Post by Moon Seeker on Feb 9, 2008 11:50:57 GMT -5
By Angel
A look at three organizations purported to work on the advancement and improvement of the Native American's general welfare; they are the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), and the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA).
The Bureau of Indian Affairs
The BIA is not a Native American organization, but rather a branch of the Department of the Interior, an agency run by the United States government. The Bureau is charged with managing almost 56 million acres of land that the United States holds in trust for the American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Indian tribes. The BIA is allegedly responsible for leasing land assets, protecting water rights, protecting land rights, developing forestlands, directing agriculture programs, economic development, provide education services to Indian students, and developing and maintaining infrastructure. (Bureau of Indian Affairs)
The BIA is currently engaged in a lawsuit, Cobell v. Norton, initiated by Native American Elouise Cobell of the Blackfeet Tribe in Browning, Montana, also the Lead Plaintiff in the case. Cobell maintains that the United States Government has not correctly allocated Indian assets. Native Americans have a long and very valid distrust of the government. Most Indians do not have much use for the BIA. Senator John McCain aptly described the situation at a hearing of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee in 1999, "The Interior Department has persistently failed to own up to its own mistakes and fulfill its basic responsibilities to Native Americans whose money is in the hands of the United States... Even more troubling is a very questionable commitment to properly follow through on Indian trust fund management policies and procedures" (Indian Trust, p.2). The BIA mitigates tribal poverty on paper, but has come into question recently regarding misappropriation of funds. Many Indians believe the BIA promotes poverty. (Indian Trust, n.d.)
The National Congress of American Indians
Of the three organizations detailed here, the National Congress of American Indians has done the most to help Native Americans advance. The NCAI fights for American Indian rights, benefits, trust monies, education, wellness, and opportunities. Frequently the NCAI butts heads with the United States government to fight for rights and treaties made with the United States; the BIA, in particular, comes under fire. Established in 1944, the NCAI has worked to unify tribal governments to cooperate in the protection of sovereign and treaty rights and works to educate Congress and the public on American Indian and Alaska Native rights. (National Congress of American Indians)
The NCAI is currently working on programs and services that protect Indian families, rights of all Indian peoples to safe, affordable housing, education, health care, environmental protection, natural resource management, cultural resources, right to religious freedom, and the rights of economic opportunity on and off the reservations including attracting economic development incentives and private capital into Indian territories. (National Congress of American Indians)
The National Indian Gaming Association
The National Indian Gaming Association proclaims to be a non-profit organization comprised of 184 Indian Nations and other members who represent organizations and businesses connected to the tribal gaming enterprises located throughout the United States. The NIGA's self-reported mission is to "advance the lives of Indian peoples economically, socially [sic] and politically." The NIGA also reports to work as a "clearinghouse" on legislative, educational, and public policy, available to "tribes, policymakers [sic] and the public on Indian gaming issues and tribal community development." (National Indian Gaming Association)
The NIGA is just what the initials stand for, a gaming industry, or more basically, a trade organization. The NIGA is only beneficial if one is a member. The NIGA is basically a trade association that encourages prosperity only if one is enrolled in a gaming tribe, but they do very little to fight poverty. Much like any trade, this organization follows money. The large, prosperous casinos are located within or close to large populations or are within tourist areas. Poverty still exists on large land-based tribes, because even though some have casinos, they are not profitable due to their remote localities. These large land-based tribes are where the Native American population is and where the greatest need is. The NIGA does little or nothing for these tribes because they do not have large amounts of cash.
References
Bureau of Indian Affairs
www.doi.gov/bureau-indian-affairs.html
Indian Trust. (n.d.) Indian Trust Brochure: The facts v. the brochure.
www.indiantrust.com/_pdfs/IndianTrustBrochure.pdf
National Congress of American Indians
www.ncai.org/
National Indian Gaming Association
www.indiangaming.org/
www.associatedcontent.com/article/591037/native_american_organizations.html
A look at three organizations purported to work on the advancement and improvement of the Native American's general welfare; they are the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), and the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA).
The Bureau of Indian Affairs
The BIA is not a Native American organization, but rather a branch of the Department of the Interior, an agency run by the United States government. The Bureau is charged with managing almost 56 million acres of land that the United States holds in trust for the American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Indian tribes. The BIA is allegedly responsible for leasing land assets, protecting water rights, protecting land rights, developing forestlands, directing agriculture programs, economic development, provide education services to Indian students, and developing and maintaining infrastructure. (Bureau of Indian Affairs)
The BIA is currently engaged in a lawsuit, Cobell v. Norton, initiated by Native American Elouise Cobell of the Blackfeet Tribe in Browning, Montana, also the Lead Plaintiff in the case. Cobell maintains that the United States Government has not correctly allocated Indian assets. Native Americans have a long and very valid distrust of the government. Most Indians do not have much use for the BIA. Senator John McCain aptly described the situation at a hearing of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee in 1999, "The Interior Department has persistently failed to own up to its own mistakes and fulfill its basic responsibilities to Native Americans whose money is in the hands of the United States... Even more troubling is a very questionable commitment to properly follow through on Indian trust fund management policies and procedures" (Indian Trust, p.2). The BIA mitigates tribal poverty on paper, but has come into question recently regarding misappropriation of funds. Many Indians believe the BIA promotes poverty. (Indian Trust, n.d.)
The National Congress of American Indians
Of the three organizations detailed here, the National Congress of American Indians has done the most to help Native Americans advance. The NCAI fights for American Indian rights, benefits, trust monies, education, wellness, and opportunities. Frequently the NCAI butts heads with the United States government to fight for rights and treaties made with the United States; the BIA, in particular, comes under fire. Established in 1944, the NCAI has worked to unify tribal governments to cooperate in the protection of sovereign and treaty rights and works to educate Congress and the public on American Indian and Alaska Native rights. (National Congress of American Indians)
The NCAI is currently working on programs and services that protect Indian families, rights of all Indian peoples to safe, affordable housing, education, health care, environmental protection, natural resource management, cultural resources, right to religious freedom, and the rights of economic opportunity on and off the reservations including attracting economic development incentives and private capital into Indian territories. (National Congress of American Indians)
The National Indian Gaming Association
The National Indian Gaming Association proclaims to be a non-profit organization comprised of 184 Indian Nations and other members who represent organizations and businesses connected to the tribal gaming enterprises located throughout the United States. The NIGA's self-reported mission is to "advance the lives of Indian peoples economically, socially [sic] and politically." The NIGA also reports to work as a "clearinghouse" on legislative, educational, and public policy, available to "tribes, policymakers [sic] and the public on Indian gaming issues and tribal community development." (National Indian Gaming Association)
The NIGA is just what the initials stand for, a gaming industry, or more basically, a trade organization. The NIGA is only beneficial if one is a member. The NIGA is basically a trade association that encourages prosperity only if one is enrolled in a gaming tribe, but they do very little to fight poverty. Much like any trade, this organization follows money. The large, prosperous casinos are located within or close to large populations or are within tourist areas. Poverty still exists on large land-based tribes, because even though some have casinos, they are not profitable due to their remote localities. These large land-based tribes are where the Native American population is and where the greatest need is. The NIGA does little or nothing for these tribes because they do not have large amounts of cash.
References
Bureau of Indian Affairs
www.doi.gov/bureau-indian-affairs.html
Indian Trust. (n.d.) Indian Trust Brochure: The facts v. the brochure.
www.indiantrust.com/_pdfs/IndianTrustBrochure.pdf
National Congress of American Indians
www.ncai.org/
National Indian Gaming Association
www.indiangaming.org/
www.associatedcontent.com/article/591037/native_american_organizations.html