The Stonewalling of the Blackfeet Claims

THE STONEWALLING OF THE BLACKFEET CLAIMS

Why does the tribal council continue to stonewall the tribal claims?

The introduction of true Blackfeet history even today will help you to set a true course for your self in life, but a false Blackfeet history makes your past distorted and your future uncertain. If we knew our history, we would know better than to believe the BIA in anything they say or do, or to trust the white man ever. We would know that the Blackfeet Indian Reorganization Act tribal council has robbed the Blackfeet people since 1936 when they were created by the Congress and Interior Department to replace the traditional Blackfeet leaders. These were tribal politicians looking for a good time and to gather personal wealth and tribal political power in a can. It was a change in tribal leadership in that any tribal bum or crook could suddenly be made tribal leader. They became rich, successful tribal council bums and crooks.
The BIA Tribal Assimilation Policy meant corruption in tribal affairs, and it led to the disintegration of tribal society. The tribal chairman filled his own pockets, and his dog ate steaks under the Indian Reorganization Act tribal council. The traditional Blackfeet leaders sacrificed their own prosperity to save the Blackfeet reservation from the border-whites. They were forced by the BIA and local whites to eat skunks and 100 Indians starved by 1913.
The comparison of traditional tribal leadership to Indian Reorganization Act tribal council leadership is the difference between great leaders to convicts. It is a BIA wrought miracle that in the whole history of the I.R.A. tribal council no council member ever went to federal prison for stealing tribal and federal funds. If we didn’t know our true tribal history that would tell us we have had honest leaders in tribal government.
Now, let us examine the conduct of the supreme leader of the Blackfeet Nation, Chief and former Chairman Earl Old Person, who has led the tribal council since 1980. There were robber barons before he came along and I suspect he was taught the ropes by these crooked tribal leaders, but he for sure carried it onward. The most damaging crime against one’s government is treason, and it is treason to stonewall the legitimate tribal and allotted claims of the Blackfeet people. This is the crime of Earl Old Person. His acts are a curse to the conduct of traditional Blackfeet leaders who filled our tribal history with examples of integrity, statesmanship, and courage at the point of death and at their own personal peril and poverty. They spent their own scarce money to travel to Washington D.C. to present the tribal claims, over the threats of the BIA and local white crooks. We are trying to carry on that tradition, but the tribal council does not see it that way under Old Person’s continuing influence and example.
The former Blackfeet chairmen Allen Talks About and Bill Old Chief supported our claims and sent us to Washington D.C. with the claims, and other tribal council members supported us such as Jim St. Goddard, Smiley Kittson, Betty Cooper, Leland Ground and Leonard Mountain Chief, but it was always Earl Old Person that was re-elected and cancelled our claims.
He knows the political system but has used his knowledge to suppress the Blackfeet claims for the BIA and white men since 1980. I hope his influence leaves the tribal office for good; it is evil treason and unspeakable vices.
Today we have found a new file that has the original Blackfeet allottees list.

1907-1908 CENSUS OF THE BLACKFEET RESERVATION ALLOTMENT OF 320 ACRES TO EACH OF 2,623 TRIBAL MEMBERS

This file has the names of the original 2,623 Blackfeet Tribal Members who received allotments. The Census was successful in determining eligibility of the people of the Blackfeet Nation to receive allotments, and for the most part, establish their heredity and genealogy. The 1907-1908 Census listed many of the old chieftains that made up the traditional tribal governance under the Blackfoot Confederacy. Their lands are among the stolen allotments.

RESEARCH NEEDS:
1. List of Blackfeet allottees 1907-1908
2. Heredity and genealogy of the Blackfeet Indians-1907-1908
3. Estimated 5,000 pages, copying costs @ .25 per page
4. Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs Hearings documents on BIA “confession” to complicity in Blackfeet forced fee patents
5. Research costs @ $1,500 for researcher
TOTAL ESTIMATED BUDGET COSTS: $3,000

PLEASE REQUEST THE TRIBAL COUNCIL TO FUND OUR EFFORTS AND TO STOP THE STONEWALLING OF THE FORCED FEE PATENTS CLAIMS. THERE ARE DOCUMENTS IN THE DENVER FEDERAL RECORDS CENTER ON THE PATENTS AND ON THE BLACKFEET CATTLE RANCH FAMILIES THAT WERE DESTROYED BY THE BIA RECLAMATION SERVICE AND WHITE STOCKMEN IN VIOLATION OF THE 1896 AGREEMENT/ARTICLE FIVE. WE ARE TRYING TO RESETTLE OUR PEOPLE ON THEIR OWN LANDS.