November is a time dedicated to acknowledging and celebrating the profound history, diverse cultures, and invaluable contributions of Native Americans and Alaska Natives, the original inhabitants of this land. November is Native American Heritage Month serves as a powerful reminder of the rich tapestry woven by these communities into the fabric of American society. It’s a period of reflection, education, and appreciation for the traditions, languages, art, and resilience of these vibrant cultures. The Department of the Interior (DOI) plays a crucial role in honoring the nation’s trust responsibilities and special commitments to American Indian and Alaska Native tribes, working to support their self-determination and well-being.
This article delves into the various ways the DOI actively supports Native American heritage, empowering individuals and tribes as they strive toward a future brimming with opportunity and prosperity. From vital partnerships to educational initiatives, preservation efforts, and resource management, the DOI’s commitment to Native American communities is multifaceted and enduring. November is Native American Heritage Month is a time to recognize these efforts and reaffirm the importance of government-to-government relationships built on respect and mutual understanding.
Partners for the Long Haul: Collaborative Efforts
The DOI’s commitment to Native American communities is exemplified through the work of several key bureaus, each playing a unique role in supporting tribal sovereignty and self-determination.
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA): As the oldest bureau within the Department of the Interior, established in 1824, the BIA holds a significant responsibility in serving approximately 1.9 million American Indians and Alaska Natives, representing 567 federally recognized tribes across the United States. These tribes are sovereign nations, engaging in government-to-government relations with the U.S. The BIA’s dedicated employees, many of whom are themselves American Indian and Alaska Native tribal members, collaborate closely with tribal governments in administering a wide range of essential services. These services encompass law enforcement and justice, agricultural and economic development, tribal governance, Indian child welfare, and natural resources management. The overarching goal is to enhance the quality of life within tribal communities. While the BIA’s role has evolved over the past three decades, placing a greater emphasis on tribal self-governance and self-determination, tribes continue to rely on the BIA for a comprehensive spectrum of support and expertise.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM): Recognizing the deep connection between Native American tribes and the land, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) maintains close working relationships with tribes, particularly in the Western United States. These relationships are often formalized through legally mandated consultation processes related to public land management. The BLM actively engages with Native American communities to identify and understand their cultural values, religious beliefs, traditional practices, and legal rights. This collaborative approach ensures that BLM actions on public lands are informed by tribal perspectives and respect the significance of these lands to Native American communities.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS): The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has a long-standing commitment to supporting Native American tribes in their efforts to conserve fish and wildlife resources. For decades, the FWS has provided invaluable technical assistance and millions of dollars in funding to tribes across Indian Country, addressing mutual concerns and needs related to fish and wildlife conservation. The agency also administers the Tribal Wildlife Grants Program, a competitive funding opportunity that empowers tribal governments to develop, build capacity, and implement programs and projects that benefit fish and wildlife and their habitats. This includes species of cultural or traditional importance to Native American communities.
Furthermore, the FWS operates the National Eagle Repository, a central facility for the storage and distribution of deceased bald and golden eagles. Federally recognized Native Americans and Alaska Natives can obtain eagle feathers from the repository for religious, ceremonial, and cultural purposes, underscoring the FWS’s commitment to respecting and supporting Native American traditions.
Education for the Next Generation: Investing in the Future
Education is a cornerstone of self-determination and empowerment for Native American communities. The DOI recognizes this through the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE).
Bureau of Indian Education (BIE): The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) is dedicated to providing quality educational opportunities throughout the lifespan, while preserving the rich diversity of Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages and their unique cultures. The BIE embraces a holistic approach to education, recognizing the spiritual, mental, physical, and cultural dimensions of each student within the context of their family and tribe or village. The BIE oversees a network of 183 elementary and secondary day and boarding schools located on 64 reservations in 23 states, serving approximately 40,000 students. Through grant programs such as the Sovereignty in Indian Education Enhancement Program and the Johnson-O’Malley Program, the BIE strives to provide students with access to world-class educations that prepare them for success in the 21st century while honoring their cultural heritage.
