Project 3: Infographics
3 Ideas
I originally thought that I was going to focus on environmental problems, but then I thought about the socio-economic problems that I’ve come across in my work with Native Americans. I also thought it would be a waste not to use my resources and information with the Tribal Nations to talk about some very not well known treatment of the Indigenous peoples in the United States.
1.Equity Through the Tribal Experience: Assimilation to Sovereignty.
a. What it means to have federal recognition, gives a Tribe their sovereign status as a self-governing indigenous nation within the United States.
Federal recognition is required for the majority of federal laws and other provisions to apply to a Tribe.
There are actually 12 Tribes in Wisconsin, the 12th, the Brotherton Tribes migrated to Wisconsin along with members of Stockbridge Munsee and Oneida nation, leaving New England as settlers were pushing westward. In 1839, Brotherton was the first Tribe to accept US citizenship. They were terminated, losing their Tribal status, in the mid 1950s during the Termination Period (which we will talk about in a few minutes). Brotherton was one of three New England based Tribes, including Stockbridge Munsee and Oneida to have been identified as being owed over $30 million in Indian land claims settlements, all three were also targeted for termination around the same period in the 1950s to 1960s. Brotherton has been denied reinstatement by the BIA who has used their acceptance of US citizenship in the 1800s as a reason the were dissolved as a Tribe. There is no dissolution language in the 1839 citizenship treaty yet Brotherton continues to petition for reinstatement.
Treaty Making
The actual first treaty was in the 1660s over land rights and boundaries. From 1778 to 1871 the US made around 500 tribal treaties, all of which have been violated or simply broken. In all of US history, only one treaty was ever broken by a tribe.
Assimilation — Make Indian people in the image of European settlers(cut hair, dress like settlers, learn English, give up religion and convert to Christianity)
The Indian Removal Act was signed into law on May 28, 1830, by United States President Andrew Jackson and initiated the federal removal of settled tribes from the southeast (think Georgia and the Carolinas) to federal territory west of the Mississippi (Oklahoma) This is the beginning of what most people know as the Trail of Tears, a forced march in fall and winter with inadequate food or shelter, killing thousands. Despite these deaths, removal was supported all the way through the next presidency to 1841.
Dawes Act (also known as the Allotment Act) in 1887 offered citizenship in exchange for disassociation from tribe, intent to destroy tribal communities and land ownership by dissolving tribe and breaking the lands into allotments. These allotments were then portioned off with some going to tribal members and much being given to white settlers
Beginning of boarding schools and attempts at religious indoctrination. Policy of “Kill the Indian, save the man” — Richard Henry Pratt Carlisle Boarding School. There were 10 different Indian Boarding Schools in Wisconsin alone, including the ones located in Hayward, Lac du Flambeau and Oneida. Last boarding school in the United States closed in 1973.
A three-year-old Native child sent to boarding school in 1945 would be a 75-year-old Elder. This means your Native clients are either direct survivors of boarding schools or an immediate family member.
Reorganization the Indian New Deal
In 1924, under the Snyder Act U.S. citizenship was granted to all the indigenous peoples born in the United States territories (which included former tribal lands under treaty). However, it only covered around 1/3 of the tribal population. The Indian Citizenship Act (Snyder Act) was enacted partially in recognition of the thousands of Native Americans who served in the armed forces during WWI. However, the majority of states did not comply and indigenous people did not achieve full citizenship until 1948 when Arizona and New Mexico were forced to comply by judicial ruling. Under the Snyder Act, the US reaffirmed the responsibility for the health and welfare of tribes and began the first funding set-aside for that purpose.
1934 Indian Reorganization Act — Passed under President FDR, Indian Reorganization Act ended allotments and included a policy of self-governance for tribes, now allowed to incorporate businesses and establish credit, enhanced healthcare, education and employment opportunities, some lands restored and new purchased on behalf of tribes recognized right to exist as a separate culture & tribal council formally recognized as nation to nation status with the fed government
Termination and Relocation (Assimilation Part II)
Starting in the 1950s, the federal government began terminating tribes of their federal status, stripping lands, provisions and ordering the collapse/disbanding of governing bodies. This decimated over a hundred plus tribes. Menominee and Brotherton were both terminated, only Menominee was reinstated a little over a decade later.
