For some reason, unbeknown to me, I am loving everything I am reading this semester. I find it so interesting to learn all these "things" that were hushed up by our government and history teachers over the years. One thing however, that has not been hushed up, just not specifically shouted, is the political relationship that the natives have with the US government. Reading Tribal Consultation was a real eye opener.
Apparently, "The United States has a unique legal and political relationship with Indian tribes and a special relationship with Alaska Native entities as provided in the Constitution of the United States, treaties, and federal statutes. These relationships extend to the federal government’s historic preservation activities, mandating that federal consultation with Native American tribes be meaningful, in good faith, and entered into on a government-to-government basis. (http://www.gsa.gov)."
While we all know that there are laws about American Government and Indian reservations, and Indians having the rights to govern and rule Indian land, apparently there is more! Firstly, I did not know that peace was originally sought in 1906. "Preservation and protection of Native American historic resources, at least archeological resources, dates back to at least the Antiquities Act of 1906, usually seen as the first federal historic preservation law in the United States (http://www.gsa.gov)." Super cool, that while so much pressure to assimilate was occurring, the US was trying to at least on a grander scheme of things, try and make somewhat peace.
I find it interesting and cruel as well that the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990, basically stated that the US government, museums and anything that had Native American artifacts, lands, bodies etc, had to return everything to Native American property. We never really think that things like this were happening 25 years ago, but really they were. As I mentioned in my discussion, cruelty really is still happening between whites and Native Americans, even if it may be subconsciously. Just the fact that there needs to be an Act to return artifacts to the proper owners proves it.
Sources:
Tribal Consultation- http://www.gsa.gov
You're right. The fact that we need to have acts and policies to ensure respect shows that we clearly still have a major problem. This makes me think about all the policies that are put into place in workplaces due to behaviors of former employees that were totally off the wall. I don't know how many times I've had to rewrite policy handbooks...based on actual problems that you couldn't make up if you tried. Respect, care, and compassion should be a given and shouldn't need regulations and policies, but sadly...that's how things are.
ReplyDeleteMany of these policies are necessary to correct previous policies that are on the books. Of course, if we all had respect, care and compassion and obeyed the Golden Rule, we wouldn't need any policies. Since that isn't likely to occur, spelling things out in black and white is the way to go.
ReplyDeleteI have mixed feeling on the Antiquities Act, as this was the era of Kill the Indian, Save the Man - may be this was also & keep his stuff. Big changes came in 1934 with sovereignty - while in the earlier years still trying to assimilate and I feel save artifacts as history - not an ongoing, vibrant culture.
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