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in Congress to regulate sovereign
immunity.
26 What are treaties?
From 1777 to 1871, U.S. relations
with Indian nations were negotiated
through legally binding agreements
called treaties. These treaties, or
agreements, between tribal govern
ments and the United States trans
ferred and created property rights
as well as service obligations.
27. What agreements did the
treaties contain?
The treaties often promised the In
dians protection, goods, services,
self-governing rights and tribal
homeland in exchange for their co
operation and vast acres of land.
20 What does the Bureau of In
dian Affairs (BIA) do?
The Bureau is the principal federal
agency working with tribes. Its job
is to provide services andor funds
for services to benefit tribal members.
Unlike the 1800s, when the Bureau
was in the War Department, the
Bureau's stated goal is to help tribes
with self-determination. Almost 100
percent of its employees are tribal
members.
29. flow does someone qualify
for BIA services?
Persons must belong to a federally
recognized tribe.
30. Do Native Americans serve
in the Armed Forces?
Native Americans have fought in all
American wars since the Revolution,
and one out of four Indian men is a
U.S. military veteran. Their patrio
tism in World War I led Congress to
pass the Indian Citizenship Act of
1924. In World War II, Navajo Ma
rines used their language as a code
to transmit messages; it was the only
code the enemy failed to break.
31 . Who regulates Indian
casinos?
The National Indian Gaming Com
mission, established by Congress,
oversees bingo operations, casinos,
and certain other types of gambling
on tribal land. It sets rules for li
cencing, reviews yearly audits, and
approves ordinances that tribes de
velop to run gaming operations. The
U.S. departments of Treasury, Jus
tice, and Interior have authority over
aspects of Indian gaming. Indian
nations, as well, have their own
gaming commissions, tribal police '
forces, and court systems.
32. What is the Indian Gaming
Regulatory Act?
The federal law requires states to en
ter into compacts with tribal govern
ments that plan to engage in casino
gambling, including slot machines and
blackjack. Gaming must be conducted
on tribal land, and the states' control
is limited to the terms of the compacts.
Compacts are approved by the Secre
tary of the Interior.
33. Is Indian gaming a major
player In the gambling industry?
Indian gaming is growing at a rapid
pace, but represents only 8 percent
of the revenue market share, accord
ing to the Nation Indian Gaming
Association.
34. Do all tribes have casino
gambling?
No. Roughly one-third of the 554
tribes have gaming operations, and
may be limited to bingo.
35. What Is a tribal school?
Since the early 1800s, the Bureau
of Indian Affairs assumed responsi
bility for the education of children
on reservations through Indian
schools. In 1978, the federal gov
ernment began turning over school
control to the tribes, while still pro
viding funding. Today, the Bureau
funds or operates 187 schools with
50,000 students.
36. flow many American Indian
students attend public schools off
the reservations?
About 480,000 American Indian
children attend public schools off res
ervations. Some states with large
populations of Indian schoolchildren
provide funds for Indian language
and cultural education.
37. Do American Indians speak
their own language?
The vast majority of Indians speak
English as their main language,
though some know their Native lan
guage as well. When Europeans
first arrived, some 350 Indian lan
guages were spoken.
38. How many Indian languages
are still spoken?
The precise number is unknown. It
is estimated that about 200 lan
guages are spoken.
39 Which are the most common
languages?
There is no standard American In
dian language, but a number are
spoken regularly by the larger tribes,
such as Navajo (spoken by 80,000)
and Ojibwe (spoken by 40,000).
40. Is there an American Indian
religion?
Many Native Americans believe in a
Great Spirit that reveals itself
through nature and influences all
life. Indigenous religions also are
filled with lesser spirits that inhabit
the everyday world. In the 19th cen
tury, Native Americans lost many of
their religious customs as colonists
forced them to convert to Christian
ity, sent children to mission schools,
and banned some of their ceremonies.
41 How does tobacco figure in
American Indian religion?
Tobacco has been regarded as a most
sacred plant, used in American In
dian religion, medicine, and diplo
macy. Smoking at gatherings was a
symbol of hospitality. Sharing a pipe
sealed treaties, and sprinkling leaves
ensured a good harvest. Ritualistic
use of tobacco continues today.
42 . Did Native Americans learn
about tobacco from white settlers?
On the contrary, Native peoples in
troduced tobacco and the pipe to
white explorers. Native Americans
had been smoking tobacco for a thou
sand years or more by the time Co
lumbus returned to Spain with some
leaves, and its use spread across
Europe.
43 . What Is a peace pipe?
When various tribes dominated
North America, carrying a pipe was
evidence of peaceful intent, a pass
port universally honored.
44. Why is the eagle feather
significant to American Indians?
Certain symbols, including the eagle
feather, seem to be universal in their
importance to Indian tribes. The
eagle is revered for its strength, size,
and intelligence. Its feathers are
used in religious ceremonies.
45. now do American Indians
obtain feathers of a protected bird
like the eagle?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
administers a program that makes
the feathers available to Indian re
ligious practitioners. The feathers
are from eagles that die naturally
or by accident.
46. Why do Native Americans
object to the use of Indian symbols,
like feathers and face paint, in U.S.
sports?
Many Native Americans believe that
the use of Indian symbols by sports
teams and fans trivializes their way
of life. For example, some Native
Americans take offense when fans
paint their faces at football and base
ball games. In traditional Native
cultures, face-painting is reserved for
sacred ceremonies that include wed
dings and funerals.
47. What is a pow-wow?
Pow-wow comes from the Narra
gansett word for Shaman. It is a
celebration and social gathering,
honoring sacred Indian traditions
through dancing, drumming, sing
ing, and the gathering of people.
Pow-wows may be held to honor an
individual or a special occasion. Most
commonly, a pow-wow is a social
event.
48. Are non-Natives welcome at
powwows?
There are ceremonial pow-wows that
are closed to non-members, but ev
eryone is welcome at a publicized
pow-wow, or a tribe's annual pow
wow. 49. What is a sweat lodge?
J3weat lodges are used by some Na
tive Americans to induce sweating
for spiritual or medicinal purposes.
Sweat lodges are heated by fire or
by pouring water over hot stones. A
sweat ceremony is very sacred to
Native peoples.
50. now can a person trace his
or her Indian ancestry?
The first step is basic genealogical
research to obtain specific informa
tion on ancestor's names, birth dates,
marriages and deaths, and places
where they lived. The next step is
to find out if these ancestors are on
any official tribal rolls. After deter
mining tribal heritage, individuals
should contact individual tribes to
learn about membership. Tribes
have the final determination on who
qualifies.
Reprinted from: A Reporters Guide
To Native America.