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5 NARF Legal Rev. 1 (1979)

handle is hein.journals/narf5 and id is 1 raw text is: 













Naiv Ameia Riht Fun                                                                                        Wite 109


                                  We Also Have A Religion

The American Indian Religious Freedom Act and the Religious

        Freedom Project of the Native American Rights Fund


   On August 11, 1978, President Carter signed into law the Ameri-
 can Indian Religious Freedom Act. Introduced as Senate Joint Reso-
 lution 102 and now Public Law 95-341, the Act is intended to guarantee
 to native peoples-American Indians, Native Alaskans and Native
 Hawaiians-the right to believe, to express, and to practice their native
 traditional religions. This is to be achieved by establishing a com-
 prehensive and consistent Federal policy directed toward protecting
 and preserving the native religious practices in this country.
   Among other things, the Act guarantees to Native Americans access
 to religious sites, use and possession of sacred objects, and the freedom
 to worship through traditional ceremonial rites. Furthermore, it calls
 for the President to direct Federal agencies, whose activities affect
 Native American religious practices, to evaluate their policies and
 make changes where possible to insure that Native American religious
 and cultural rights are protected. It also directs the President to report
 back to Congress one year after the signing of the Act with the results of
 his evaluation, including any changes that were made in administrative
 policies.
   Like all other religions, the religious beliefs and practices of Native



Part I: Federal Suppression of Native
Religious Practices
   The Indian Religion has no name because it's part of all Indian
   life. Before the coming of the New People, this was our paradise,
   right here in America. Everything natural comes from God and
   is made by Him. God is in you and part of you. The Bible and our
   own religion are closely related. The only difference is that we
   practice and live ours every day.
                                         Ernie Peters, Dakota
  The nature and varieties of Native American religions is set down in
thousands of books, articles, studies and dissertations. In fact, no
aspect of Native American life has been subject to greater examination
by historians and others. So it is neither necessary-nor possible in this
space-to attempt even a limited review. However, one aspect of
Native religion must be discussed because of its importance to an
understanding of the need for the Native American Religious Free-
dom Act, and why this Act should be applied to protect certain
customs, traditions and practices which some may question as not being


Americans fall under the protection of the First Amendment of the
Constitution. However, historically-and especially during the past
decades-infringement of Native religions has been increasing. Be-
cause Native American religions are so culturally removed and differ-
ent than their own, non-Indians do not see them as having the same
status as real religions. This attitude has led to the enactment and
enforcement of a multitude of Federal laws without any consideration
of their possible affect on Native religions, and which have severely
restricted the religious practices of Native Americans. Though these
laws often concern such worthy objectives as the preservation of
wildlife and the protection of wilderness areas, they were not written
with an awareness of their potential adverse affect on Native religions.
  It is the belief of the Native peoples, of the congressional sponsors
and supporters of the Resolution, and many others that this country
need not violate the religious freedom of her Native peoples; that
Federal laws and programs can be made compatible with Native religi-
ous practices; and that this Act will serve as a clear policy statement
from Congress that this country intends to respect and protect the
religious freedom of Native Americans.



truly religious in nature, and, therefore not entitled to protection
under the Act.
  This aspect is the unity of traditional Native cultures in which the
religious beliefs permeate all parts of individual and community life.
Whether it was the now historical buffalo hunt, planting and harvesting
of food, relations with neighboring tribes, or even how one was to be
named, sacred ceremonies and beliefs came into play. Ceremonies,
great and small, were the very fabric of life. They furnished the chief
opportunities for learning, for feasting, for lovemaking. They gave
courage to a lone hunter. They fused a group together in heartening
ritual. They combined the functions not only of a church but of a
school, clinic, theater, and law court.
  Where most Western cultures have divided life into distinctly sepa-
rate political, social and religious aspects of existence, Indian tradi-
tional life is still unified in many ways. In 1961, the Fund For the
Republic conducted a private study, which summarized this social
unity:
    I . . in their society and in their religion, Indians believe they
    have values worth preserving. These are sometimes stated in
                                      Continued on page three

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