Should I be ashamed of my Native heritage?

My dad was either 1/2 or 1/4 cherokee and french. Me ma is a full blown Welsh-Irish lass with red hair. I never knew my dad growing up, which might've been for the best. But my grams taught me a little about native culture, since she grew up in Colorado, with a cowboy for a father. So every day I comb out my dark red beard and joke about my folks living in a bottle. But I also carry my medicine bag. I keep my totems in it to ward of evil. To be fair I've always carried them, and just recently put them in a bag when I learned both natives and houngans did it. But, I've caught flak from some "full-blood" registered natives, about not being native enough to carry my bag. I'm unregistered, and probably never will be. I don't want the pity-money or the bumper sticker. I just want to stay safe, without any jiving remarks. What do you folks think? Can I carry my bag rightfully while I enjoy my Guinness?