The Shinnecock Nation of New York is ninth in line for an answer on its federal recognition petition.

The tribe began the process in 1978. After submitting additional documentation, its petition was finally placed on the "active" list by the Bureau of Indian Affairs in September 2003.

That doesn't mean answer is coming soon. The BIA's backlog could have the tribe waiting until 2014, at the earliest.

In hopes of moving the process along, the tribe filed suit in federal court. A judge ruled that the tribe was a legitimate Indian nation but the BIA won't put the tribe on the list of federally recognized entities until the petition is resolved.

Meanwhile, the tribe faces court battles with the state of New York. One suit, over plans to build a casino, is still pending while the other one, over a land claim, was recently dismissed.

Get the Story:
Shinnecocks waiting to be recognized (Newsday 1/16)

Land Claim Court Decision:
Shinnecock Nation v. New York (November 28, 2006)

Federal Recognition Court Decision:
New York v. Shinnecock Nation (November 7, 2005)

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

Relevant Links:
Shinnecock Nation - http://www.shinnecocknation.com

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