{"id":31019,"date":"2023-04-17T21:09:42","date_gmt":"2023-04-18T01:09:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/2023\/04\/17\/tribal-leaders-urge-congress-to-protect-native-artists-from-fake-tribes\/"},"modified":"2023-07-31T18:09:06","modified_gmt":"2023-07-31T22:09:06","slug":"tribal-leaders-urge-congress-to-protect-native-artists-from-fake-tribes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2023\/04\/17\/tribal-leaders-urge-congress-to-protect-native-artists-from-fake-tribes\/","title":{"rendered":"Tribal leaders urge Congress to protect Native artists from &#8216;fake tribes&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7v8DOOBX4bM?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">Indianz.Com Video: <a href=https:\/\/youtu.be\/7v8DOOBX4bM>&#8216;Phony tribes&#8217;: Cherokee Nation takes on fraudulent groups<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n<div class=\"h1-responsive\">Tribal leaders urge Congress to protect Native artists from &#8216;fake tribes&#8217;<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"h5-responsive sub\">Chief of Cherokee Nation leads charge against &#8216;phony tribes&#8217;<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"date\">Monday, April 17, 2023<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"byline\">By Acee Agoyo<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"source\">Indianz.Com<\/div>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nEfforts to strengthen the <a href=https:\/\/www.doi.gov\/iacb\/act>Indian Arts and Crafts Act<\/a> (IACA) are drawing widespread attention as tribes seek a major &#8212; and controversial &#8212; change to a federal law designed to protect Native artists from frauds.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nOn Friday, five of the largest Indian Nations in Oklahoma adopted a resolution that calls on the U.S. Congress to restrict the IACA to citizens of federally recognized tribes, meaning those with a government-to-government relationship with the United States. Currently, the law applies to artists from federally and state recognized tribes, allowing them to market and sell their goods as &#8220;Indian&#8221; made.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nBut <a href=https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChuckHoskin_Jr>Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr.<\/a> of the <a href=https:\/\/www.cherokee.org\/>Cherokee Nation<\/a> is leading the charge against those he refers to as &#8220;fake tribes.&#8221; He said many of these groups falsely claim to be Cherokee &#8212; thus allowing them to market their goods as &#8220;Indian&#8221; solely based on their status as a state recognized entity.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n&#8220;This is an offense to our ancestors, an offense to our artists and confusing to art patrons,&#8221; Hoskin said in an <a href=https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/news\/2023\/04\/10\/chuck-hoskin-cherokee-nation-works-to-protect-our-artists\/>opinion published on Indianz.Com<\/a>. &#8220;As Chief, I will not tolerate it. So, let\u2019s do something about it. Let\u2019s tell Congress that our ancestors endured too much to allow fake tribes to undermine our culture and lifeways.&#8221;\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<div class=\" content_cards_card content_cards_domain_indianz-com\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"content_cards_image\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"content_cards_image_link\" href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2023\/04\/10\/chuck-hoskin-cherokee-nation-works-to-protect-our-artists\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/06\/chuckhoskin-1.jpg\" alt=\"Chuck Hoskin: Cherokee Nation works to protect our artists\">\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"content_cards_title\">\n\t\t<a class=\"content_cards_title_link\" href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2023\/04\/10\/chuck-hoskin-cherokee-nation-works-to-protect-our-artists\/\">\n\t\t\tChuck Hoskin: Cherokee Nation works to protect our artists\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"content_cards_description\">\n\t\t<a class=\"content_cards_description_link\" href=\"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2023\/04\/10\/chuck-hoskin-cherokee-nation-works-to-protect-our-artists\/\">\n\t\t\t<p>For too many generations, citizens of tribal nations around the country, including Cherokee Nation citizens, saw their language, their culture and their artistic expression suppressed and eroded by policies of the United States.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"content_cards_site_name\">\n\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/favicon.ico\" alt=\"Indianz.Com\" class=\"content_cards_favicon\"\/>\t\tIndianz.Com\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nJoining the Cherokee Nation in the effort to amend the IACA are the <a href=https:\/\/www.chickasaw.net>Chickasaw Nation<\/a>, the <a href=https:\/\/www.choctawnation.com>Choctaw Nation<\/a>, the <a href=https:\/\/www.muscogeenation.com>Muscogee Nation<\/a> and the <a href=https:\/\/www.sno-nsn.org\/>Seminole Nation<\/a>. As the  <a href=https:\/\/www.fivecivilizedtribes.org>Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes<\/a>, the five sovereign governments  account for the vast majority of the Indian population in the state of Oklahoma.