AIM: The Occupation of the BIA

THE OCCUPATION OF THE BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS

The occupation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, (B.I.A.), in Washington D.C. took place on November 3/1972. There was a nationwide caravan set up by the leaders of the American Indian Movement,(AIM.). was first founded in 1968 in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. A group of Native people noticed that an unusually high number of Native people were being arrested and there was evidence of police brutality. So a small group of Native's took shifts to watch the nightly occurrences of arrests on Native people. When police were aware of their presence, over a span of ten months, the arrests of Native citizens was minimized to almost nil. In the next year, 1969 the occupation of Alcatraz occurred. The reason being the San Francisco Indian Center had burned to the ground, leaving American Indians United, while visiting for a conference, with no place for accommodations.

On November 3/1972, A.I.M. organized a nationwide caravan, which they would refer to as the "Trail of Broken Treaties Caravan". Their goal was to gain positive media coverage and through this they would get support from the general public to start a policy of self determination for American Indians. They chose the date carefully, it was to take place right before the Presidential elections. The government would be forced to listen to their requests. The leaders of A.I.M. wrote a proposal that they would call the "Twenty Points". The government would be forced to listen to their requests. Another reason was to create favorable public sentiment for the cause of treaty enforcement. The "Trail of Broken Treaties" caravan would retrace the path of the Trail of Tears", this same route was taken by the Southeastern Nations of the U.S.A.. They were driven from their homelands in 1838, so that white settlers could live there. Under military surveillance they were marched from Georgia to Oklahoma. Most of the people died on this heartless journey, especially the very old and the very young. When a death occurred the people refused to bury the bodies of their loved ones in a strange and far off land so they carried them.

Once in Washington , support from other reservations nearby brought the number of protesters in the caravan much higher than anticipated. Many of the Eastern tribes were represented, 80% from reserves in the same area. In total there was approximately 2,000 protesters, with no accommodations. The initial sleeping arrangements were made at the Department of Interiors Auditorium. As the protesters left the B.I.A. building guards began pushing them out. So the Natives ran back into the B.I.A., believing that they would be brutalized by the riot police. They barricaded themselves in, the initial occupation was unintentional . This spur of the moment decision was made by the leaders of A.I.M.. They stayed there for six days, while police made further attempts to breach their security.

Finally on November 9/72 a resolution occurred. With the final outcome being: no prosecutions to the protesters involved, Sixty Six Thousand ($66,000.oo) for return transportation for the occupants, and that the "Twenty Points" would be considered and a response granted. With this hope in mind the then weary protesters left.

Two months later on January 9/73, the newly elected President Nixon's reply to the "Twenty Points" was disheartening The administration rejected any notion of treaty enforcement or treaty reform. The first Nixon's administration accomplishment was noted and they promised more positive action. In other words all hope for the "Twenty Points" was diminished and with it the dreams of Native self determination. The only positive outcome was that while in the B.I.A. office the Natives seized a large number of the BIA's most confidential files. The documents revealed among other things, a range of questionable government practices with regards to reservation land and mineral rights.

In Jeanette Armsrong's Slash we get a personalized perspective of the "Trail of Broken Treaties Caravan". The main character Slash goes to Washington to educate himself in order to educate his people back on the reserve in Canada. One of the important points that Armstrong suggests is that Native people do not think the same way as White people. She also speaks of unity at the protests, everyone is there for the same reason. The use of the drum provides songs filled with inspiration and recollections of our past. The heartbeat of the drum gives strength which encourages Native people to be proud of their heritage. Prayers are said to honor the Creator and our ancestors. Armstrong speaks of the battle not only with White's but also of Native against native, such as the Tribal Councils selling out to the government. She believes that they are corrupting Native land and Native people. Another interesting point to note, is that Armstrong speaks of is support from the Civil Rights Movement as well as strong support from the Black Panther Movement.

Jimmy Dick is a Cree from James Bay, he was an occupant from the B.I.A. protest. He said Natives were tired of police brutality, living in constant poverty. Other problems faced by Natives were lack of employment, housing and health care. Jimmy Dick's reflection of this was:" People that were associated with A.I.M. and their supporters wanted it to be known that the demands being made reflected all Native's in the United States and we are for that even to this day".