Life Problems Of Pawnee Indians In America

The American Indians have endured much: land dispossession, illness, and deprivation. Ever since the advent of the European settlers traditional life has radically changed for American Indians, especially for the Pawnee Indians. The Pawnee has faced land deprivation, tribal decimation from disease, and substance abuse, especially, methamphetamine commonly known as meth. However, modern advances sponsored by the U.S. government have set in motion a series of efforts to sustain and support the American Indian Nation, handing them rights to sovereignty, land reclaim, and resources to tackle the substance abuse problems riddling the community.

According to the National Congress on American Indians, in the United States alone there are “562 federally recognized Indian Nations” (National Congress of American Indians 2003). These Indian Nations are spread throughout Alaska and 33 other states. Since the framing of the United States Constitution, the US government has recognized the Indian Nations’ sovereignty, allowing them to continue to govern themselves in exchange for providing the US with more land at the time. Article I Section 8 of the US Constitution states that “Congress shall have power to…..regulate commerce with foreign nations, and amongst the several states, and with Indian the tribes” (US Constitution Online 2010). Self-government of the Indian Nations has the “ensures that Indian Nations remain viable as distinct groups of people” (National Congress of Indian Nations).

From the period of exploration in the 15th century to independence in the 18th century, European settlers’ increasing need for land caused them to spread out across the US territory. Further, the US government began not only converting Indian’s land to US land, but also began pushing Indians to assimilate into mainstream life in the United States (Tate 2006). The Indians fought valiantly for their land with which they had formed a relationship; however, their efforts failed. This period of assimilation and allotment eventually ended under the Indian Reorganization Act in 1934 whereby the US government began returning Indian lands to tribes that had lost their land and helped the tribes put their governments back together (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes). Following this initial period of assistance, the US government terminated its aid to many Indian tribes. This period of deficiency, from 1945 until 1968, was a disaster for many tribes in which they lost their land to tax forfeiture and many Indians were forced to move to new areas and more urban areas. Since after 1968 to the present however, there has been a resurgence of Indian nations governing themselves through determination and with government assistance and policies. One Indian tribe in particular which has won its autonomy is the Pawnee Nation which is found in Oklahoma in the Southern plains. The Pawnee tribe has a unique history and peculiar struggles to which the US government has responded with certain policies and programs.

In the seventeenth and eighteenth century where new American settlers encountered the Pawnee Indians, they were untouched by European sicknesses. Initially, the Pawnee allied and traded with the French. With French ammunition they halted the settlement and expansion of the Spanish settlers in the plains (Carlisle 2010). Initially the tribe was protected from disease because of its isolation, however by the 19th century; disease was introduced into the area by the settlers. As a result, the number of tribe members decreased significantly as they quickly contracted illness and died due to weak immune systems. In fact, Around 1830s malaria, small pox, and cholera epidemics wiped out much of the Pawnee Nation. In 1833, the Pawnee Indian population was 10,000 and by 1840, the count was 6, 244 (Hyde 1988). In 1850 the population was 4,500 and in 1900, a US Census revealed that the Pawnee population numbered 650 (Wishart 1994). Since then, the tribe’s numbers have begun to recover and as of 2005, the population was estimated to be roughly 5,500. The tribal territory of the Pawnee Indians is located in Oklahoma now, although at one point they were also living in Nebraska. Much of the Pawnee’s land was ceded to the US government in the 1800s through several treaties, nevertheless the Pawnee have continued to keep their culture and traditions alive (Nicely 2010). While some warriors of the tribes have resisted losing their land and their freedom, others have adapted well to reservation life. In the 1960’s, the Pawnees settled a suit against the US government, receiving compensation for their lands that were undervalued previously. The US government has drafted acts in order to rectify some of the wrongs against the Pawnee Indians.

The Blight of Methamphetamine in the Pawnee Nation

One of the biggest issues facing the Pawnee and the American Indian population in general is substance abuse, particularly methamphetamine which started mushrooming around the 1990s (Indian Health Service 2010). According to the National Indian Country Methamphetamine Initiative (2010), Methamphetamine has become an epidemic in many tribal communities. Methamphetamine not only adversely affects the health and wellbeing the Pawnee nation engaging in the drug use, but also severely impairs the functioning of the users’ families (National Indian Country Methamphetamine Initiative 2010). The number of meth users in the Indian Nation is much higher in comparison to the general population of the US. Methamphetamine is a grave issue among Pawnee tribes. A survey carried out in 2006 stated that 74 percent of tribes report meth as the largest drug threat and 64 percent attributed domestic violence, 57 percent of thefts, 48 percent of child abuse, and child neglect to meth doping (Tribal Court Tribal Law 2010 ). However, methamphetamine is an American problem for communities all across the country.

A few initiatives taken by Native Americans, drug organizations, and the American government have been launched focusing on the meth abuse among Pawnee Indians. About 75 percent of tribes have increased police patrol time to deal with meth-related crimes, 53 percent have initiated or have plans to initiate meth programs for youth, and 44 percent either have a drug court or are on the way to establishing a drug court system (Tribal Court Tribal Law 2010). These methods are effective however external enforcement would be needed to further progress in suppressing meth production and use. Another way that the Indians face the meth dilemma is through interagency programs where they collaboration with a social organization. One such organization is the Partnership for a Drug Free America. The National Council for American Indians has responded to the issue by establishing the initiative previously discussed, the National Indian Country Methamphetamine Initiatives. This initiative does advertising and outreach programs, reaching out to the Pawnee and many other Indian nations, educating them about the dangers of methamphetamine and offering incentives to stop the drug dependency (National Congress of Indian Americans 2010). In addition, the initiative has testified before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs about the meth problems, and provided a call to action for the Senate to assist in the efforts to combat methamphetamine use (McMullin 2006). Active government participation in Native American health began with the Snyder Act of 1921 which outlines the government’s resolution to provide health care and assistance to tribes located across reservations which are usually far from health care facilities. As a result, the

Department to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Indian Health Service (HIS) are federally aided programs which are crafted to take charge of Native American health concerns. Later in 1976, the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975(Kuschell-Haworth 1999). Through these programs, Indian nations have applied for funding since they need more resources to keep communities aware of this social problem and to be active in the fight against methamphetamine (McMullin 2006). Many of these initiatives are newer and their ultimate success has not been determined at this point, however, methamphetamine rates have continued to rise and most communities report that it is their number one drug problem. As a result, the federal government and the Pawnee nation continue to confront this problem through education and awareness.

In conclusion, the Pawnee nation faces numerous challenges owing to poverty, substance abuse, domestic violence and inadequate healthcare. While substance abuse problems have long been a problem in many Indian nations, methamphetamine has risen over the years and became the most popular drug among the Indian nations. The Pawnee nation is not immune to this (pun intended), and has also seen a rise in methamphetamine use among members. It is important that the National Congress of American Indians and the US government recognize the gravity of this issue for the Pawnee and the Indian Nations as a whole and to legislate acts to allocate resources for programs to stem the tide of this problem.