Two Connecticut tribes will learn this week whether the Bureau of Indian Affairs thinks they are entitled to federal recognition.

The Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation and the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation had each won favorable decisions. But the Interior Board of Indian Appeals threw them out, saying that the BIA relied too much on state recognition of the tribes to patch up holes in the record.

The ruling has opponents convinced that the BIA will not recognize the two tribes. The decisions will come on October 12, otherwise known as Columbus Day.

Depending on how the BIA goes, the matter will probably end up in court. In the past, one tribe -- the Samish Nation of Washington -- was able to gain recognition despite the BIA's rulings. Other tribes, however, have not succeeded in their challenges.

Get the Story:
Two Tribes Are Down To The Wire On Recognition (The Hartford Courant 10/10)
pwday
Schaghticoke await BIA's final determination (Indian Country Today 10/10)

IBIA Decisions:
Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation | Schaghticoke Tribal Nation

Only on Indianz.Com:
Federal Recognition Database V2.0 (May 2005)

Relevant Links:
Schaghticoke Tribal Nation - http://www.schaghticoke.com
Interior Board of Indian Appeals Decisions - http://www.ibiadecisions.com

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