Spirits of the Land Foundation

A new site for Native American Genealogy has been announced.

Following is the post from INDIAN-ROOTS list ---

We have created a website on the internet for Native American Genealogy. This information should get those beginners in the right direction. Those of that have been at it for a while, there is also some great help there as well. In its first week we had over a hundred visitors. Plus a very nice lady from Compuserve posted us on there as being a great page. I have tried and even though we submitted to all the search engines I can't find listings to our own site. We are adding constantly, with some great work from very impresive researchers (you'll have to go look to see who). We are just about to add 7 more pages of information and a little revamping on the front page.

Our site is designed to help you, so if there is anyone out there that would like to see something added, just let us know.

---Barbara Benge


The Founders and Directors wish to extend the blessings of the Foundation and all of its participants to The National Unity Task Force in the critical fight against the erosion of support in Congress for the American Indians as agreed to by treaty in return for ceding their lands to the federal government. Due to apathy, the lack of knowledge, positive publicity and a cohesive response to attack, many Americans are unaware of the attempts by a few to undermine the progress that has been made. As a small contribution, the Foundation is reprinted the following article and will maintain it for more to see and hopefully join in support of the Task Force.

Reprint of Article Published:
Thursday, March 14, 1996
THE DAILY OKLAHOMAN

Washington
(Scripps-Howard)--

Tribal leaders say Congress has declared war on American Indians, and it's time to fight back.

The National Unity Task Force is using money and an education campaign in the battle against efforts to slash federal funding for tribal programs and to limit tribal rights in gaming and other areas.

Ten Tribal leaders launched a media blitz in Washington this week, hoping to convince reporters and editors to publicize the unique "trust" between the federal government and tribes.

The group also founded the first American Indian national political action committee and will use it to support candidates who back tribal concerns.

In an interview with Scripps Howard News Service, Henry Cagey, chairmen of Washington state's Lummi Nation, said, "We're at war with Congress right now. This is an effort by tribal leaders to be more visible in Washington,....to beat this problem."

The group says there is an anti-Indian backlash in state and local governments as well. Leaders blame it on jealousy over casino revenues.

Although not even half of the tribes have gaming and only a handful are wildly successful, non-Indians now seem to believe tribes are getting rich from gambling, Cagey added.

In fact, most Americans -- including many in Congress -- just don't know or understand why the federal government has a special financial responsibility to American Indians, still the nation's poorest group of citizens, said Dale Risling SR., chairman of the Hoops Valley Tribe in California.

The nation agreed generations ago to provide money for housing, education and other needs in exchange for the tribes ceding their lands to the federal government, Risling noted.

"Our lives and our governments are centered around this relationships. These documents are living documents to us." Risling said.

"We are not a minority. We are not a special-interest group. We have a unique political status based on our treaties with the federal government."

The National Unity Task Force has the support of the nation's largest Indian organization, the National Congress of American Indians. The new group was born last fall, when Cagey and others convinced leaders from many of the 554 federally recognized tribes to converge on Washington and protest proposed budget cuts.

The most severe cuts are in the Bureau of Indian Affairs. It and the Indian Health Service are the main agencies dealing with the tribes.

The BIA already has laid off several hundred employees. Even more devastating to many Indians are the large reductions in BIA programs that help tribes with law enforcement, sanitation and dozens of basic services.

"Appropriations are at the heart of it," Cagey said. "It's termination by appropriation."

Ferrell Secakuku, chairman of the Hopi Tribe, said the cuts have force his tribe to free jail inmates because there is no money for heat or food. The jail is back in business but Secakuku said finances remain precarious.

The new task force singles out Sen. Slade Gorton, R-Wash., for his decades-long antipathy toward the idea that the federal government has an eternal obligation to help tribes. Gorton contends the Indians must begin to provide for themselves, as other Americans do.

He successfully beat back efforts by Sen. Pete Domenici, R. N.M., and others to beef up BIA funding for this year.