1976-11-01 Char-Koosta News

              JNEWSPAPER OF THE SAL1SH, PEND D'ORIELLES AND KOOTENAI TRIBES - ^QF THE FLATHEAD RESERVATION f^g^gg^f
VOLUME 6 NUMBER 13     NEW MOON OF AUTUMN NOVEMBER 1,1976
NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AMERICAN INDIANS
Sa/t Lake City, Utah
The 33rd annual National Congress of American Indians has been adjourned for the year 1976. Heralded as the most important convention by andfor the Native Americans, the congressional session was attended by représenta -tives of 118 Tribal Nations. Over 3,000 people filled the Salt Pal -ace Convention Center in downtown Salt Lake City, to debate and to find solutions to the problems facing the American Indian today. Many of the problems are the same as those in prior years. Areas of Tribal Government; Legal Jurisdiction; Treaties and Trust Relations; and Federal Administration and sturcture of Indian Affairs, took up the major portion of the five day Convention. " The problems are the same", said one delagate who has attended 20 of the 33 Congressional sessions, " And the solutions are mostly the same, however, we meet each year as a united body, made up of individual Nations, to lend support to one another. To bring attention to our plight for freedom and dignity. And to show that our situation has not
changed.......that we will never give up
until it has changed for the good of our children and their children." His statement sums up the answer to a commonly asked question, ' What is NCAI and what does it mean to me ?'
Because of a shortage of space in this issue, a condensed version of the resolu -tions will appear in the November 15 th issue of the Char-Koosta. We will sort through the whereas' and therefore's , and give you a simple explanation of most of the policies adopted. There are approximately 75 to 100 different and distinct resolutions relating to individual tribes, and the education, health, welfare and natiural resources protection and development of all tribes. One of the most important resolutions passed was one in support of our Tribe's lawsuit with Poison marina owner, Jim
Naimen. The case has been taken to the Federal U.S. Supreme Court for review of a 9th Circuit Court decision in favor of Naimen. After the Congress voted in favor of supporting us with the Court action, it was found out that the Supreme Court had decided to hear the case earlier that day. This is a jurisdiction case that effects not only our tribe but many tribes that are in similar water jurisdiction fights. It was also decided that the NCAI is to hold its 1977 Congress in Dallas, Texas, and the 1978 selection is Rapid City, South Dakota.