Preserving Stories and Artifacts: Honoring the Past
The DOI is committed to preserving and interpreting the rich history of Native Americans through the management of historic sites and the protection of cultural resources.
Historic sites across the nation serve as invaluable repositories of Native American history, offering insights into the lives and experiences of indigenous peoples from the earliest times to the present day. These sites tell stories of resilience, adaptation, and cultural continuity in the face of immense challenges.
Examples of significant sites include:
- Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado): Famous for its well-preserved cliff dwellings, showcasing the architectural ingenuity of the Ancestral Puebloans.
- Chaco Culture National Historical Park (New Mexico): Preserves the monumental architecture and cultural landscape of the Chacoan civilization.
- Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park (Georgia): Protecting major earthworks of the Mississippian culture and evidence of over 17,000 years of continuous human habitation.
- Sitka National Historical Park (Alaska): Home to a priceless collection of totem poles, representing the artistic traditions of Alaska Native cultures.
- Canyon of the Ancients National Monument (Colorado): Preserves thousands of archaeological sites, including villages, cliff dwellings, and sacred spaces.
- Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge (New York): Features exhibits on the Native American culture and heritage of coastal Long Island.
- Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge (Washington): Named in honor of a Native American civil rights leader and commemorates the signing of the Medicine Creek Treaty.
- Trail of Tears National Historic Trail: Remembering the forced removal of Cherokee people from their homelands.
- Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site: A somber reminder of the tragic events of the Sand Creek Massacre.
Water, the Lifeblood of a Tribe: Resource Management
Water is an essential resource for all life, and the DOI recognizes its critical importance to Native American tribes. November is Native American Heritage Month emphasizes the need to protect this vital resource.
Bureau of Reclamation: The Bureau of Reclamation plays a crucial role in supporting tribes through various initiatives, including irrigation projects, dam construction and safety, drought relief, and the negotiation and implementation of Indian water rights settlements. Approximately 20 percent of Reclamation’s budget is dedicated to projects that benefit tribes. The Native American Affairs Technical Assistance to Tribes Program fosters collaborative working relationships with tribes, ensuring their full participation in the development, management, and protection of their water and related resources.
Promoting Native American Culture: Protecting Artistic Heritage
The DOI is committed to promoting and protecting authentic Native American art and culture.
Indian Arts and Crafts Board (IACB): The Indian Arts and Crafts Board (IACB) combats counterfeit Indian art, which undermines Indian economies, heritage, and cultural preservation. The Board promotes Indian economic development by expanding the market for authentic Indian arts and crafts. It also works to ensure that products advertised as "Indian-made" are genuinely created by Indian artists. The IACB provides promotional opportunities, business advice, information on intellectual property rights, and protections under the Indian Arts and Crafts Act for Indian artists, businesses, and consumers. The Board also operates regional museums that showcase the talent and creativity of Indian artists and publishes consumer protection brochures.
Living off the Land: Supporting Traditional Practices
The DOI recognizes the importance of traditional subsistence practices for Alaska Natives.
Federal Subsistence Management Program: Alaska’s indigenous people have relied on the traditional harvest of wild foods for thousands of years, passing this way of life down through generations. The Federal Subsistence Management Program is a multi-agency effort to support this subsistence way of life for Alaska Natives and rural Alaskans on federal public lands and waters, while maintaining healthy populations of fish and wildlife.
Energy from Indian Country: Fostering Economic Development
The DOI supports the responsible development of energy resources in Indian Country.
Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development (IEED): Indian Country holds millions of acres of energy-bearing territory. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) manages these resources, and the Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development (IEED) assists tribal governments in the environmentally responsible exploration, development, and management of their energy and mineral resources. This aims to create sustainable economies for reservations, generate new jobs, and promote economic self-sufficiency. The IEED’s Tribal Energy Development Capacity Grant Program helps tribes develop renewable energy projects.
Native American heritage and culture are integral to the American story. November is Native American Heritage Month provides an opportunity to learn more about the DOI’s Indian Affairs programs and to visit a Native American historic site to appreciate the contributions of these communities.