Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Members: Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Members: Studying knowledge base, priorities and Studying knowledge base, priorities and

expectations of the distribution of JTAC funds expectations of the distribution of JTAC funds

within the six districts of the reservationwithin the six districts of the reservation

Researcher: Matthew Vogel Researcher: Matthew Vogel ““Mato AkichitaMato Akichita”, ”, Bear SoldierBear Soldier

ANTH 3411ANTH 3411Research ProposalResearch Proposal

Prof. Chollett Prof. Chollett May 6, 2011May 6, 2011

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe

• Where?– South Dakota

– Ziebach & Dewey County

BackgroundBackground

• JTAC Joint Tribal Advisory Committee– Because CRST has been effected by the Flood Control Act of

1944, they are entitled to receive compensation funds. This compensation is based on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Equitable Compensation Act, this is “to establish within the Department of Treasury a trust fund to finance economic development, education, infrastructure, and social welfare programs for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in South Dakota, including provisions to authorize the use of a percentage of revenues from Pick-Sloan Missouri River Basin dam projects to finance the trust fund” (106 Senate, 964, 1999).

• JTAC oversees the planning and distribution of these funds.

BackgroundBackground

• How much money is there?– In 2000 The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe

Equitable Compensation Act was signed into law. The purpose of the law was to provide equitable compensation for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST) for 104,492 acres lost to the Oahe Dam and Reservoir Project; The Tribe is entitled to receive $290,722,958.00 plus interest

Significance of ResearchSignificance of Research

• I find it alarming that opinions among Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Members on the subject JTAC compensation funds, can be so diverse from one community to the next.

• I have then wanted to shine a light on the possibilities of why these differences exist.

• Do these differences in opinion reflect those opinions of elected representatives? Also, can these differences been examined on a district level, or do they need to be seen from the communities that make up that district?

ObjectivesObjectives

• 1)What the general membership‘s knowledge about the JTAC law?

• 2)What are their priorities for the distribution of the funds?

• 3) What are respondents expectations of Tribal Leaders regarding the distribution of the funds?

ConceptsConcepts

• District- it is a political district that defines the boundaries that encapsulate particular communities from which Tribal council representatives are elected

• Full-Blood- are more closely associated with Traditional Lakota ways and value system. Those identified as full blood have even been labeled by others as west-enders, or from the western side of the reservation. Full-bloods by definition are those who

consist of 100% of Indian blood quantum. • Expectation- is what respondents expect the funds will be placed

towards. This can involve any of the 13 departments of the tribal government.

MethodologyMethodology

• Participant Observation– Tribal Council Session Sit-ins

– Build relationship among the community

– Community meetings

• Selecting Sample – Random Sample for the six districts.

– Polling Records & Selection of Respondents

• Initial Contact – Phone call to obtain oral consent and affirmation that respondent is the

same as on contact information.

– Drop-off & Pick-Up Dates for Questionnaire

MethodologyMethodology

• Questionnaire – Demographics – Knowledge of JTAC law– Perceived uses of JTAC monies– Expectations of JTAC distribution– Interview questions to obtain respondent opinions

• Analysis– Comparitive Analysis

• Tribal Council representations

• District representations

• Community Representation

– Conflicts and Tribal Distribution

Issues RaisedIssues Raised

• What is the make-up of Tribal opinions and how closely are they to the their representatives in Tribal Council?

• How well are tribal members represented in Tribal Council policies?

• Is the Tribe stratified in its access to resources, if so is it due to blood-quantum or location?

Resolving the IssuesResolving the Issues

• Can resolution even be reached?– Its an attempt to bring these issue to Tribal

Council in hopes that they will better understand the opinions and expectations of their members.

– This will hopefully lead them down the path towards equal and improved representation.

Relation to Methods LearnedRelation to Methods Learned

• Participant Observation

• Sampling (Random & Stratified)

• Ethics – Minority Population

• Theory – Take ANTH 4901, It will help in trying to construct

such difficult theoretical stances!

ApplicationApplication

• Methods Class– Constructing a Sample and Questionnaire

• Future Research – Why NOT? – I truly believe in these types of studies for the

Lakota people and hope to better the representation of Tribal Council as well as help treat the disease of poverty on the reservation.

Works CitedWorks Cited

• Holm, Tom

1985 “The Crisis in Tribal Government” Pp.135-154. In American Indian Policy in the Twentieth Century. Oklahoma City: University of Oklahoma Press.

• Lawson, Michael, L.

2009 Damned Indians: The Continuing History of the Pick-Sloan Plan and the Missouri River Sioux. Pierre: South Dakota State Historical Society Press.

• U.S. Senate. Committee of Indian Affairs. Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Equitable Compensation Act. 106 Senate, 964, 1999

• U.S. Census Bureau

2011 “State & County QuickFacts” [internet], Available from: <http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/46/46041.html> [Accessed May 2, 2011]

• Rosier, Paul C.

1999 "The Real Indians, Who Constitute the Real Tribe": Class, Ethnicity, and IRA Politics on the Blackfeet Reservation. Journal of American Ethnic History Vol. 18, No. 4, pp. 3-39