Embassy of Tribal Nations

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The Embassy of Tribal Nations is an embassy located in Washington, D.C.[1] that provides a center of operations to the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI).[citation needed] It was established on November 3, 2009[2] and allowed the NCAI and other tribal groups an opportunity to meet in a designated location.[3] The existence of the Embassy in the United States capital allows international relations between tribes and the U.S. government to be conducted close to each other.[citation needed]

History

The National Congress of American Indians had been planning to create a headquarters to conduct all political and financial business since as early as the eighties.[4][5] Before the Embassy of Tribal Nations was established, the NCAI rented a building.[6] The estate in Washington, D.C. is three stories and was built in the 19th century.[6] NCAI members began raising money with assistance from tribes in the 2000s, and bought the 17,000 square foot, $8.5 million property in April 2009.[4][7] The space was remodeled to fit the needs of its new residents, and adorned with traditional Indian artwork and relics.[4]

Donors

David Anderson, founder of the "Famous Dave" restaurants and former head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, donated $50,000 to the cause in 2006.[8]

Opening

The grand opening on November 3, 2009 brought in large numbers of Natives to honor the launch of the new resource, celebrating with food and traditional dances.[4] President Jefferson Keel of the NCAI revealed his thoughts in a press release that day: "For the first time since settlement, tribal nations will have a permanent home in Washington, D.C. where they can more effectively assert their sovereign status and facilitate a much stronger nation-to-nation relationship with the federal government."[6]

Notable guests

Fort Hall Business Council Chairman Alonzo Coby, along with twenty-eight other tribal leaders, was present at the event.[6] Two days later, Coby met with President Obama at the Tribal Nations conference, serving as an ambassador for the Shoshone-Bannock tribes.[6]

Today

One of the buildings is used by other Native American groups, the Native American Rights Fund and the Native American Contractors Association.[4] The Embassy serves as a tangible manifestation of a connection between the United States government and Native Americans, and the NCAI updates their website regularly to keep the public aware of their happenings.[9]

Impact

The Embassy also serves as a landmark to Indigenous people and groups, as the official website states "People from across the nation-from Cabinet officials to school children, college students and leaders of national foundations-visit the Embassy each year and leave with a deepened and renewed understanding of our nation-to-nation relationship and the unique contribution tribal nations make to America and the world."[10]

References

  1. S2CID 201415367
    .
  2. ProQuest 451233372
    .
  3. OCLC 893439520.[page needed
    ]
  4. ^
    ProQuest 362660365
    .
  5. SSRN 1565124
    .
  6. ^
    ProQuest 367483486
    .
  7. ProQuest 196598060
    .
  8. ProQuest 367553705
    .
  9. ^ Wiremu, Fiona; Gillies, Annemarie; Mika, Jason; Smith, Graham; Ngawati, Maria (July 30, 2021). "Persisting Inequalities and the Potential for Intervention Through 'New; Governance Models" (PDF).
  10. ^ "Embassy of Tribal Nations | NCAI". www.ncai.org. Retrieved 2023-07-30.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Embassy_of_Tribal_Nations&oldid=1209692448"