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nThe state has already been a battleground to protect the works of artists from the <a href=https:\/\/thesovereigntysymposium.com\/tribal\/>39 federally recognized tribes in Oklahoma<\/a>, where their ancestors were violently forced to move by the U.S. throughout the 1800s.  In 2016, the Oklahoma Legislature enacted a law that required &#8220;Indian&#8221; art sold in the state to have been produced by a federally recognized tribal citizen.\r\n<P><\/p>\r\nBut a conservative legal group that has fought against <a href=https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/news\/2017\/08\/10\/agua-caliente-band-faces-opposition-from.asp>tribal water rights<\/a>, <a href=https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/news\/show.asp?ID=env\/9122001-1>sacred sites<\/a>, <a href=https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/news\/2008\/03\/28\/blue_lake_immun.asp>tribal sovereignty<\/a> and <a href=https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/news\/2017\/10\/30\/supreme-court-wont-take-up-racebased-cha.asp>even the Indian Child Welfare Act<\/a> (ICWA) went to federal court and <a href=https:\/\/pacificlegal.org\/victory-oklahoma\/>got the state law invalidated<\/a> on behalf of an artist from a state recognized group in Virginia. The <a href=https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/news\/2019\/04\/08\/cherokee-nation-extremely-disappointed-w.asp>2019 ruling<\/a> centered on the &#8220;conflict&#8221; between the Oklahoma law and the IACA, a federal law. \r\n<P><\/P>\r\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-conversation=\"none\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes approved several resolutions, including a resolution supporting the rights of students to wear tribal regalia during graduation ceremonies &amp; a resolution calling on Congress to protect federally recognized Native artists.(2\/4) <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ECC0A75dYE\">pic.twitter.com\/ECC0A75dYE<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Cherokee Nation (@CherokeeNation) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CherokeeNation\/status\/1646930355474112513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 14, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nIncidentally, the same artist, who is based in California, challenged another <a href=https:\/\/turtletalk.blog\/2022\/08\/09\/peggy-fontenot-represented-by-pacific-legal-foundation-challenge-to-missouri-american-indian-arts-and-crafts-act-dismissed\/>Indian arts law in Missouri<\/a>  with the  <a href=https:\/\/pacificlegal.org\/case\/peggy-fontenot-v-eric-schmitt-attorney-general-of-missouri\/>help of the Pacific Legal Foundation<\/a>, whose website boasts of a <a href=https:\/\/pacificlegal.org\/about\/>high win rate at the U.S. Supreme Court<\/a>, where tribes are almost always dealt losses to their rights. The group more recently <a href=https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/DocketPDF\/21\/21-376\/226812\/20220601155110941_PLF%20Amicus%20Brief%20-%20BRACKEEN%20-%202022.06.01%20-%20FINAL.pdf>submitted a brief<\/a> in <a href=https:\/\/sct.narf.org\/caseindexes\/haaland_v_brackeen.html><em>Haaland v. Brackeen<\/em><\/a>, the closely-watched case that could lead to ICWA being invalidated for good, <a href=https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/news\/2022\/11\/03\/indian-country-rallies-as-u-s-supreme-court-hears-icwa-challenge\/>depriving federally recognized tribes<\/a> of the ability to <a href=https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/news\/2022\/11\/01\/indian-country-braces-for-u-s-supreme-court-hearing-in-icwa-case\/>protect their children<\/a>.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nWhen it comes to protecting artists, Congress could resolve the &#8220;conflict&#8221; that arose in the Oklahoma case  by restricting the IACA to citizens of federally recognized tribes.  Some state recognized groups are   pushing back on the proposal &#8212; along with  the notion that they are &#8220;fake&#8221; &#8212; as the <a href=https:\/\/indian.senate.gov\/>Senate Committee on Indian Affairs<\/a> weighs an update to the law.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n&#8220;We are no less Native than any of the Federal Tribes in the United States,&#8221;  five groups claiming to be &#8220;Cherokee&#8221; and &#8220;Creek&#8221; from Alabama wrote in an <a href=https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChuckHoskin_Jr\/status\/1647961762040274948?s=20>April 17 letter<\/a> to the committee. &#8220;Our crafts and art are a very important part of who we are. It is ridiculous to assume that there are no other (genuine) American Indians other than the Federal Recognized Tribes. We are not stealing culture this is our Culture.