PL280 in 1953 — gave certain states, including WI and MN, state criminal and civil jurisdiction on Tribal land. Due to Menominee being terminated before and then reinstated after, they are exempt from PL280. This crossing of jurisdictions not only affronts sovereignty but it makes prosecuting certain crimes, such as murder and trafficking, more difficult to pursue in a timely manner. Recent efforts of feds recognize that there need to be federal assistance in missing and murdered Indigenous women
IHS created in 1955. Has never been fully funded and remains at around 44% of actual need. Does not include funding for LTSS/HCBS
The Indian Relocation Act of 1956 (also known as Public Law 959 or the Adult Vocational Training Program) was intended to encourage people to leave their traditional lands, and to assimilate into the general population in urban areas. Job training, housing assistance and other benefits were promised but not delivered, leaving many stranded in unfamiliar urban areas without resources. This is part of the large urban population of Native Americans.
Indian Self-Determination
The 1960s and 70s were the human rights movements and that included Tribes. Rise of the American Indian Movement (AIM) and other activists to promote equality for indigenous people.
Voting — Native Americans won the right to vote state by state. The last to win was New Mexico in 1962. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 helped strengthen voting rights but in 2018 North Dakota’s Supreme Court ruled in favor of a new requirement of proof of residency that prevented many from being able to vote.
Congress passed the Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance Act in 1975 that allowed Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations to acquire increase control over the management of federal programs that impact their members, resources and governments. These agreements are referred to as “638 compacts and contracts”
1978 was the year of big policy changes
The American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978 (AIRFA) (42 U.S.C. § 1996.) protects the rights of Native Americans to exercise their traditional religions by ensuring access to sites, use and possession of sacred objects, and the freedom to worship through ceremonials and traditional rites. A joint resolution of Congress, the Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978 states that it shall be the “policy of the United States to protect and preserve for American Indians their inherent right of freedom to believe, express, and exercise the traditional religions of the American Indian . . including but not limited to access to sites, use and possession of sacred objects and freedom to worship through ceremonials and traditional rites.” As a joint resolution the act had no provisions for enforcement.
Title VI amended for Native American Elders in the OAA in 1978
Indian Child Welfare Act passed in 1978
Native children in boarding school could also be “bought” (see the letter) and were given to non-Natives as servants, housekeepers or for adoption without consent of the parents. This was not prohibited by law until November of 1978, meaning it was not in effective until 1980. (Share LDF’s story about the social worker Mr. Mitchell) These illegal adoptions still take place but more quietly.
As part of what can only be described as genocide, the IHS and collaborating physicians performed sterilizations on between 25% to 40% of the female Native American population, including on minors as young as 11. Most performed without informed consent of parents or even without patient knowledge. The result was an estimated population reduction of over a third of the tribal population nationwide as women’s ability to bear children had been eliminated.
Walleye Wars (Mary share about Greg Johnson)
*I took this information straight from PPTS and researched transcripts from Aniwahya Consulting CEO Elaina Seep, and Mary Wolf of the Greater Lakes Inter-Tribal Council*
2. Health Disparities Uncovered by Covid for Native Americans
Part of my job, is to constantly look for news stories relevant to Native American Health Equities. The medical treatment of Native Americans in this country was already criminal, and Covid put their lack of funding and resources under a microscope. Most conference calls I’m a part of, involve staff at the different reservations talking about how much covid is shaking their world and stressing their resources.
The irony in all of this, is that the government promised and is legally responsible for the health care of Native Americans as part of their exchange of land.
These are recent articles that I’ve highlighted for work and posted to our social media page about the effects of covid on their health care infrastructure.
I know everyone is probably sick of hearing about covid in 2020, but I figure it is also very relevant to what is happening right now. If it wasn’t for covid, I would have gotten to experience traveling to different Tribal communities myself this summer and fall, so I cannot speak for myself, but I am told the inequality is jarring.
