Resolutions Committee Recommendation Resolution #: DEN-18-033 Title: First Flag of America Comments: Resolution DEN-18-033 proposes that the Eagle Staff be officially recognized by the United States government as the first flag of the United States. The resolution also requests that the United States government recognize and respect that wearing eagle feathers and tribal clothing is a representation of native culture and heritage and individuals should not be prohibited from carrying or wearing these items within any office of the United States government. Recommendations: Resolution is in order and should be forwarded to the Litigation and Governance committee and Human, Religious, and Cultural Concerns subcommittee for consideration. The NCAI Resolutions Committee recommends adoption Sponsor a member in good standing (yes/no)?:
The National Congress of American Indians Resolution # DEN-18-033 EXECUTIVE C OMMITTEE PRESIDENT Jefferson Keel Chickasaw Nation FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT Aaron Payment Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan RECORDING SECRETARY Juana Majel-Dixon Pauma Band Mission Indians TREASURER W. Ron Allen Jamestown S Klallam Tribe R EGIONAL VICE- PRESIDENTS ALASKA Rob Sanderson, Jr. Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska EASTERN OKLAHOMA Joe Byrd Cherokee Nation GREAT PLAINS Larry Wright, Jr. Ponca Tribe of Nebraska MIDWEST Roger Rader Pokagon Band of Potawatomi NORTHEAST Lance Gumbs Shinnecock Indian Nation NORTHWEST Leonard Forsman Suquamish Tribe PACIFIC Willie Carrillo Tule River Tribe of California ROCKY MOUNTAIN Darrin Old Coyote Crow Nation SOUTHEAST Nancy Carnley Ma-Chis Lower Creek Indians SOUTHERN PLAINS Zach Pahmahmie Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation SOUTHWEST Joe Garcia Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo WESTERN Franklin Pablo, Sr. Gila River Indian Community EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jacqueline Pata Tlingit NCAI HEADQUARTERS 1516 P Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20005 202.466.7767 202.466.7797 fax www.ncai.org TITLE: First Flag of American WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the health, safety and welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution; and WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was established in 1944 and is the oldest and largest national organization of American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments; and WHEREAS, the Native American Eagle Staff is historically the First Flag of America and represents the stature and honor of Native American Tribes; it resembles a shepherd's staff, usually wrapped in animal skin and features Eagle Feathers; and WHEREAS, pre-dating colonization, the Eagle Staff was the indicator of a tribe's accomplishments in battle and peace and, the integrity and honor of its people; and WHEREAS, today, it represents tribal communities, Native Americans and First Nations organizations, or a member of an honor society, or an Native American Veteran; and WHEREAS, the Eagle Staff represents Tribal sovereignty, unity, spirituality, culture, and traditions, which reflects the honor bestowed upon an individual, Tribal organization, or Tribal Elder; and WHEREAS, the Eagle Staff is typically carried by Native American Veterans of the United States Armed Forces, who have served in greater numbers per capita than any other ethnicity across all branches of the United States Military; and WHEREAS, the Eagle Staff is a proud legacy of the Native American people; and it is the embodiment of the warrior and of enduring fortitude which together have enabled the Native American Tribes to survive federal, state, and local government legislation and policies intended to terminate their race, culture, language, and traditions; and
NCAI 2018 Annual Session Resolution -18-XXX WHEREAS, the Eagle Staff is adorned with Eagle Feathers symbolizing the remembrance of both fallen and respected Warriors; and WHEREAS, because Eagles and Eagle Feathers are highly revered and federally protected, only a few federal agencies and Native Americans may carry Eagle Feathers as the Eagle Feather is the highest award that can be given by a Native American Tribe to its Members; and WHEREAS, the Eagle Staff is welcomed into all Native American and First Nations of Canada with a flag song or victory song and is always presented ahead of all flags; and WHEREAS, the Eagle is honored on the National Seal of the United States of America or, standard that bears an Eagle as a symbol. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that this resolution be presented to the United States government, including the Department of Interior, all departments and branches of military affairs, and the Department of Veteran Affairs; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the National Congress of American Indians supports and approves requesting the United States government and the President of the United States of America sign a Resolution making the Native American Eagle Staff the First Flag of America and to respect the use and wearing of the Eagle Feather or tribal clothing as a representation of our heritage/culture and allowed to be worn or carried within any office of the United States government. CERTIFICATION The foregoing resolution was adopted by the General Assembly at the 75 TH Annual Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Colorado Convention Center & Marketplace, Denver, Colorado, October 21-26, 2018, with a quorum present. ATTEST: Jefferson Keel, President Juana Majel-Dixon, Recording Secretary Page 2 of 2
