are obsessed. So let me make this clear: if you abuse a tool meant to prepare me to educate others in real life about colonization and Indigeneity, and to educate people here who are interested, you're being a fucking racist.

I know better than most just how much fiction — and popular interpretations of fiction — shape our reality and serve to either challenge or reinforce underlying biases. I find it distasteful enough that a story about the patriarchy has been twisted the way that it has by playing into the bothsidesism and contrarianism that hbo encouraged for profit and is one of the things they’re going to hell for. I reserve the right to choose not to engage with the circles dependent on justifying, denying, and outright endorsing an assortment of bigoted mindsets through, of all things, Catholic-flavoured victim-reversal. No. Take that shit elsewhere. Bury it to be safe.

You can ask me questions about my personal and/or educated opinion on fictional portrayals of Indigeneity or colonialism, including the worldbuilding of ASoIaF. But I repeat, this is not a channel for you to whine to me about your fandom nonsense. I'm coming into this with an extremely open attitude (as open as I can manage at least), and this is the boundary I'm setting. If you cross it by sending shit to waste my patience that I've chosen to extend for completely different reasons, you will not like what I do with it. That threat may sound vague, but my planned course of action is not.

It is so sad that I needed to write that, but I did. And it probably didn't work. But at least I get to be mad about it when it doesn't. And that's what's important.

Anyways... back to the asks!

If it’s a general question, maybe include where you’re from what your education was like. So I can get a sense of how different people are educated on the matter. And ask away! Don't worry if it's not answered right away. Like I said, I'm starting off slowly and informally, with different kinds of answers, sitting on some asks for awhile, until I find a groove.

You can follow/ask me at ask-a-native!

(And I'll likely be reblogging answers here as well. How much depends on how much fandom nonsense ends up funneling through)