What are the two symbols of the Haudenosaunee confederacy and why are they used?
- Longhouse
why?
- White pine tree
why?
What did IGPA 1988 do?
- allowed Indigenous nations to conduct gaming on their land
- established the the National Indian Gaming Commission
- classified gaming into three types
- established how funds from gaming can be used
- gave FBI and federal agencies juristiction over organized crime investigations in gaming organizations in Indigenous casinos
What are some of the benefits of a nation being federally recognized?
recognizes sovereignty and acknowledges gov'ts responsibility to the nation
affirms nation's status as soveriegn entity
associated benefits from government from broken treaties, etc.
protection from state government
Education and medical services
tax exemption
legal position as "Indians"
Describe the importance of the Kennewick Man legal battle
- example of why NAGPRA is necessary, along with the shortcomings of NAGPRA
- showed how scientific community can exploit the "unidentified" label
- highlights inequality and bias
What is the paradox of Indigenous entrepeneurship?
You can be a capitalist or an Indigenous person...but not both. Stereotypes mean that non-Indigenous people believe that business owners who are not socially responsible aren't truly Indigenous, while Indigenous people who are business owners can't truly be capitalist. It is a catch 22 which places Indigenous entrepreneurs in an impossible situation.
What happened if the delegates of the confederacy felt the decision was too big for them, alone, to make?
representatives returned to the groups which elected them, and asked the people to decide on a consensus rather than just the representatives.
Describe the main purpose of NAGPRA and what it protects
Native American Grape Protection and Repatriation Act
Institutions receiving federal funding must inventory collections and return human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and objects of cultural patrimony.
Provides oversight on the processing of archeological sites or construction projects, etc. which unearth human remains or any of the above objects.
makes it a criminal offense to traffic in Native American human remains without right of possession or in Native American cultural items obtained in violation of the Act
What is Plenary Power?
It means that even if a group is recognized as by the federal government as a soveriegn entity, Congress retinas ultimate power over that group's lands and resources. Recognized nations still have no protection against federal government intrusion.
True or false: places are not a part of cultural heritage.
False. Places are a part of cultural heritage.
It has always been present in North America, and Indigenous people were first introduced to many European groups through their prowess in business and trade
If a majority of the representatives in the confederacy agreed to a measure, would the measure pass?
No. Consensus, not just majority, had to be reached before a decision could be made or a new rule passed.
Describe a shortcoming of NAGPRA
Museums and institutions drag their heels, preventing repatriation.
Loophole of "culturally unidentified" materials
Does not apply to private collections or on private land
Only applies to a narrow range of objects which may be of great importance.
Requires nations to request the items they want in some cases, or allows museums and institutions to get away with not giving things back, resulting in court costs and emotional costs for Indigenous communities.
Describe some of the stereotypes and misperceptions which present barriers to getting recognized by the federal government?
The idea of the "noble savage"
the idea that people have to exist as they existed prior to European contact to be truly authentic
Stereotype as naive but violent
Stereotype as "unspoiled by white culture"
Means nations have to fit iinto a very specific, usually inaccurate box to be seen as "Indigenous" by outsiders.
What are untangibles?
Parts of cultural heritage which are vital but cannot be seen or touched. Like language, belief, or identity.
Most are modest and a select few are very profitable. They help people have control over their own economies, but they are by no means a magic solution that fixes everything. There are many misconceptions in non-Indigenous spaces about casinos all being incredibly profitable, but only a select few are this way.
How were representatives chosen? And how did the confederacy make sure no one put any one group over all others?
Clan representatives were chosen by the matriarchal leader of each clan. These representatives them attended a grand council for issues which affected all the nations. To make sure that no one had too few allegiances, clans cross cut pre-existing groups, making sure that people had multiple political affiliations which prevented anyone from putting the good of one specific group over all others.
What changed in the requirements for federal recognition between the original law in 1978 and the updated version in 1994?
- “American Indian entity on a
substantially continuous basis
since 1900” (things moved around considerably and records written by colonial and early government sources weren't very accurate or useful for many)
- “Distinct community” instead of
“Indian Land” (not everyone was able to stay in their original location, meaning it was hard to claim an unbroken association with a geographic location.)
-still leaves this up to people who are almost always non-Indigenous and not familiar enough with a given groups' culture or history to make such a decision.
What are McCullough and Willow's four factors which influence federal recognition?
"Advantaged" or "dependent" groups are likely to be recognized...
- advantaged: positive social construction and strong levels of power
-dependent: positive social construction but lack of power
...while "contenders" or "deviants" are not.
- contenders: negative social construction but strong levels of power
-Deviants: negative constructed and lack power
How many objects and human remains are still in museums and institutions to be returned?
at least 600,000
What does Dr. Lewis describe as the three things which Indigenous buisnesses need to be seen as Indigenous by outsiders due to stereotypes and misconceptions?
1. Indigenous person is the owner
2. products are related to Indigenous culture and practices in ways clearly identifiable to outsiders
3. Community oriented and in harmony with nature.
Community involvement and product deisng do not make an Indigenous business Indigenous. Indigenous entrepreneurs run businesses in a wide vareity of ways selling a hugely diverse range of goods, services, and experiences. There is no one way to be an Indigenous entrepreneur.
In what order would the nations within the Haudenosaunee Confederacy discuss potential new decisions/rules?
-initially brought forward by either the Seneca or the Mohawk, the keepers of the doors.
-then thrown over to the Oneidas and Cayugas for discussion
-thrown back to the Seneca and Mohawk
-then given over to the Onondagas for discussion
What is AIRFA 1978?
The American Indigenous Religious Freedom Act
ensures right to
- Access sacred locations
- Consult with Indigenous leadership
- Practice without interference from government
- Use sacred objects
- Freedom to worship
Which of the four groups McCullough and Willow describe applies to the Catawba? What about the Lumbee? Explain how this played a role in both nations' fight to be federally recognized.
The Catawba were socially cohesive and were easily identifiable by white residents. They lost recognition when South Carolina wronged them in land dealings. This helped create sympathy with the federal gov't as well. They were a small group which could demonstrate hardship and at least 300+ years of interaction with the state of South Carolina
The Lumbees are not easily identifiable to surrounding white communities, and are often seen by neighboring communities as inauthentic or fake in their identity. While the Lumbees are a cohesive group now, they were not always, and this is used against them. Because of some power and economic stability, government views them as not having suffered. Large populations means it would cost a lot for the government to honor their treaties.
Catawba - Dependent
Lumbee - Contenders
- human remains -- the story of peoples' families and lineages, bringing people home at last, having them present again
- objects of cultural patrimony -- teaching the next generation the necessary Indigenous knowledge to participate in and celebrate their own culture
- that all Indigenous people are impoverished
- that all Indigenous people are wealthy and so don't need the buisiness.
- that Indigenous restaurants or businesses are part of the Vanishing Indian myth
- the stereotypes of "Indian Work" and the "Noble Entrepreneur"
- the idea that Indigenous people were not entrepreneurs before assimilation
if wealthy, because they assimilated. If poor, because they still need to assimilate.