Nooksack Indian Tribe Case Study

For centuries the Nooksack tribe located in Northwest Washington has been dependent on the wilderness for survival. Originally defined as a horticultural community, the Nooksack people have used their knowledge the land to support their daily necessities of food and shelter. Salmon runs in the nearby Nooksack River, named after the local tribe, continue to be a steady source of protein for the tribe up to this day. However, this way of life has lately been threatened by the diminishing glaciers of nearby Mount Baker. In order to understand the significance this event has to the culture of the Nooksack tribe, we must first look at how their culture has changed in the past, how it would possibly change in response to the glacial thinning and what the reemergence of Mount Baker may mean for future Nooksack generations.

Located in Coos Bay, Oregon, lies the Coquille Indian Tribe standing strong with over 1,000 members situated on 7,043 acres of land. This group of native americans derived from a, “mispronounced or misunderstood native word that described the river along which our forebears lived or some particular physical attribute of the surrounding estuary environment,” (Tribal Heritage). Not to mention, that’s exactly what this tribe is about, settling on low valleys of the Coos and river waters. As can be seen, the Coquilles are a very distinctive group of native americans due to their unique living styles.

Although the Nacirema tribe has very unique methods and focus on the human body and appearence, they are similar to our society. I feel like this tribe's beliefs are particularly similar to ours because they try to achieve "beauty" just like we try to be "prettier" or "perfect". The Nacirema can be described as a weird/unique tribe because they use torture to achieve their beliefs. One thing that striked me as particularly odd was the "mouth-rite" and "latispo" rituals because the people knew that they might die if they went through them and they still do it. They do this because they want to fit in and it is also something that has been tought all their lives. In a way, we also go through a type of torture when we decide on changing the way

Some Native Americans may not like the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 because of the way it made them look which was like “museum pieces” and because they did not want to establish tribal governments.

People are climbing on the Lakota tribe’s sacred tower. Devils Tower is in the Black Hills in Wyoming and is the first National Monument in the U.S. (Leonard). It rises 1,267 feet above the surrounding and is 5,114 feet above sea level (Devils Tower National Monument). Despite its significance to the Native Americans, particularly the Lakota tribe, many people visit this National Monument. Some visitors also climb the Tower. The Lakota tribe members have been living in the Black Hills for many years and perform many ceremonies at the Tower. Like many sacred places in Native American tribes, they have a myth about how the Tower came to be. According to James LaPointe, three girls wandered off while they were marching along the Black Hills to gather fruits. Hungry bears chased the girls when something said “Paha akili,” and the ground began to rise. The girls were saved as the ground grew to be the Tower and the

In Wisconsin, the history of the land has a various number of stories. The land of Wisconsin has been Americanized throughout the years by European settlers within the area. However, the land used to be owned by different Native American tribes, such as the Oneida Indian Nation and the Forest County Potawatomi tribe. The history, culture, and tribal sovereignty of these two tribes compare and contrast with each other but remain strong to this day.

A policy of self-governance would end treaty violation, justly compensate tribes for land, prevent bureaucrats from obstructing the ability of Native Americans to participate in their religion, and prevent the serious cultural loss that may occur if the government continues to use Native American land for self-interested purposes. Arguments that these objectives are unattainable and unfounded do not hold up to analysis. Therefore, to provide a remedy for the ongoing infringement of Native American constitutional rights, Congress should both return non-privately owned land taken in violation of treaties and abolish federal plenary power over tribes, permitting greater self-governance.

For several hundred years people have sought answers to the Indian problems, who are the Indians, and what rights do they have? These questions may seem simple, but the answers themselves present a difficult number of further questions and answers. State and Federal governments have tried to provide some order with a number of laws and policies, sometimes resulting in state and federal conflicts. The Federal Government's attempt to deal with Indian tribes can be easily understood by following the history of Federal Indian Policy. Indians all over the United States fought policies which threatened to destroy their familial bonds and traditions. The Passamaquoddy Indian Tribe of Maine, resisted no less

When most people hear of Native Americans, they cannot help but think of elaborate headdresses, red skinned warriors, and lively dancing. Although these aspects of Native American culture are fascinating, more important is where they fare in our society 's past and present. Restrictive laws and acts such as the Indian Removal Act, the Indian Reorganization Act, Fort Laramie treaties, and the Trail of Tears forced Native Americans from their lands. When settlers and the American government saw the resistance of Native Americans to forced assimilation, they resorted to racial discrimination and relocation to reservations. This history of discrimination has fueled calls for the United States government to pay reparations and the return of Native Americans to their indigenous lands.

