The State of the Native Nations

Description

Media filters and personal preconceptions can make it hard to get a clear view of present-day Indian America. The reality is that the 500+ Native nations in the United States confront many of the same day-to-day challenges that are faced by other nations and communities--raising children with strong identities, practicing religion, providing economic sustenance, strengthening culture, managing business and governmental affairs, and protecting public health and safety--but they are doing so from foundations built on their distinct histories, cultures, and circumstances. The State of the Native Nations: Conditions under U.S. Policies of Self-Determination chronicles the efforts, obstacles, and accomplishments that are shaping Indian Country under contemporary federal policies and responsive tribal strategies of self-determination.
In The State of the Native Nations, the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development brings together scholars and Native leaders to produce the most comprehensive, cohesive interdisciplinary study available on current conditions and trends in Indian Country. Broad in scope and thematically organized, the volume features twenty-three chapters covering issues ranging from tribal governance, land and natural resources, and economic and social development, to arts and culture, the large off-reservation Native population, and federal Indian policy. Fourteen accompanying essays bring to life the personal perspectives of noted national leaders in Native affairs. The result is invaluable insight into the universal challenges of creating resilient, sustained, and self-determined communities.

FEATURES:

* Balances first-person accounts and field findings with extensive and up-to-date data and facts
* Emphasizes the critical issues of Native self-determination and nation-building
* Puts contemporary issues in their historical and policy contexts
* Integrates case studies that highlight successful examples of the practice of Native nation self-determination

