Native Indians Living Below Poverty?
july 4th 2008 i went to a pow wow in CHEROKEE N,C, …I JUST FEEL SO ANGRY….. how can the united states of america, who helps all other coutries…..how can they ignore all the native indians? those on the res ,live below poverty, trailers torn apart, plastic nailed up for a patio, people wearing clothes that should have been discarded years ago……IT’S LIKE OUT OF SIGHT..OUT OF MIND !! ..the natives have dreams for their lives too, SHOULDN’T OUR DREAMS COME TRUE TOO ?? i see shows on tv…for food and houses being built in other countries….. WHAT ABOUT MINE ?? last night on tv….a show about the NAVAJO’S have water under their land, but have no leagal rights to dig a well…..the american gov. didn’t give them rights to drill when they GAVE THEM THE RES !! they have to HAUL WATER to their homes ( which ALSO has NO ELECTRICITY !! ) AMERICANS WITH NO ELECTRICITY !! IN 2008….WHAT A DISGRACE UPON AMERICA !! …..is ther anyone one else who has seen this tradegey on the res ?
I agree with you this is something that’s almost beyond belief,
and people that has come to America either by the slave trade or on their own cries for what they say is their rights…. they get it.
Not with the Native American Indians.
I was going through Flag Staff Ariz. one time and leaving the Grand Canyon there was an Indian woman and her mother and two children walking to this town to get water and a check , all the homes through there were mud huts, we gave them a ride to the next town they were going too.
We would see Indian men on horses come up to the highway and tie a stone around their horses leg
( so the horse wouldn’t run away) and wait for a bus or someone to pick them up to go into town. I think why they didn’t ride the horse all the way to town for fear it would be stolen.
The way the Native American Indians are treated is beyond
human abuse.
So, a few have Casinos what is that compared to all the rest.
If anyone has ever read the history of how the indians were treated and the story of the “Trail Of Tears”
The slaves that were brought here had it made.
Edit: 2D ..appearently you haven’t seen the ones I have, they are paid to stay on the Reservation and they don’t have what you say they do.
the media will mislead you…there is poverty EVERYWHERE!!!
It’s cool that you have empathy for others, but look DEEPER.
You mean Native Americans right? Native Indians are in India.
I thought they were their own nation.
They’re building casinos after all.
well invite them over for a shower and let them stay at your house
Ummm. I think you need to take a step back there. Squaw is not a good word in the Native American community. You have no ideas what you are talking about. Those people get more help from the American government than anyone else living here. You r people have brought this upon themselves. Clean up your own yard. Go to school and get an education. Most places Natives can go to college for free. Some places even pay them to go. Quit your belly aching and go out and do something about your situation. Keep giving thumbs down to people who’s answers make sense. It’s nobody’s fault that the Native Americans, who are their own Sovereign Nations can’t take care of themselves and abuse and misuse every government program set up for them.
I have seen some terrible sights on a Indian res. in New Mexico, house that were falling appart and terrible roads etc.
I have also worked with several Navajo women in a hair salon that took care of their families by working outside of the home.
I know that Native people got a raw deal from the US government and only a few nations have casino’s and other means to pull in some money.
My great-grandparents left the Mohawk res. a long time ago and intermarried with whites so I haven’t really experienced the life of someone on a reservation. I think it would be a hard life.
The Indians here live well above the poverty line. They’re the wealthiest group here and are the mainstay of our economy. They also get housing allowance, sanitation services, health and social services, as well as education grants as well. Any Indian can go to college free of charge if he or she chooses. There are so many programs for them based on them being a federally-recognized Indian tribe alone. I work implementing these programs. 2D
I live practically on the rez. The Navajo reservation is the example that I’ve got – I don’t know how other tribes handle their affairs, but hope this helps:
1. The land and all mineral rights are given to the TRIBE. It’s up to the tribe to say who can drill for water. They usually don’t let you – this is at the mercy of the tribal water commission authorities.
2. Again, the land belongs to the tribe – the tribe (council, that is) decides where to put electricity. They also have people live in trailers on tribal land. Why? Because if the “tribe” decides they need it for something else, they tell you to move. And you have to do it. They do this all the time, taking my husband’s ranch for growing crops – nothing planted so far, 4 years after they took it.
3. Poverty – that is true and correct. Allow me to shed some light on that. They can move off the reservation to obtain a decent education. The tribe doesn’t do that and openly encourages every Navajo to NOT move off of the reservation. They can’t function when it comes to the “real world” as a result. The tribe gives crappy healthcare (a doctor told my mother in law that her stomach pain was “all in your head”. Hmm, interesting considering it was a anyeurism. The tribe ALSO has a problem with not paying healthcare workers from time to time. Happened to me working at the TRIBAL HOSPITAL.
4. The tribe is given MILLIONS of dollars by the US GOVERNMENT. Instead of sending money to the schools to improve education, they used just over a million dollars to fly school employees(and family members) to HAWAII for a conference. They have no audit system for finances.
5. APATHY – when there’s a culture that expects handouts and welfare to live, they become apathetic. The elders don’t want anything to change, and the younger generations aren’t being educated in school. Sexual abuse, physical abuse, drugs, gangs, etc. are all in the mix and if you saw the area the rez covers, it’s too big for the Navajo Police. Then there’s people like my husband who started his own business. He wouldn’t depend on the tribe for anything – even if his life depended on it.
6. They generally blame and hate everyone who is white. They segregate themselves, not realizing that they could do a lot better by making their needs known.
7. The “tribe” is quite busy right now selling the mineral rights to corporations wanting to mine for uranium. Read up on what happened in Monument Valley. Now they are setting themselves up for the exact same screw over – why? Money.
The tribe and their elected officials are no different, nor any less greedy than our crooked politicians. That’s the side they don’t show on the programs.