TWO RECOGNITION DECISIONS IN ONE DAY FOR THE POINTE-AU-CHIEN INDIAN TRIBE

Proposed Finding provides an opportunity for the Tribe to supplement the record.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs also called the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe to deliver its initial findings in the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe's federal recognition case yesterday. Tribe members have been awaiting a decision since 1996, when the Tribe submitted its petition for federal recognition. The Bureau of Indian Affairs placed the petition on active consideration in February 2005, advising the Tribe that it had two months to turn in information and instructing it to resubmit all of the Tribe's genealogy charts by April 15, 2005. Under the regulations, the BIA had one year to issue a decision, which could be extended an additional six months. However, during the three years that followed being placed on active consideration, the Tribe received numerous extension letters from the BIA advising of its need to delay the issuance of the decision. During this time period, the Tribe was not allowed to submit additional information or receive any guidance.

After twelve years, the Tribe finally has direction from the BIA on what it should do to strengthen its case to the federal government. Signing the proposed findings was one of the last actions taken by Assistant Secretary Carl Artman before his resignation became final last week.

There are seven criteria for federal recognition, and the BIA found that the Tribe meets four of the criteria and provided evidence to partially meet two of the other criteria. The Tribe has not yet received the written decision from the BIA. But from the conference call, the Tribe understands that the Tribe needs to prove that its ancestors existed as a tribe prior to 1830. "Today is a good day," said Tribal Elder Arline Naquin, "we have been waiting twelve years for direction from the BIA on what we should be focusing on, and now we have it." Tribal leaders and tribal members were in good spirits. Second Chairman Donald Dardar said that "the Tribe has conducted a large amount of research and analysis since the Tribe was told it could not further supplement the record before the Proposed Finding was issued. The Bureau has not yet reviewed that additional material which can positively impact our case."

The Bureau told the Tribe that the proposed finding is the first step towards federal recognition and that the Tribe should use the finding as an opportunity to focus its efforts on reversing the decision. The Tribal Council is grateful to receive some direction regarding the petition status. In most cases, tribes receive technical assistance or obvious deficiency letters from the BIA prior to this stage in the process, but no such considerations were made in the Pointe-au-Chien case. Tribal leaders plan to go to Washington D.C. to meet with federal officials regarding the additional work needed to complete the petition.

The Tribe has six months to respond to the BIA's proposed finding. A successful petition requires expert assistance from genealogists, historians, anthropologists, lawyers, and demographers. The Tribe estimates that the work required to respond to the proposed finding will cost more than $500,000, and the tribe has no money to fund the process. The Tribe will be soliciting donations from area businesses and has faith that the funding will become available. Any expert assistance or donations are welcomed.

For further information, contact Secretary Michelle Matherne of the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe at (985) 594-3267.