Harlan McKosato: Apache woman develops 'indispensible' guide

If you are looking for present day, solid information about the 566 federally recognized Indian tribes in the U.S. you need look no further than the soon-to-be-released new edition of Tiller’s Guide to Indian Country: Economic Profiles of American Indian Reservations. The first edition came out in 1996 and since that time it has been one of the most complete, widely used and relied upon reference books about today’s tribes.

This third edition begins with the story of the economic success being achieved by an array of tribes and tribal enterprises – and not just gaming enterprises. The profiles examine tribal-owned ventures from electronic communication services and agriculture, to wind and solar power farms. The economic success stories and the comprehensive information contained within the book represent the lifework of Dr. Veronica Tiller, a citizen of the Jicarilla Apache tribe in New Mexico.

“The Indian economic renaissance is a powerful success story of the resilience of the human spirit and the promise of America itself,” said Dr. Tiller, a tribal historian and longtime scholar on tribal economic development. She explained that the involvement of a tribe in Tiller’s Guide can play a big part in how that tribe is seen by the outside world.

“This new edition shines the light on economic aspects of the reservations that would otherwise remain in darkness, little known to the business and government entities that can do so much to help us all prosper,” said Dr. Tiller, who has also authored books about Jicarilla culture and history.