&#8221;\r\n<P><\/p>\r\n&#8220;We ARE GENUINE Indian Artist,&#8221; the letter continues. Chief Hoskin labeled the groups as an &#8220;alliance of phony tribes&#8221; in a <a href=https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChuckHoskin_Jr\/status\/1647961762040274948?s=20>post on social media<\/a>.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">An alliance of phony tribes is feeling the pressure of our effort to strip <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/faketribes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#faketribes<\/a> of federal protection. They win if federally recognized tribes stay silent. The <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/FiveTribes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#FiveTribes<\/a> in Okla spoke out. Join us with a letter to <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/IndianCommittee?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@IndianCommittee<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/2geWOSZ1aP\">https:\/\/t.co\/2geWOSZ1aP<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/NativeArt?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#NativeArt<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/LTeRQaAbkP\">pic.twitter.com\/LTeRQaAbkP<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. (@ChuckHoskin_Jr) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChuckHoskin_Jr\/status\/1647961762040274948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 17, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nAnother group called the <a href=https:\/\/7directionsofservice.com\/>7 Directions of Service<\/a> is also lobbying against the proposal to limit the IACA to federally recognized tribal artists. The non-profit, which is based in North Carolina, is <a href=https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLSfoXrZn7RLNg8bWWjXSEBpFFxYLr_ii_grV0xtgS0oCYvvRew\/viewform>circulating a letter<\/a> which it says will be submitted to the Senate committee and to the <a href=https:\/\/www.doi.gov\/>Department of the Interior<\/a>, the federal agency that includes the <a href=https:\/\/www.doi.gov\/iacb>Indian Arts and Crafts Board<\/a>.\r\n<P><\/p>\r\n&#8220;If they remove state tribes from the Congressional Act language, it will be devastating for state-recognized tribal citizens all over the United States,&#8221; the <a href=https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLSfoXrZn7RLNg8bWWjXSEBpFFxYLr_ii_grV0xtgS0oCYvvRew\/viewform>online form<\/a> states.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n<a href=https:\/\/7directionsofservice.com\/about>7 Directions  of Service<\/a> was founded by Crystal Cavalier-Keck and her husband, Jason &#8220;Crazy Bear&#8221; Keck. Crystal Cavalier-Keck, who previously <a href=https:\/\/crystalcavaliercongress.com\/meet2>ran for Congress as a Democrat<\/a> and has been active in Democratic politics, is part of the <a href=https:\/\/obsn.org\/>Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation<\/a>,  a group that secured state recognition against the recommendations of the <a href=https:\/\/ncadmin.nc.gov\/boards-commissions\/commission-indian-affairs>North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs<\/a>.\r\n<p><\/P>\r\n7 Directions  of Service did not respond to an inquiry placed via email and <a href=https:\/\/7directionsofservice.com\/contact-us>through an online form<\/a> about Jason Keck&#8217;s supposed tribal affiliations. In the past, he has <a href=https:\/\/www.niehs.nih.gov\/news\/events\/pastmtg\/2021\/ejworkshop2021\/speakerabstracts\/index.cfm>claimed to be &#8220;Choctaw&#8221;   and &#8220;Apache&#8221;<\/a> from Louisiana but has not been specific about the nature of his belonging to any tribal nations.\r\nHe also has gone by the name <a href=https:\/\/www.mentordiscoverinspire.org\/a-new-way-of-being-for-the-baddest-gang-member-in-the-hood\/>Jason Campos-Keck<\/a>, with the Keck name coming from his <a href=https:\/\/www.zimmermanharnett.com\/obituary\/James-Keck>late father James G. Keck<\/a>.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CrB9dZsu58W\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CrB9dZsu58W\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\"  xmlns_xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\"> <div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CrB9dZsu58W\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by Indianz.Com (@indianz)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nAmid the jostling, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on Friday <a href=https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CrB9dZsu58W\/>extended the deadline for comments about potential updates to the IACA<\/a>. The  <a href=https:\/\/www.indian.senate.gov\/news\/press-release\/comment-period-extended-discussion-draft-bill-update-indian-arts-and-crafts-act>deadline is now May 19<\/a> for what is being called the Amendments to Respect Traditional Indigenous Skill and Talent (ARTIST) Act of 2023.