Spring Break
Aiding the invisible
Augusta Liddic Staff Writer
Issue date: 6/19/09 Section: NEWS
This is a story of numbers and the quest of one Native American tribe.
The Piro-Manso-Tiwa Indian Tribe, Pueblo of San Juan de Guadalupe of Las Cruses, N.M., has been seeking federal recognition from the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs for almost 40 years, but with the help of Lee Ann Allen, a UNT anthropology student, the American Indian tribe is one step closer to receiving recognition.
One of the requirements of Bureau of Indian Affairs requires is for the tribe to have complete records. In order to accomplish this, Allen lived with the tribe's cacique Edward Roybal Sr. and his wife, and spent eight to nine hours a day, sometimes six days a week, organizing the tribal archives.
"The main thing we needed to look at was to add the last 20 years worth of information to the archives," Allen said. "I focused on getting together that information in a relevant way, so it would address the criteria that is required."
Allen began her research with the tribe last summer after being accepted into the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, which is funded by UNT's Department of Education to prepare undergraduates for doctoral studies.
Through the McNair program, Allen was matched with faculty mentor Diane Ballinger, a retired NT anthropology professor, who helped Allen find a research project with the Piro-Manso-Tiwa Indian Tribe.
Ballinger said she saw the opportunity as a good learning experience for Allen as well.
"It has been a great pleasure to work with Lee Ann," she said. "She has been dedicated. Having a good student is one of the best things a professor can have. It makes teaching a real pleasure."
According to the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs, a federally recognized tribe is an "American Indian or Alaska Native tribal entity that is recognized as having a government-to-government relationship with the United States, with the responsibilities, powers, limitations and obligations attached to that designation, and is eligible for funding and services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs."
The Piro-Manso-Tiwa Indian Tribe, Pueblo of San Juan de Guadalupe of Las Cruses, N.M., has been seeking federal recognition from the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs for almost 40 years, but with the help of Lee Ann Allen, a UNT anthropology student, the American Indian tribe is one step closer to receiving recognition.
One of the requirements of Bureau of Indian Affairs requires is for the tribe to have complete records. In order to accomplish this, Allen lived with the tribe's cacique Edward Roybal Sr. and his wife, and spent eight to nine hours a day, sometimes six days a week, organizing the tribal archives.
"The main thing we needed to look at was to add the last 20 years worth of information to the archives," Allen said. "I focused on getting together that information in a relevant way, so it would address the criteria that is required."
Allen began her research with the tribe last summer after being accepted into the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, which is funded by UNT's Department of Education to prepare undergraduates for doctoral studies.
Through the McNair program, Allen was matched with faculty mentor Diane Ballinger, a retired NT anthropology professor, who helped Allen find a research project with the Piro-Manso-Tiwa Indian Tribe.
Ballinger said she saw the opportunity as a good learning experience for Allen as well.
"It has been a great pleasure to work with Lee Ann," she said. "She has been dedicated. Having a good student is one of the best things a professor can have. It makes teaching a real pleasure."
According to the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs, a federally recognized tribe is an "American Indian or Alaska Native tribal entity that is recognized as having a government-to-government relationship with the United States, with the responsibilities, powers, limitations and obligations attached to that designation, and is eligible for funding and services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs."
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 3
Marc Severson
posted 6/22/09 @ 7:48 PM CST
Great story but who does your editing?? RECIEVING?? As both an archaeologist and a school teacher I find this very disturbing.
Marc Severson
Morgan Rieder
posted 6/22/09 @ 8:23 PM CST
Staff writers should learn how to spell before they start writing. It's "Las Cruces," not "Las Cruces."
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