N A T I O N A L C O N G R E S S O F A M E R I C A N I N D I A N S 

The National Congress of American Indians Resolution #SD-15-028

TITLE: Reaffirming and Preserving Rights of “Removed” Native Nations and E XECUTIVE COMMITTEE Tribes in Their Original and Ceded Territories, Including PRESIDENT Brian Cladoosby Burial Grounds and Other Sacred Places, And Fishing, Gathering And Swinomish Hunting Areas FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT Randy Noka Narragansett Tribe WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians RECORDING SECRETARY Aaron Payment of the , invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign

TREASURER rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with Arlan Melendez Reno Sparks Indian Colony the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the

REGIONAL VICE- laws and Constitution of the United States, to enlighten the public toward a better P RESIDENTS understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise ALASKA Jerry Isaac promote the health, safety and welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and Native Village of Tanacross submit the following resolution; and EASTERN OKLAHOMA S. Joe Crittenden Cherokee Nation WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was GREAT PLAINS Leander McDonald established in 1944 and is the oldest and largest national organization of American Spirit Lake Nation Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments; and MIDWEST Roger Rader Pokagon band of Potawatomi

NORTHEAST WHEREAS, myriad citizens of Native Nations and Tribes were wrenched Lance Gumbs Shinnecock Indian Nation from their homelands, some under the color of law, predominately the

NORTHWEST Act of 1830, others under Treaties and terms of peacemaking and/or warfare and still Fawn Sharp Quinault Indian Nation others without any legal basis for their removal; and

PACIFIC Rosemary Morillo Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians WHEREAS, there is a popular misconception that “removal” affected only

ROCKY MOUNTAIN one Native Nation, the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, or that only the Cherokee, Ivan Posey Tribe Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek) and Seminole Nations were removed from

SOUTHEAST what is now the southeast United States to Indian Territory; although, if it were the Ron Richardson Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe case that only five or only one were affected, that would be sufficient reason for

SOUTHERN PLAINS concern and to reaffirm and preserve their rights in their original homelands; and Stephen Smith Kiowa Tribe

SOUTHWEST Manuel Heart WHEREAS, nearly all Native Nations were removed from important Ute Mountain Ute Tribe historical and ceremonial places in their original homelands throughout the 1800s; the WESTERN Len George following are but a few examples of removals: the Potawatomi Nation was splintered Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribe and moved along the Trail of Death from its homelands in modern day Illinois,

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin to Kansas and Oklahoma; Chief Joseph’s Band of Jacqueline Johnson Pata Tlingit Nez Perce were moved from today’s Idaho and Oregon to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas,

NCAI HEADQUARTERS and Oklahoma, and then to the Colville Reservation in western Washington, where 1516 P Street, N.W. they were confined and never permitted to return home; the Ponca Nation lands in Washington, DC 20005 202.466.7767 Nebraska were dealt away by the U.S. to the Sioux Nation in the Treaty of 1851, and 202.466.7797 fax www.ncai.org the U.S. Army forcibly removed the Ponca to Indian Territory; the Navajo Nation was moved on the Long Walk from its homelands in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah to a concentration camp near Indian Territory and, after the Din’e made the  NCAI 2015 Annual Resolution SD-15-XXX

Treaty of 1868 for return to their home, they had to make the long walk back on foot; and

WHEREAS, for most of the 1900s, many Indian Nations and Tribes litigated their Treaty rights to fishing, gathering, and hunting areas in ceded territory, winning landmark cases for commercial, ceremonial, and subsistence rights in usual and accustomed areas in the Pacific Northwest, Columbia River, and Great Lakes regions.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Congress of American Indians calls on the U.S. Congress and President to reaffirm, preserve, and fully consider the interests and rights of “removed” Native Nations and Tribes in their original homelands, including providing hearings and other forums to raise their concerns, and including protective language in any draft legislation, regulation, and reports that might affect their burial grounds and other sacred places, and fishing, gathering, and hunting areas.

CERTIFICATION

The foregoing resolution was adopted by the General Assembly at the 2015 Annual Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Town and Country Resort, San Diego, CA, October 18-24, 2015, with a quorum present.

Brian Cladoosby, President ATTEST:

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NCAI 2015 Annual Resolution SD-15-XXX

Aaron Payment, Recording Secretary

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