I am a Native American male. I am from the Lummi Nation Tribe, but was raised on the Nooksack Indian reservation. My father is the one who raised me. He is an ex-convict who has no income of his own, and never graduated high school. We make rent and pay our bills thanks to support from my grandparents and our tribal assistance. My father is also an ex-drug addict, so he has to attend a methadone clinic every morning to kill his crave for drugs. He is also now an alcoholic, and has been for about two to three years off and on. This is not what has shaped me. Even though he has not been a role model for me I have set my own goals in life. My grandparents both have led decently successful lives, but I do not believe they are the ones who have

In the cooler weather, they wore buffalo skin for warmth. The Mexicans eventually influenced their style of dress. They began wearing vests, white tunics and more colorful clothing made from cotton.Storytelling is very important to the Apache Indian culture. Since they were not governed by any set of laws or rules and there were no jails for poor behavior, the Apache relied on passing down a code of conduct orally, from one generation to the next.The Apache were talented in arts and crafts. They were known for their beadwork in which they used shells, glass, and turquoise. They would often sew good luck beads onto war shirts. Basket weaving one of the Apache's oldest known forms of art . The burden basket and bread basket were the most common baskets. They also made jewelry, necklaces, earrings, and barrettes. Both sexes liked to wear shell jewelry.In the early 1800's, the relationships with the first white men to enter the region were solid. By the 1850's things had changed and as the Apache were being driven out of their homes and hunting and gathering was becoming scarce, raids and scalping began to take

Tribal sovereignty is a highly debated concept and an important aspect of Native American society. It refers to a tribe’s power to govern itself, manage its membership, and regulate tribal relations. As Joanna Barker stated, “Sovereignty carries the awful stench of colonization.” Tribal sovereignty must be traced to the beginning of colonization in North America. Colonizing nations asserted sovereignty over indigenous people and took away their independent status. The term “tribal sovereignty” carries with it multiples meanings and implications for tribal nations (Cobb, 2005).

American Indians and Alaskan Natives have a relationship with the federal government that is unique due to the “trust relationship” between the US and American Indians/Alaskan Natives (AI/ANs) who are entitled to health care services provided by the US government by virtue of their membership in sovereign Indian nations. In order to contextualize the complex nature of Indian health programs it is necessary to become versed in the political and legal status of Indian tribes. Through numerous constitutional, legislative, judicial, executive rulings, and orders that were largely associated with the succession of land and subsequent treaty rights; the health care of AI/ANs has been one of many responsibilities guaranteed by the federal government. The foundations of which can be traced back to the year 1787. The ceded land has been interpreted in courts to mean that healthcare and services were in a sense prepaid by AI/AN tribes and 400 million acres of land. The misconception of “free healthcare” and a conservative political disdain from so called entitlement programs have also led to misconceptions regarding the federal government’s responsibility to provide health care and services to AI/ANs. Rhoades (2000) has argued that tribal sovereignty is the overarching principle guiding Indian health care on a daily basis.1 This paper will examine the history surrounding federally mandated healthcare to AI/ANs, pertinent issues of sovereignty, as well as case studies in tribal

With the federal government’s support, many Native tribes have constructed Native Governments and Corporations where the rights to land and money are placed to their own responsibility. What this actually means is that the rights of the people’s land and monetary bonds are transferred from governmental trust to

There are hundreds of Native American tribes and millions of people that are within North America that identify themselves as Native Americans. Each tribe has their own unique customs, language, and myths. However, within the confines of this paper I will take a broad view with regards to Native American customs and traditions from a small sample of tribes that were observed prior to the vast expansion of colonizing the west.