3. Boarding Schools (Native American)
For this video I would simply focus on the Native American Boarding Schools that were touched upon in my first topics research. My contact, Mary Wolf, has a plethora of information and photos from boarding schools, because her parents both underwent the assimilation.
On top of the information I already have provided from Mary I would use some statistics from this NPR article.
I would like to use topic 1. Equity Through the Tribal Experience. I knew the treatment of Native Americans in this country wasn’t great, but until I began working for this non-profit I had no idea how awful their treatment has, and is currently. I would like to use the first topic and briefly hit upon each topic of mistreatment, highlighting the inequities of the Native American Tribes. I would like to use visuals provided by Mary Wolf, and potentially a recording of her telling snippets of her stories. She recently took a new position, so she may be too busy for the audio, but I know I can get access to her old photographs.
Big Idea Sentence: Equity through the Tribal Experience will show the vast inequalities and mistreatment of Native Americans in the United States from recent history and current events.
Rough Draft of Narrative Script:
(It is definitely too long and will need to be reduced. I think it is a good starting place for me to start whittling.)
Treaty Making 1778–1871
The first actual treaty was in the 1660s over land rights and boundaries. From 1778 to 1871 the US made around 500 tribal treaties, all of which have been violated or simply broken. In all of US history, only one treaty was ever broken by a tribe.
Assimilation Era 1867–1900s
After the forced removal of thousands of Natives from their land, during the Indian Removal Act of 1830, aka the Trail of Tears, the federally government began assimilating the remaining Native American populations. “Kill the Indian, save the man”. Native Americans were offered citizenship in exchange for separating from their Tribe, and boarding schools were started where Indian people were made to convert to Christianity and look and act as European Settlers.
Reorganization Period “Indian New Deal” 1921–1945
Under the Snyder Act, citizenship was granted to all indigenous peoples born in U.S. territories. However, this only included about 1/3 of the Tribal populations, and most states did not comply with citizenship. It wasn’t until 1948 that judicial ruling forced all states to comply with citizenship.
Termination and Relocation 1953–1970
In the 1950’s the federal government began terminating Tribes of their federal status, decimating hundreds of Tribes and their land, provisions, and governing bodies. The Indian Health Services (IHS) was started in 1955, although even today it only funds 44% of the actual need, after the government assumed full responsibility for the care of Native Americans in exchange for their land. It was during this time that the Adult Vocational Training Program was started as another attempt to assimilate Indigenous peoples into the general population.
Indian Self Determination 1965-Now
All Native American’s didn’t acquire the full right to vote until the 1960’s. For perspective, African Americans could vote in the 1870’s and women could vote in the 1920’s.
Methylation & Trauma
It was legal for Native American children to be bought as servants, housekeepers, or for adoption, without parental consent, until 1980. That means that it was legal to take Indigenous children from their families until the release of Pac-man, camcorders, and fax machines. Not to mention these adoptions still take place illegally.
On top of their children being taken from them, the IHS participated in the forced sterilizations of between 25–40% of female Native Americans, some children as young as 11. Most of these were done without patient knowledge or consent. These measures reduced Tribal population sizes by 1/3.
Native Americans suffer from rates of disabilities 3–4% higher than the national averages of all ethnicities. The generational trauma has caused certain diseases to become more prominent in their society (methylation).
To help our Tribal Nations…
StyleFrames
Narrative Draft
Many of us know the stories of the European settlers coming to North America. They expanded and grew and took over what is now the United States. But what happened to the original Tribal Natives who inhabited North America?
Well…
From 1778 to 1871 those European settlers made around 500 treaties with Tribes, but they violated or broke every single one of them.
This was followed by the Indian Removal Act of 1830 which forced the removal of Native American Tribes from their ancestral homes. This forced migration caused thousands of deaths and is more commonly known as the Trail of Tears.
After the Indian Removal Act, Native American children were forced into boarding schools to be assimilated into European culture and Christianity. Boarding schools were wrought with abuse and were another attempt to get rid of Indigenous cultures. Native Americans were also offered citizenship in exchange for separating from their Tribe.