EXECUTIVE C OMMITTEE PRESIDENT Jefferson Keel Chickasaw Nation FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT Aaron Payment Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan RECORDING SECRETARY Juana Majel-Dixon Pauma Band Mission Indians TREASURER W. Ron Allen Jamestown S Klallam Tribe R EGIONAL VICE- PRESIDENTS ALASKA Rob Sanderson, Jr. Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska EASTERN OKLAHOMA Joe Byrd Cherokee Nation GREAT PLAINS Larry Wright, Jr. Ponca Tribe of Nebraska MIDWEST Roger Rader Pokagon Band of Potawatomi NORTHEAST Lance Gumbs Shinnecock Indian Nation NORTHWEST Leonard Forsman Suquamish Tribe PACIFIC Willie Carrillo Tule River Tribe of California ROCKY MOUNTAIN Darrin Old Coyote Crow Nation SOUTHEAST Nancy Carnley Ma-Chis Lower Creek Indians SOUTHERN PLAINS Zach Pahmahmie Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation SOUTHWEST Joe Garcia Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo WESTERN Franklin Pablo, Sr. Gila River Indian Community EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jacqueline Pata Tlingit NCAI HEADQUARTERS 1516 P Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20005 202.466.7767 202.466.7797 fax www.ncai.org The National Congress of American Indians Resolution # DEN-18-033 Recommended Edits TITLE: First Flag of American WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the health, safety and welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution; and WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was established in 1944 and is the oldest and largest national organization of American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments; and WHEREAS, the Native American Eagle Staff resembles a shepherd's staff, usually wrapped in animal skin and features eagle feathers, it is is historically the ffirst fflag of America and represents the stature and honor of Native American Tribestribal nations; it resembles a shepherd's staff, usually wrapped in animal skin and features Eagle Feathers; and WHEREAS, pre-dating colonization, the Eagle Staff was the indicator of a tribal nationse's accomplishments in battle and peace and, the integrity and honor of its people; and WHEREAS, today, it the Eagle Staff represents tribal communitiestribal nations, Native Americans and First Nations native organizations, or a member of an honor society, or an Native Americannative Veteran; and WHEREAS, the Eagle Staff represents ttribal sovereignty, unity, spirituality, culture, and traditions, which and reflects the honor bestowed upon an individual, ttribal organization, or ttribal eelder; and WHEREAS, the Eagle Staff is typically carried by Native Americannative Veterans of the United States Armed Forces, who have served in greater numbers per capita than any other ethnicity across all branches of the United States Military; and WHEREAS, the Eagle Staff is a symbol of the proud legacy of the Native Americannative people; and it is the embodiment of the warrior and of enduring fortitude, which together, have enabled the Native American Tribesnative nations to survive federal, state, and local government legislation and policies intended to terminate their race, culture, language, and traditions; and
NCAI 2018 Annual Session Resolution -18-XXX WHEREAS, the Eagle Staff is adorned with eeagle ffeathers symbolizing the remembrance of both fallen and respected wwarriors; and WHEREAS, because eeagles and eeagle ffeathers are highly revered and federally protected, only a few federal agencies and Native Americanmembers of federally recognized tribess may carry eeagle ffeathers as the eeagle ffeather is the highest award that can be given by a Native American Tribenative nation to its mmembers; and WHEREAS, the Eagle Staff is welcomed into all Native AmericanAmerican Indian, Alaska Native, and First Nations of Canada with a flag song or victory song and is always presented ahead of all other flags; and WHEREAS, the eeagle is has been honored as the national bird since 1782 and is represented on the National Seal and Standard of the United States of America. or, standard that bears an Eagle as a symbol. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that this resolution be presented to the United States government, including the Department of Interior, all departments and branches of military affairs, and the Department of Veteran Affairs; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the traditional requirements and protocols for the Keeper of the Flag will be honored and respected; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the National Congress of American Indians supports and approves requesting the United States government and the President of the United States of America sign a Resolution makingto officially make the Native American Eagle Staff the First Flag of America and to recognize and respect the use andthat wearing of the Eagle Feathereagle feathers or tribal clothing as is a representation of our heritage/culture and be allowed to be worn or carried within any office of the United States government; and. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NCAI until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution. CERTIFICATION The foregoing resolution was adopted by the General Assembly at the 75 TH Annual Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Colorado Convention Center & Marketplace, Denver, Colorado, October 21-26, 2018, with a quorum present. ATTEST: Jefferson Keel, President Juana Majel-Dixon, Recording Secretary Page 2 of 2