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AUGUST 22, 2000

The Bureau of Indian Affairs is 176 years old this year, but Kevin Gover and crew will pretend its the 175th anniversary of the Bureau as they get ready to wish the BIA one big Happy Birthday next month.

Once a part of the government's War Department, the BIA now finds a warm home within the Department of Interior. Last year, the Interior celebrated 150 years of existence with their own big bash.

But this year, the BIA gets to have their own party. Undoubtedly, the storied department deserves it.

Once merely a way for the government to keep Indian tribes in the West separated from the rest of the country, the Bureau has evolved into a billion-dollar service organization for the 500-plus federally recognized tribes in the United States. Focusing on education, health, natural resources, and economic development, the BIA is an integral part of tribal existence for many in Indian Country.

Whether or not the BIA's importance is welcomed by everyone is open to question. But the BIA is here to stay, for better or for worse, and the sometimes testy relationship between tribes and the Bureau is Indian Country's own version of a shotgun wedding. One person who won't be sticking around, however, is Assistant Secretary Kevin Gover. So this year's party will serve as a going-away of sorts for the Pawnee lawyer.

He probably won't need Babbitt to write him a letter of recommendation, though. Whatever tribe or organization scoops Gover up as their lawyer will probably be the envy of everyone wishing they had such a strong advocate on their side.

"Reconciling the Past, Trusting the Future: A Renewed Commitment to Indian Tribes for the 21st Century" will take place at the Department of Interior in Washington, DC, on September 8.

Relevant Links:
The Bureau of Indian Affairs - www.doi.gov/bureau-indian-affairs.html

Related Stories:
Gover in the Spotlight (The Talking Circle 06/12)
Gover fields questions (The Talking Circle 06/14)

Listen to Gover on Native America Calling:
6/13/00: BIA Access with Kevin Gover
2/22/00: Bureau of Indian Affairs for 2000
9/13/99: BIA Update with Kevin Gover
5/13/99: Kevin Gover on Indian Education
2/23/99: Open Lines with Kevin Gover
1/19/99: Tribal Governments in Transition
10/22/98: Success Stories from Across Indian Country
5/13/98: Bureau of Indian Affairs