Minnesota is a model for the involvement of state government in American Indian education. Successful activities include a program to retain and adequately prepare Indian students for postsecondary education and a need-based scholarship program. Persistent challenges include improvement of financial aid, academic and student support services, and…

Argues that terms such as self-determination and sovereignty, which were developed as political tools to influence federal Indian policy several decades ago, now contribute to an ideology that relieves Indian college students and scholars of their responsibilities to Indian communities. Suggests that American Indian Studies programs clarify what…

A nonprofit institute works to enhance tribal sovereignty and increase tribal capacity to protect the environment and manage both natural and human resources. Through internships, the institute aims to develop a cadre of scientific, environmental, legal, and other professionals knowledgeable about indigenous issues and cultural concerns. Tribes…

A 2- or 3-day activity for middle and high school students, this unit is designed to familiarize students with the concept and reality of tribal governments as they exist today in American Indian tribes. Objectives are to enable students to: (1) become aware that American Indian tribal governments, people, and reservations exist in the United…

This guide focuses on the heritage of Oregon Native people by discussing their ancient habitation, their historical lifeways and the disruption of those lifeways by Euro-American settlement and federal policies, and their continuing role in the state. The guide consists of 18 essays organized into 3 sections. The first section consists of five…

As a model for long-range planning and problem-solving, the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska is responsive to the needs of the tribal community as well as to Indian traditional values. The tribe has grown from a $6,000 budget in 1965 to todays' multimillion dollar enterprise. In 1980 the Tribe implemented a plan for socioeconomic self-sufficiency to…

The relationship between ethnicity and political trust among American Indian elementary school children was determined for federal, state, and tribal levels. A total of 312 Arapahoe, Shoshoni, and white students were questioned to determine whether they thought each level of government could be trusted, whether the government cares about them and…

Designed for use with "Tribal Sovereignty: Indian Tribes in U.S. History" (ED 195 369), the teacher's guide includes 6 learning objectives, 33 questions for discussion and writing, and 6 ideas for research projects. Discussion questions cover four topics: (1) Indian governments; (2) policy development to 1871; (3) strategy of…

In this statement on H.R. 13343 presented to the Committee on Government Operations, the National Tribal Chairmen's Association, along with the National Congress of American Indians and the Alaska Federation of Natives, has voiced an "emphatic and uncompromising no" to the transfer of Indian education out of the Bureau of Indian Affairs…

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) seeks to play a lead role in the development of relations between various state governmental entities and tribal governments; this assortment of documents treats aspects of those relations. A platform statement and resolution on Indian affairs adopted by the National Association of Counties supports…

Between 1779 and 1864 the United States signed over 400 legal and binding agreements with Indian governments. Treaties signed between 1779 and 1810 sought Indian alliances against England, France, and Spain (all of whom also signed treaties with the Indians at one time or another). Treaties signed from 1817 to 1846 were treaties of removal, and…

Examines the Cherokees' deliberate adoption of the laws of the white man, focusing on the blood feud--a retaliation system designed to deal with homicide. Discusses cultural bases of Cherokee law and factors influencing the change to a jury system and noted key events of the adoption period (1797 to 1840). (JHZ)

Despite attempts by Congress during the 1970s to reform and reorganize the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), it has maintained substantive control over reservation institutions. A key to understanding BIA resistance to change appears to lie in organizational imperative of area directors to preserve and enhance their control over bureaucratic…

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) replaced Aid to Families with Dependent Children with Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), which establishes work-focused, time-limited welfare benefits. TANF permits tribes to receive funds directly from the federal government to administer their own…

As part of Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) funding, Tribal Priority Allocations (TPA) are the principal source of funds for tribal governments and agency offices at the reservation level. According to their unique needs and circumstances, tribes may prioritize funding among eight general categories: government, human services, education, public…