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 http://news.theolympian.com/stories/20000225/HomePageStories/39778.shtml
Home Page Stories Friday, February 25, 2000

Tribal recognition an arduous battle

TORTUOUS: The Steilacoom tribe is one of many looking for government
validation of their existence.

Greg Wright, Gannett News Service

WASHINGTON -- The Little Shell tribe of Chippewa has not had a place to call
home for more than a century, but that's likely to change soon.

Tribal members are confident the Interior Department will designate the
Little Shell as an official, federally recognized tribe by the end of
February, which would enable members to get government aid to educate their
children and provide health care to elders.

Despite its tortuous journey during the past 100 years to get federal
recognition, the Little Shell tribe is lucky -- the end of the battle is in
sight. Some American Indians and U.S. lawmakers complain the process to win
federal recognition -- and the millions of dollars in government aid that
come with it -- can drag on for years and is too expensive for many tribal
groups.

Interior Department officials acknowledge that the process is detailed and
lengthy, but the government wants to ensure tribes that get federal aid are
authentic, said Nedra Darling, spokeswoman for Interior's Bureau of Indian
Affairs.

The government officially recognizes 556 tribes, villages and associations,
and the Interior Department will decide whether to grant preliminary
recognition status to 10 more by the end of July. But 11 more petitions are
pending and an additional 160 American Indian groups plan to seek
recognition.

Some tribes have fought for the status for more than a century, sometimes by
appealing directly to the president or Congress. The government in 1978
enacted regulations to run petitions through the Interior Department's
Bureau of Indian Affairs, but it still takes five to 15 years for the agency
to process a claim, officials at the Native American Rights Fund complain.

Why does it take the Interior Department so long to recognize tribes? One
problem is that tribes might take years to turn in documents proving their
authenticity, Darling said. For instance, it took one tribe 20 years to
present its evidence for recognition, she said.

Gaining federal recognition is a worthwhile endeavor, despite the time and
expense. Federally recognized tribes can get government funding for schools,
housing, health care and job training. Federal status also makes tribes
exempt from paying some state taxes and gives them political authority to
run lucrative gambling operations or other enterprises.

For more information on tribes seeking recognition go to http://www.doi.gov/
bureau-indian-affairs. html.

Following are some of the tribes that will soon get preliminary federal
recognition rulings from the Interior Department's Bureau of Indian Affairs:

. STEILACOOM TRIBE, Washington: 750 members.

. NIPMUCK NATION, Massachusetts: 335 members.

. LITTLE SHELL TRIBE of Chippewa Indians, Montana: 3,892 members.

. EASTERN PEQUOT Indians, Connecticut: 700 members.
 

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