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n&#8220;The ARTIST Act would update the Indian Arts and Crafts Act to support creative economies and strengthen enforcement of current law and protections against counterfeit competition for Native artists and their works,&#8221; the Democratic-led committee said in a <a href=https:\/\/www.indian.senate.gov\/news\/press-release\/comment-period-extended-discussion-draft-bill-update-indian-arts-and-crafts-act>news release<\/a>. &#8220;Comments will be used to further inform the legislative process and serve as a resource for future discussions on updating the Indian Arts and Crafts Act.&#8221;\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n<a href=https:\/\/www.schatz.senate.gov\/>Sen. Brian Schatz<\/a> (D-Hawaii), the chair of the committee, announced the <a href=https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/news\/2023\/03\/14\/fake-indian-art-still-a-major-problem-despite-federal-responsibilities\/>ARTIST Act as a discussion draft bill<\/a>  on  March 14. One of the notable changes [<a href=https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/14\/ARTISTActDiscussionDraft.pdf>PDF<\/a>] is the inclusion of Native Hawaiian artists in IACA.\r\n<P><\/P><div class=\"mt-1 mb-1\"><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block; text-align:center;\" data-ad-layout=\"in-article\" data-ad-format=\"fluid\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8411603009680747\" data-ad-slot=\"6394965691\"><\/ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script><\/div><P><\/P>\r\nAs enacted in 1990, the Indian Arts and Crafts Act makes it a crime to market, sell or promote an item as \u201cIndian\u201d unless it was created by a citizen of a state or federally recognized tribe or by an artisan certified by a tribe. The law was written to prevent the historical and ongoing misrepresentation of Native arts by non-Native entities.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nNative artists and their advocates, however, have long complained about a lack of enforcement &#8212;  all   while fake and fraudulent goods have continued to flood the market. The law was updated in 2000 and in 2010  to address some of the concerns  and the ARTIST Act, should it eventually be introduced, could lead to more protections for American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian artisans.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nIn addition to extending the deadline for comments, Schatz&#8217;s committee announced a   listening session for the ARTIST  Act on April 26. Details have not yet been made public about the upcoming session, which is set to take place virtually.\r\n<p><\/p>\r\nThe Cherokee Nation, meanwhile, is urging its citizens to contact Schatz to limit the IACA to artists from federally recognized tribes.  A <a href=https:\/\/www.cherokee.org\/media\/cujdj4s2\/template-letter_arts-and-crafts_3-30-232.pdf>template letter<\/a> says such an amendment would protect Cherokee people from &#8220;fraudulent and fake artists who illegitimately claim our tribal history and culture.&#8221;\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">You can take action today to protect Cherokee artists and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/NativeArtists?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#NativeArtists<\/a> across <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/IndianCountry?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#IndianCountry<\/a>. <br><br>Urge Congress to strengthen the federal Indian Arts and Crafts Act, ensuring artists are citizens of federally recognized tribes.<br><br>Check out this \ud83e\uddf5to learn how to get involved! \u2b07\ufe0f <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/vNQpjEzvK2\">pic.twitter.com\/vNQpjEzvK2<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Cherokee Nation (@CherokeeNation) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CherokeeNation\/status\/1646898379509604354?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 14, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\nMore than 200 groups across the nation claim to be &#8220;Cherokee,&#8221; according to a <a href=https:\/\/www.cherokeephoenix.org\/news\/non-recognized-cherokee-tribes-flourish\/article_ac02834f-35d3-5bc3-bd2c-ad2b69101baf.html>2007 report from The Cherokee Phoenix<\/a>.  One <a href=https:\/\/www.bia.gov\/as-ia\/ofa\/029a-nwchwb-or>group that sought federal recognition  was  even  based in Oregon<\/a> &#8212; thousands and thousands of miles from the present-day headquarters of the Cherokee Nation  and the <a href=https:\/\/www.ukb-nsn.gov\/>United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians<\/a> in Oklahoma, and the <a href=https:\/\/ebci.com\/>Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians<\/a> in North Carolina. The latter three are the only federally recognized Cherokee tribes.