Quote from Ricter:
What's the law on native american status, anyway, a certain blood "quotient"?
Don't know if eHow is where I'd place my bet, but it does seem you need a little more than "family lore".
After documenting your ancestory you must determine which tribe your ancestors belonged to, and whether the tribe is a federally recognized native American tribe. The Bureau of Indian Affairs published a "Tribal Leaders Directory" which lists all the federally recognized American native tribes and their contact information.
Read more: How to Claim Native Status | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_6857884_claim-native-status.html#ixzz1wT0osafT