Under the Snyder Act of 1924, citizenship was granted to all indigenous people born in US territories. Howevever this only uncluded about 1/3 of Tribal populations and most states didn’t comply until a judicial ruling in 1948.
In the 1950s the federal government began terminating Tribes from their federal status, decimating hundreds of Tribes and their land, provisions, and governing bodies. The Indian Health Services was started in 1955, although even today it only funds 44% of the actual need, after the government assumed full responsibility for the care of Native Americans in exchange for their land.
All Native American’s didn’t even acquire the full right to vote until the 1960’s. For perspective, African Americans could vote in the 1870’s and women could vote in the 1920’s.
It was also legal for Native American children to be bought as servants, housekeepers, or for adoption, without parental consent, until 1980. That means that it was legal to take Indigenous children from their families until the release of Pac-man, camcorders, and fax machines.
On top of their children being taken from them, the IHS participated in the forced sterilizations of between 25–40% of female Native Americans, some children as young as 11. Decimating Tribal population by 1/3.
This generational trauma has caused an increase of certain diseases to become more prominent in their society. Native Americans suffer from rates of disabilities 3–4% higher than the national averages of all ethnicities.
To help our Tribal Nations we need to start by building collaborative relationship with Tribal Agencies , and more importantly ask and then listen to the needs of Tribal communities.
Storyboard
Narrative Draft #3
Many of us know the stories of the European settlers coming to North America in the 15 and 1700’s. They expanded, grew, and took over what is now the U.S. But what happened to the original Tribal Natives who inhabited North America?
Well if we fast forward a couple hundred years over broken treaties, forced removals, slavery, assimilation, and some unethical surgeries, we are now seeing the physical manifestations of long term societal trauma.
This generational trauma has caused an increase in certain diseases to become more prominent in their society by methylation. Methylation is when certain genes become more expressed due to stress in a population. Native Americans suffer from rates of disabilities 3–4% higher than the national averages of all ethnicities. On top of this, the Indian Health Services put in place by the federal government to provide health care for Native Americans only provides about 44% of the actual need. Most health care professionals are also untrained with how to care for Indigenous peoples, leading to a vulnerable population of elders and members with disabilities.
To help our Tribal Nations we need to start by building collaborative relationship with Tribal Agencies; and more importantly ask and then listen to the needs of Tribal communities.
2S Motion Test
Audio
I am unsure of how to add an audio files to Medium, but my video will use background music and a voice over. I have chosen a background drum beat from Soundly that is mild and undistracting. The voice over will be layered over top of it. The voice over is done by me, by using my Yeti microphone and Garageband.
10s Development
Narrative Draft #4
Many of us know the stories of the European settlers coming to North America in the 15 and 1700’s. They expanded, grew, and took over what is now the U.S. But what happened to the original Tribal Natives who inhabited North America?
Well if we fast forward a couple hundred years over broken treaties, forced removals, slavery, and assimilation, we are now seeing the physical manifestations of long term societal trauma.
This generational trauma has caused an increase in certain diseases to become more prominent in Native American society. Native Americans suffer from rates of disabilities 3–4% higher than the national averages of all ethnicities. The Indian Health Services put in place by the federal government to provide health care for Native Americans only provides about 44% of the actual need. Most health care professionals are also untrained with how to care for Indigenous peoples, leading to a vulnerable population of elders and members with disabilities.
To help our Tribal Nations we need to start by building collaborative relationship with Tribal Agencies; and more importantly ask and then listen to the needs of Tribal communities.
Project #3 45s.
Project 3 Infographic Final
My infographic video is about healthcare equity in Tribal communities. I wanted the video to appear more solemn, so I used a primarily black and white color scheme with a vignette over my composition. I also used geometric patterns and a threadlike texture as a way to link my video to Native American artwork. I created a script and voice over using data provided to me by Aniwahya Consulting Services and included a mild drumbeat to my background sound. The video should give viewers a brief understanding of the health care need of the Native American community and let them know the importance of asking our local Tribal communities what they need.
