1. By Joseph Bruchac Presented by Derick Schneibel
Indian scenes from a renaissance: countering centuries of oppression and neglect, American Indians Travel the road to renewal
By Joseph Bruchac
Presented by Derick Schneibel

2. 10 Largest Native American Groups
Cherokee – 729,533: Oklahoma, California, Texas, North Carolina
Navajo – 298,197: Arizona, Utah, New Mexico
Latin American – 180,940: Spread throughout U.S. with highest concentration in California
Choctaw – 158,774: Oklahoma
Sioux – 153,360: Scattered throughout the northern great plains

3. 10 Largest Native American Groups
Chippewa – 149,669: Concentrated in the upper Midwest
Apache – 96,833: Arizona, New Mexico
Blackfeet – 85,750: Montana
Iroquois – 80,822: New York, Wisconsin
Pueblo – 74,085: Arizona, New Mexico

4. U.S. Indian Reservations

5. Background American Indians make up 1.5% of the total U.S. population
2000 Census total: 4,119,300
1900 Census total: ,000
Only 13% of American Indians live on reservations
43% of people living on reservations and trust lands are not Indian

6. Comparisons Per Capita Income Living below the poverty line
General Population: $21,587
American Indian Population: $14,267
Living below the poverty line
General Pop.:12.4%
American Indian Pop.: 22%
Unemployment
General Pop.: 3.7%
American Indian Pop.: 6.6%
High school graduate or higher
General Pop.: 80.4%
American Indian Pop.: 74.7%

7. Sioux; Cheyenne River Reservation South Dakota
Goal: Reestablish buffalo culture on reservation
Largest tribally owned buffalo herd in America with over 3,000 animals
Seeking a federal loan to buy back 22,140 acres of land taken by the government between 1887 and 1934

8. The “New Buffalo”
224 federally recognized tribes have gaming operations ranging from bingo to casinos
Generate about 15 billion dollars annually
The Foxwoods in Connecticut operated by the Mashantucket Pequot will gross over 1billion
Accounts for only 3% of Cherokee income

9. Oneida Nation; Wisconsin
Directed casino profits to tribal development
Buying new land, paving roads, and building a new elementary school
Founded Four Fires, a business consortium, with three other tribes
$43 million hotel near the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C.

10. Chippewa; Bois Forte reservation Minnesota
During the 70’s and 80’s wild rice production fell
Pressure from outside growers
Nett Lake became overgrown with aquatic vegetation
2003 $500,000 of casino profit was invested
Motorized barges and cutters cleared the lake

11. Mohawk Nation; New York
By 1997 only 5% spoke their native language
Mostly in their 70’s and 80’s
Formation of Kanatsiohareke meaning “place of clean pot”
“Carlisle School in reverse”
Graduates now teach other Mohawk

12. Cherokee Nation; Oklahoma
Well established language schools
Effecting political change
Dynamic Lobbying program
Use of large numbers to influence politics

13. Discussion Questions
In what ways will returning to a buffalo culture help the Sioux?
Do you think it is important to preserve American Indian culture, including language? Why or why not?
Do you think American Indian history should be a greater part of American History?
What do you think should be done about lands promised to the American Indians and then expropriated by the Federal Government?

14. Picture sources
Cheyenne River reservation map, , accessed 11/25/06
Lakota Sioux Flag, accessed 11/25/06
Oneida Flag, , accessed 11/25/06
Chippewa Flag, ttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Bandera_Chippewa_Minnesota.png , accessed 11/25/06
Bois Forte reservation, , accessed 11/25/06
Mohawk Flag, , accessed 11/25/06
Cherokee Flag, , accessed 11/25/06