Statement by the President on the Settlement of Cobell Class-Action Lawsuit on Indian Trust Management Link
ATNI was invited by NCAI to the House Natural Resources to testify at a hearing on 10-21-09 on H.R. 2523, "Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership Act (HEARTH) Act". We provided a trust reform perspective in our testimony.
A. Tracing your Native American ancestry requires that you do basic genealogical research to obtain information - the names of your Native American ancestors; dates of birth, marriages and death; places where they lived; their brothers and sisters and, very importantly, their tribal affiliations. Talk with older relatives, check family bibles, wills and other documents to obtain as much information as possible. Then, to verify that your ancestors are on official tribal rolls or censuses, contact the:
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Natural Resources Branch, Civil Archives Division, 8th and Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. Washington, D.C. 20408.
You may also receive assistance by contacting: The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Branch of Tribal Enrollment 19th and C Streets N.W. Washington, D.C. 20240
Portland Area Bureau of Indian Affairs 911 NE 11th Ave. Portland, OR 97232-4169 503/231-6702
Q. HOW DO I BECOME THE MEMBER OF A TRIBE?
A. To become a tribal member, you must meet the criteria established by the tribe from which your Indian blood is derived. The requirements vary from tribe to tribe. Generally, if your Indian ancestry is far removed from a person enrolled as a tribal member, you will not qualify for membership. The particular tribe of your Indian ancestors determines whether you are eligible for membership.
