Members and leaders of the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation. Photo from EPTN
Professor Amy Den Ouden explains why the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation of Connecticut deserves another shot at federal recognition through the Bureau of Indian Affairs:
As an anthropologist who has been a researcher and oral history interviewer for the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation's federal acknowledgment project, I wish to emphasize that the existence of the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation is not an "Indian problem," nor was their federal acknowledgment by the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 2002 a "problem," nor is the possibility that the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation may receive a fair hearing on the unjust overturning of their federal acknowledgment a "problem." This is not "biting" at an "apple"; this is a tribal nation's pursuit of justice and its commitment to do so through legal means. A Connecticut Post editorial March 6, "Some Indians Are Inconvenient, " points out that Gov.Malloy and Sen. Blumenthal so vehemently oppose the proposed changes in the regulations because "they are driven the fear that a newly recognized tribe might try to open a casino." The editorial offers some sharp and much needed criticism of the anti-recognition/anti-casino rhetoric in the state.Get the Story:
Amy E. Den Ouden: A deserved '2nd bite at the apple' (The Connecticut Post 7/23) Federal Register Notice:
Federal Acknowledgment of American Indian Tribes (May 29, 2014) Relevant Documents:
Proposed Rule | Press Release | Comparison Chart (comparing current rule to proposed rule) | Response to Comments on June 2013 Discussion Draft | Frequently Asked Questions
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