Native American News Roundup Aug. 28 – Sept. 3, 2022
The Chinook Nation in Washington State is launching a new push for federal recognition with a rally and #ChinookJustice Twitterstorm, hopeful that Congress can restore their official relationship with the federal government.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) officially recognized the Chinook Nation in 2001, giving the tribe access to health, housing, medical and other federal benefits and protections.
But the BIA rescinded that status 18 months later, ruling that between 1873 and 1951 the tribe did not exist as a distinct and “substantially continuous” entity, one of seven criteria tribes must meet to be officially recognized.
Tribe members rallied on the steps of a federal building in Seattle on Monday, calling on Washington Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell to help pass legislation recognizing the Chinook.
But the Chinook face strong opposition from the Quinault Nation, also in Washington State, a factor that could discourage lawmakers from acting.
In a statement to Northwest Radio, Senator Murray acknowledged the importance of tribal recognition, saying only that she would “do her best to serve as a voice for Washington’s tribal people.”
