Indianz.Com > News > Oneida Indian Nation: ‘They are not a distant memory for us’
Ray Halbritter
Ray Halbritter serves as Representative of the Oneida Nation and as Chief Executive Officer of Oneida Nation Enterprises, the tribe’s business arm. He is seen here at the groundbreaking of a community and cultural center on tribal homelands in New York state on September 13, 2022. Photo: Oneida Indian Nation
Oneida Indian Nation Statement on President Biden’s Formal Apology for Federal Government’s Indian Boarding School Policies
Friday, October 25, 2024
Indianz.Com

Oneida Indian Nation Homelands — Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter today released the following statement in response to the President Joe Biden’s formal apology to Native Americans for a government-run boarding school system that forcibly separated generations of Native American children from their families.

“We commend President Biden for his willingness to address the historical impact of Indian Boarding School policies, and we are grateful to the Department of Interior and Secretary Haaland for their ongoing efforts to shed light on the trauma caused by these policies. These schools left an indelible imprint on the Oneida Indian Nation and all Native people, and they are not a distant memory for us. Survivors live among our communities and the trauma they endured echoes through our families. Today’s historic apology is an important step forward in addressing the wrongs of the past and bringing our communities together for the benefit of future generations.”

About the Oneida Indian Nation
The Oneida Indian Nation is a federally recognized Indian nation in Central New York. A founding member of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy (also known as the Six Nations or Iroquois Confederacy), the Oneida Indian Nation sided with the Americans in the Revolutionary War and was thanked by Congress and President George Washington for its loyalty and assistance. Today, the Oneida Indian Nation consists of about 1,000 enrolled Members, most of them living in Central New York. The Nation’s enterprises, which employ more than 4,500 people, include Turning Stone Resort Casino, YBR Casino & Sports Book, Point Place Casino, The Lake House at Sylvan Beach, The Cove at Sylvan Beach, Maple Leaf Markets, SāvOn Convenience stores, RV Park, and marinas. Proceeds from these enterprises are used to rebuild the Nation’s economic base and provide essential services, including housing, health care, and education incentives and programs, to its Members.
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