Table of Contents

The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development
Contributors
The Sounding Board
Preface and Acknowledgments
A Note on Methodology and Terminology
Introduction
The Long Road to Self-Determination
Contemporary Realities
PART ONE: TRIBES AS NATIONS
1. Tribal Government
The Evolution of Governmental Forms
Federal Policy and Self-Governance
The Importance of Capable Institutions of Governance
Elders Cultural Advisory Council, San Carlos Apache
Tribal Governments and Nation Building
Civil Society and Community Organizations
Tribe-to-Tribe Relations
We Are a Sovereign Government, Hon. W. Ron Allen
2. Tribal Jurisdiction
Underlying Principles of Tribal Jurisdiction
Adjudicatory Authority
Regulatory Authority
Choctaw Tribal Court System, Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
Challenges to Tribal Jurisdiction
Taxing Authority
Nation Building and Tribal Courts
The Life Way and the Law Way, Hon. Robert Yazzie
3. Tribal-Federal Relations
The Federal Government's Trust Responsibility
Federal Paternalism
The Evolution of Federal-Tribal Relations
Zuni Eagle Sanctuary, Zuni Fish and Wildlife Department, Pueblo of Zuni
Underfunding by Federal Agencies
Federal Recognition
Tribes and Federal Politics
The Future of Federal-Tribal Relations
Promoting Self-Determination, Benjamin Nuvamsa
4. Tribal-State Relations
Tribal versus State Authority
Increased Interaction between States and Tribes
New Models of Cooperation
The Benefits of Cooperation
Honoring Our Ancestors: The Chippewa Flowage Joint Agency Management Plan, Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians
Educate. Educate. Educate. Hon. Marge Anderson
5. International Relations
Historical International Relations
The United Nations and Indigenous Peoples
Other International Institutions
The Road Ahead
Iroquois Nationals Lacrosse
PART TWO: ASSETS AND ECONOMY
6. Native Lands
A History of Dispossession
Indian Lands Today
Land Challenges
Reacquiring and Reinstating Indian Lands
Land Use Planning
Swinomish Cooperative Land Use Program
The Future of Indian Lands
7. Economic Development
Past Efforts and Policies
A Tribal Economic Development Snapshot
The Underpinnings of Contemporary Tribal Economic Development
Ho-Chunk, Inc., Winnebego Tribe of Nebraska
Strategies for Economic Development
Ongoing Challenges in Economic Development
Land and Jurisdiction
The Future of Economic Development in Native America
Sovereignty Is an Asset,, Sherry Salway Black
8. Gaming
The Development of Contemporary Indian Gaming
A Policy Primer on American Indian Gaming
The Growth of Indian Gaming
Socioeconomic Investment and Change
Quil Ceda Village, The Tulalip Tribes
Gaming Controversies
The Future of Indian Gaming
9. Natural Resources
Historical Context
Natural Resources in Indian Country
Tribal Management of Natural Resources
Energy
Forestry
Agriculture
Oneida Nation Farms and Agriculture Center, Oneida Nation of Wisconsin
Water
The Outlook for Natural Resources on Indian Lands
Meeting the Natural Resource Challenges in Indian Country, Arthur "Butch" Blazer
10. Environment
Historical Context
The Environmental State of Indian Country
Challenges of Tribal Environmental Protection
Tribal-Federal Cooperation in Addressing Current Problems
Water Quality Standards, Environmental Department, Pueblo of Sandia
Tribal Environmental Capacity
The Future of Tribal Environmental Management
Preservation of Life: Guiding Principles of Indian Tribal Governments, Susan M. Williams and Sarah Works
PART THREE: SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
11. Education
From Degradation to Empowerment
The State of Educational Attainment
Primary and Secondary Education
Tribally Operated Schools
No Child Left Behind
Post-Secondary Education
The Two-Plus-Two-Plus-Two Program, Hopi Junior/Senior High School, Hopi Nation
The Tribal Colleges and Universities
The Future of Indian Education
Educating a Closed Population Pool, James Shanley
12. Health
History
Health Status
Critical Underfunding of the Indian Health-Care System
Self-Determination and Health Care
Toward Progress in Indian Health
Whirling Thunder Wellness Program, Winnebago Tribal Health Department, Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska
Health Care: A Trust Responsibility, A Sovereign Right, Yvette Roubideaux
13. Family Support
History of the Destruction of Native Families
The Growth of Modern Welfare Programs
Family Poverty in Indian Country Today
Impact of Federal Welfare Reform
Implementing TANF in Indian Country
At-Risk Children
Building a Future for Families
Fond du Lac Foster Care Licensing and Placement Agency, Fond du Lac Lake Superior Band of Chippewa
14. Housing
Early Indian Housing Policy
The State of Indian Housing
Challenges in Federal Indian Housing Policy
Self-Determination in Housing
Challenges Ahead
Chuka Chukmasi Home Loan Program, Division of Housing, Chickasaw Nation
15. Public Safety
History
Status
Public Safety Issues in Indian Country
Policy Responses
Toward Improved Public Safety in Indian Country
Kake Circle Peacemaking, Organized Village of Kake
PART FOUR: CULTURE, ARTS, AND MEDIA
16. Culture
Diverse American Indian Cultures
Policies and Processes of Cultural Suppression
The Status of Indian Languages
Native Cosmologies and Religions
Ojibwe Language Program, Department of Education, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
Cultural Artifacts, Repatriation, and Museums
Indigenous Knowledge
Culture's Role in Shaping the Future of Native America
A Valued Past and a Vibrant Present, Hartman Lomawaima
17. Arts
The Arts in Native America
Cherokee National Youth Choir, Cherokee Nation
The Marketing of Indian Arts and Crafts
Defining and Redefining Contemporary Indian Arts
American Indian Art: A Way of Life, Kevin Red Star
18. Media
The Development of Media Perspectives
Media in Native America
The Question of the Ownership of Indian Media
New Approaches to Media Issues
The Growing Role of the Internet
Looking to the Future
PART FIVE: ALASKA NATIVES, NATIVE HAWAIIANS, AND URBAN INDIANS
19. Alaska Natives
History
Alaska Natives and the Settlement of Land Claims
Alaska Native Socioeconomic Status
Challenges for Alaska Natives
Yukaana Development Corporation, Louden Tribal Council
Prospects for the Future
Sovereignty in Alaska, Willie Kasayulie
20. Native Hawaiians
Historical Context
Who Are Native Hawaiians?
Current Conditions
Native Hawaiian Policy and Governance
21. Urban Indians
History
The Socioeconomic Status of Urban Native Americans
Policy Considerations
Urban Indian Community Centers
Self-Determination for Urban Indians
Future Prospects
Menominee Community Center of Chicago, Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin
A Different Kind of Immigrant, Sydney Beane
Conclusion
Defending Tribal Sovereignty, Jacqueline Johnson
Index