Embassy of Tribal Nations
Embassy located in Washington, D.C.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Embassy of Tribal Nations is an embassy located in Washington, D.C.,[1] that provides a center of operations to the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI).[citation needed] It was established on November 3, 2009[2] and allowed the NCAI and other tribal groups an opportunity to meet in a designated location.[3] The existence of the embassy in the United States capital allows international relations between tribes and the U.S. government to be conducted close to each other.[citation needed]
History
The National Congress of American Indians had been planning to create a headquarters to conduct all political and financial business since as early as the eighties.[4][5] Before the Embassy of Tribal Nations was established, the NCAI rented a building.[6] The estate in Washington, D.C., is three stories and was built in the 19th century.[6] NCAI members began raising money with assistance from tribes in the 2000s, and bought the 17,000 square foot, $8.5 million property in April 2009.[4][7] The space was remodeled to fit the needs of its new residents, and adorned with traditional Indian artwork and relics.[4]
Donors
David Anderson, founder of the "Famous Dave" restaurants and former head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, donated $50,000 to the cause in 2006.[8]
Opening
The grand opening on November 3, 2009 brought in large numbers of Natives to honor the launch of the new resource, celebrating with food and traditional dances.[4] President Jefferson Keel of the NCAI revealed his thoughts in a press release that day: "For the first time since settlement, tribal nations will have a permanent home in Washington, D.C. where they can more effectively assert their sovereign status and facilitate a much stronger nation-to-nation relationship with the federal government."[6]
Notable guests
Fort Hall Business Council Chairman Alonzo Coby, along with 28 other tribal leaders, was present at the event.[6] Two days later, Coby met with President Obama at the Tribal Nations conference, serving as an ambassador for the Shoshone-Bannock tribes.[6]
Today
One of the buildings is used by other Native American groups, the Native American Rights Fund and the Native American Contractors Association.[4] The embassy serves as a tangible manifestation of a connection between the United States government and Native Americans, and the NCAI updates their website regularly to keep the public aware of their happenings.[9]