\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n&#8220;The Indian Arts and Crafts Act actually recognizes state tribes,&#8221; Chief Hoskin told a <a href=https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheCherokeeNation\/videos\/922336165763711>meeting of the  Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes<\/a> on Friday. &#8220;It puts tribes like the &#8216;<a href=https:\/\/gov.louisiana.gov\/assets\/docs\/Indian-Affairs\/Federal-State-Tribes-2021.pdf>Four Winds Cherokees of Louisiana<\/a>&#8216; on par with the Cherokee Nation.&#8221;\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n&#8220;The &#8216;Four Winds Cherokees of Louisiana&#8217; is phony as a $3 bill folks,&#8221;   Hoskin said of <a href=https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/fourwindstribeoflouisiana\/>the group<\/a>. &#8220;It&#8217;s fake.&#8221;\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n&#8220;But federal law  recognizes that fake tribe  &#8212; and  hundreds of other fake tribes &#8212; as real tribes. And they&#8217;re not real tribes. We need to change that,&#8221; he said..\r\n<P><\/p>\r\n<div class=\"embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9\">\r\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/I9PWdaC1jVk?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">Cherokee Nation: <a href=https:\/\/youtu.be\/I9PWdaC1jVk>It&#8217;s Time for Congress to Strengthen the Indian Arts and Crafts Act<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n<P><\/P>\r\n<div class=\"h4-responsive\">Related Stories<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"related-story\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/news\/2023\/04\/10\/chuck-hoskin-cherokee-nation-works-to-protect-our-artists\/\" title=\"Chuck Hoskin: Cherokee Nation works to protect our artists\">Chuck Hoskin: Cherokee Nation works to protect our artists<\/a> (April 10, 2023)<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"related-story\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/news\/2023\/03\/14\/fake-indian-art-still-a-major-problem-despite-federal-responsibilities\/\" title=\"Fake Indian art still a major problem despite federal responsibilities\">Fake Indian art still a major problem despite federal responsibilities<\/a> (March 14, 2023)<\/div><div class=\"related-story\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/news\/2021\/11\/24\/fraudulent-native-artist-charged-with-violating-indian-arts-and-crafts-act\/\" title=\"Fraudulent Native artist charged with violating Indian Arts and Crafts Act\">Fraudulent Native artist charged with violating Indian Arts and Crafts Act<\/a> (November 24, 2021)<\/div><div class=\"related-story\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/news\/2021\/06\/02\/museum-wont-verify-claims-of-tribal-ancestry-after-artists-withdraw-from-show\/\" title=\"Museum won\u2019t verify claims of tribal ancestry after artists withdraw from show\">Museum won\u2019t verify claims of tribal ancestry after artists withdraw from show<\/a> (June 2, 2021)<\/div>\r\n <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/31\/FiveCivilizedTribes-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes\" width=\"0\" height=\"0\" class=\"invisible\" \/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Efforts to strengthen the Indian Arts and Crafts Act are drawing widespread attention as tribes seek a major \u2014 and controversial \u2014 change to a law designed to protect Native artists from frauds.","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31093,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,10,12,20,13,1,14],"tags":[3586,589,925,38,77,427,428,76,101,3922,118,834,1623,86,1519,3923,3924,72,2302,564,653,184,127,3925,2261,43,213,254,91,220,84,153,102],"class_list":["post-31019","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-entertainment","category-business","category-federal-recognition","category-indian-trust","category-law","category-national","category-politics","tag-118th","tag-alabama","tag-brian-schatz","tag-california","tag-cherokee","tag-chickasaw","tag-choctaw","tag-chuck-hoskin","tag-crime","tag-crystal-cavalier-keck","tag-doi","tag-hawaii","tag-iaca","tag-icwa","tag-immunity","tag-jason-campos-keck","tag-jason-keck","tag-judiciary","tag-missouri","tag-muscogee","tag-native-hawaiian","tag-north-carolina","tag-oklahoma","tag-pacific-legal-foundation","tag-pretendians","tag-sacred-sites","tag-scia","tag-seminole","tag-senate","tag-sovereignty","tag-supreme-court","tag-water","tag-youth","no-wpautop"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/31\/FiveCivilizedTribes-scaled.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pcoJ7g-84j","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31019","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31019"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31019\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31093"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31019"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31019"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31019"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}