INTRODUCTION

Native Editorials presents commentaries, opinions and observations that address Native American issues in nearly all areas of life from pre-European to present.

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~Editor

ON TREATIED LANDS

An unavoidable question that appears to be on the minds of those who live, work and own property within or upon treatied Native American lands, especially those lands of the Western Shoshone Nation, is how the outcome of these negotiations between the Shoshone and the United States, in regards to the numerous treaty violations, will effect their lives. Actually, on both sides.

Looking at those who have been lead to believe they own property within these lands and, may very well hold paper-title to a portion therein, we must ask how those who sold them this land aquired such titles to sell in the first place. When did they purchase them and from whom? There are many factors to be considered here. These people, throughout the decades, have been paying who; what banks, title or financial institutions and so forth?

Then there are the percentage rates, permits, fees, sale, use and property taxes. Who collects these things and by what right?

For a business or corporation that profits from the resources they extract from these lands and export to all areas of the world, whether directly or otherwise, it must be asked as to what right they have to violate a standing treaty and also what percentage or royalties are they paying on a regular monthly to annual basis to the Shoshone Nation?

Bearing in mind the overwhelming changes within society as the industrial civilization progressed and advanced across the entire Native continent the corporations which grew financially more strong and powerful managed to manuver into political positions within their government that best suited their individual interests, mainly profits, and thus exercised a total disregard for the purpose, the contents and the function of their most sacred U.S. Constitution, wherein, the constitutionally protected treaties were violated to suit their needs along this way.

Those who came with this movement, you know, foreigners and immigrants, if you will, across the great Atlantic Ocean, to encroach upon the lands of the Indians, did so with false information and were lead into these illegal acts without any truthful knowledge what-so-ever. In other words, they have been subjected to a gross manipulation of the truths and facts relating to Native Americans for centuries. Of course, for the most part, this is not their fault at this level of things, but, it has been through these manipulations that entire generations have come and gone believing these things to be true. It is a major concern that the educational systems in this country teach virtually nothing about Native Americans and that small bit which is taught is mostly incorrect. This is cultural genocide. Once informed of what they have done, or had become victims of as well, they should have made every effort to correct these violations with the same vigor as though these things were done to them. As a matter of fact, they were, in the countries they left. So why bring their problems to this country and subject an entire nation of people to such injustices when they were so opposed to them from their very beginnings?
It just doesn't make any sense at all.

Submitted by: Terrance Blackhorse
December 3, 2004

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