Native American Sacred Sites




 Some Facts
[Source: The Morning Star Instutute]

- Native American sacred places are where Native Peoples who practice their traditional religions go to pray for the good day, the precious earth, the blessing waters, the sweet air and peaceful life for all living beings the world over.

- Myriad Native American sacred places have been destroyed.

- Today, far too many sacred places are being desecrated or threatened by development, pollution, poisons, recreation, looting, vandalism and by federal or federally-authorized undertakings.

- The American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978 was intended to change the policy of the United States from one of outlawing and disrespecting traditional Native religions to one of protecting and respecting them. The Act states:
"That henceforth it shall be the policy of the United States to protect and preserve for American Indians their inherent right of freedom to believe, express, and exercise the traditional religions of the American Indian, Eskimo, Aleut, and Native Hawaiians, including but not limited to access to sites, use and possession of sacred objects, and the freedom to worship through ceremonials and traditional rites."
- There are numerous existing laws intended to protect Native American sacred places and even more that can be used to do so, but most of these laws are being ingnored and flaunted.

- Among these existing legal authorities are the American Indian Religious Freedom Act, Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, Executive Order on Indian Sacred Sites, National Historic Preservation Act, Archaeological Resources Protection Act, National Environmental Protection Act and other environmental and cultural laws.

- There are no existing legal protections for certain categories of sacred places and none that provide a specific cause of action to defend sacred places against desecration or destruction.

- It has been the experience of Native Americans that disclosure about the location, nature or use of sacred place leads to assaults on them. Many of these places are fragile and have been destroyed by too many visitors or vehicles or activities.

- The following description of Native American sacred lands is taken from the "President's Report to Congress on American Indian Religious Freedom," August 1979:
"The Native peoples of this country believe that certain areas of land are holy. These lands may be sacred, for example, because of religious events which occurred there, because they contain specific natural products, because they are the dwelling place or embodiment of spiritual beings, because they surround or contain burial grounds or because they are sites conducive to communicating with spiritual beings. There are specific religious beliefs regarding each sacred site which form the basis for religious laws governing the site. These laws may prescribe, for example, when and for what purpose the site may or must be visited, what ceremonies or rituals may or must take place at the site, what manner of conduct must or must not be observed at the site, who may or may not go to the site and the consequences to the individual, group, clan or tribe if the laws are not observed. The ceremonies may also require preparatory rituals, purification rites or stages of preparation. Both active participants and observers may need to be readied. Natural substances may need to be gathered. Those who are unprepared or whose behavior or condition may alter the ceremony are often not permitted to attend. The proper spiritual atmosphere must be observed. Structures may need to be built for the ceremony or its preparation. The ceremony itself may be brief or it may last for days. The number of participants may range from one individual to a large group."

Arkansas
[Source: U. S. Department of Defense]
This state has a rich historic plast involving some Indian nations. In the far-southeastern corner are areas that represent the farthest reach of the once powerful Tunica villages that spread across northern Louisiana. Along the banks of the Arkansas River are locations of a number of villages which have been loosely grouped together as part of the Caddoan confederacy which was drastically reduced in size and importance during the trade wars which occurred during French and Spanish governance of the region. The Quapaws formerly lived in the northern part of the state above the Arkansas during their ascendancy at the time of French occupation. During the 1820s and 1830s Arkansas was a major path of forced removal of the Five Civilized Tribes as they were marched westward to Oklahoma. Fort Smith, on the western edge of Arkansas, was once the primary location for activities of the Federal government involving the Five Civilized Tribes.

With the dissolution of the major Caddo villages on the Arkansas, knowledge of many sacred sites of pre-European and Euroamerican times were lost when survivors of the villages joined other tribes or were converted to Catholicism. The Eaker site which is a National Historic Landmark is related to the Quapaw. This site is located on Eaker Air Force Base which is in the process of being closed. The Quapaw may be interested in the lands for tribally sponsored archaeological investigations once those lands become available for non-military uses. Fort Chaffee near Fort Arkansas are near Krenshaw, the Parkin site, and the Gold-Smith Oliver site. Generally these locations are affiliated with either the Quapaws or Caddos.

Since much of the migration for the Five Civilized Tribes terminated in the Fort Smith area, the various trails across Arkansas which led to Fort Smith may contain a wide variety of burial sites, of both a traditional and converted Christian importance. It is recommended that contact be made with the governmental authorities among the Cherokees, Choctaws, Chickasaws, Creeks and Seminoles to have their tribal historians consult with military personnel regarding the possible trails and burial sites which might be found in the future on military lands in Arkansas.

Georgia
Ocmulgee National Monument
    - Funeral Mound of the Mississippians

Louisiana
[Source: U. S. Department of Defense]
Louisiana is a complex situation in that there are both Federally recognized tribes and non-recognized Indian communities. The state also has small Native American communities, particularly in the Red River area near the Texas border in which the population is predominantly of mixed blood with a predominance of Choctaw. Inhabitants of these towns vehemently deny an Indian heritage, are very secretive about communal affairs, but are said by people in the recognized Indian communities to practice some Indian religious rituals. None of these areas or towns is near any existing military installation but the potential exists that the DoD installations may be visited by delegations from these places.

Louisiana tribal groups generally lived in fishing/hunting villages in the bayous and swamp clearings, most usually at landing places and river bends. Burials and places to locate medicinal herbs and roots, along with possible emergence sites, would be the major religious locations for these Native American groups.

During both the Spanish and French occupations the colonial officials allowed public sales of lands by small Indian tribes to local merchants and land speculators. The Indian villages would then generally move and amalgamate with villages that had not sold their lands. The American State Papers has many case studies of these sales and migrations in conjunction with title questions resolved by the Congress or the General Land Office after the United States assumed control of the area following the Louisiana Purchase.

The development of large sugar cane plantations in Louisiana during antebellum days cleared much land that could have contained Native American sacred sites. Two military installations, Fort Polk and Barksdale Air Force Base, have the possible sites important to the Louisiana tribes and also to the Caddo, Aqupaw, Creek, Choctaw and Houma who once had an interest in the area. Fort Polk already has a Legacy project. Barksdale is presently conducting a survey of the cultural resources present within its borders.


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