Title: Support for Technical Assistance to the Douglas Indian Association from the USFS in Reconstruction of Tribal Villages

 

WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution; and

WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is the oldest and largest national organization established in 1944 and comprised of representatives of and advocates for national, regional, and local Tribal concerns; and

WHEREAS, the health, safety, welfare, education, economic and employment opportunity, and preservation of cultural and natural resources are primary goals and objectives of NCAI; and,

WHEREAS, formerly occupied village sites in the Traditional Territory of the Douglas Indian Association have been documented by Goldschmidt and Haas Report of 1946 and other references; and,

WHEREAS, the 1906 Antiquities Act, Historic Sites Act of 1935, National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the 1980 Amendments to the National Historic Preservation Act, Archeological Resources Protection Act of 1979, Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990, American Indian Religious Freedom Act, and Alaska Historic Preservation Act, all use the language of protecting, preserving, restoring, reconstruction and maintaining cultural and historic properties with access to sites so these resources may pass undiminished to future generations; and

WHEREAS, the Douglas Indian Association and the Forest Service are both interested in cultural preservation and ecosystem management, in terms of natural resources, human dimensions/cultural resources, and the education of our Native youth and others; and

WHEREAS, cultural continuity and diversity is of interest to the Forest Service and to the Douglas Indian Association in interpreting cultural ties to the landscape; and

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that NCAI does hereby support Douglas Indian Association’s request for technical assistance from the Forest Service to explore reconstruction of villages within their Traditional Territory; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NCAI does hereby acknowledge that when a village once again becomes a living spiritual cultural center for the Tribe, the respect, understanding and wisdom of the Clans and Tribe be foremost in all its uses; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that NCAI does hereby declare its support with a letter to the USDA Forest Service with a copy of this resolution.

The foregoing resolution was adopted at the 2000 Mid-Year Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Centennial Hall in Juneau, Alaska on June 25-28, 2000 with a quorum present.

_____________________________

Susan Masten, President

Juana Majel, Recording Secretary

Adopted by the General Assembly during the 2000 Mid-Year Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Centennial Hall in Juneau, Alaska on June 25-28, 2000.