Question about Native Americans?

Question

How well do you think Native American organizations, like the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), and the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA), are helping Native Americans to advance? Explain your answer. If anything, what are organizations like these doing to mitigate tribal poverty, and encourage prosperity?

Answer 1

The BIA does nothing to help us advance, it is a bureaucratic mess and colonialism at it's worst. NCAI and NIGA are watchdog organizations that assist tribes. All tribes are members of NCAI but not NIGA-there must be a gaming pact with their resident states. Not all tribes are gaming tribes. NCAI/NIGA is based in Washington DC and maintains contacts with elected officials and BIA and NIGA on matters concerning all Nations in the US, i.e.,pending legislation, gaming issues. Most tribes rely on and utilize gaming revenues to mitigate poverty. My tribe has reduced the number of Native people on the welfare rolls in my county. We have a clinic affiliated with Indian Health Service under a 638 (BIA) contract, that was built with gaming revenues, we've created jobs for people in the surrounding area including farm families. Our higher education program, once simply a 638 program has been substantially enhanced with gaming revenues added to assist with tuition. Individuals have been able to start their own businesses here, thereby improving the overall economic growth in this county, creating jobs, tax revenues for local government not just the tribe and for the public school, etc. The economic impact that Indian gaming has had on the states that have tribal casinos is tremendous in most areas. Some tribes because of location don't do a well but utilize revenues the best they can to assist existing programs. You've asked a huge question, just the tip of the iceberg. It is soley up to us to create our own economic opportunities.

Answer 2

Quite simply, the BIA like most government entities is a bureaucratic mess. Because it is a federal agency with a mutli-level system, getting bills or laws enacted takes forever. They are not responsible for changing the economic condition on the native Americans. They are more of a governing body that makes sure that the reservation laws are not violated and that the cultural aspects are maintained.

Answer 3

Haw! The BIA was originally created in the War Department before moving over to the Interior. Kinda gives you an idea of their helpfulness.

We like to say that BIA stands for 'Boss Indians Around'

Answer 4

I've heard that like anything else it's politics as usual and, as the first poster said, a mess. But you'd have to ask those affected by it to have the answer though, maybe someone will come across your question who knows all too well.