Established in 1795, the Indian Committee is the oldest PYM committee in continuous operation. In supporting the many projects that come before it, the Indian Committee places high priority on those that directly support Native American communities and the development of leadership and self-sufficiency in those communities.

During FY 99-00 the Indian Committee had 13 Members and 5 regular attenders [we have no paid staff support for the work of the Committee]. An average of 100 volunteers hours per month are contributed to the work of the Indian Committee.

The Committee has maintained contact with the Lenni Lenape Historical Society’s Museum of Indian Culture, and supported travel by Society members to Delaware tribes in the U.S. and Canada to establish contact and ongoing communication. In three past two years we have supported renovations necessary to expand educational programs at the museum. Our June 2000 meeting was held at the Museum. We are also working to gain a better understanding of the complexity of Indian communities in the Philadelphia area and have maintained contact with local Lenape leaders have met with the committee at past meetings. They have helped us better understand the different Indian groups in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, their challenges to sustain cultural and economic health of their communities, and the complex issue of identity and state and federal recognition.

The committee supported basic expenses for the continued development of a 30-minute documentary film by Philadelphia filmmaker C.L. Williams on the Schulykill River and Lenape perspectives on its spiritual importance and environmental state.

Projects supported in the past year have focus on education, youth leadership and job skills, health, and emergency relief: Some are briefly presented below:

The Committee has also supported the work of Dr. Neil Donohue in the development of a health care program for Native American reservations addressing the serious problem of diabetes.

The Committee have maintained contact with the Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne to determine further assistance for the Freedom School which fosters the Mohawk language and culture.

The committee has also maintained regular visits to the Mowa Choctaw Academy in Alabama where we are working with teachers to determine and assist with salaries, teaching materials (financial aid to mail donated encyclopedias, for example), and computer software needs.

Support of the Oglala Relief Fund organized by AFSC after tornadoes of June 1999. Relief support was also provided to Navajo families at Big Mountain Black Mesa in Arizona who are resisting forced relocation from their lands.

Support of travel by Columbian native peoples to come to this area to present issues threatening their survival such as the impact of drug wars.

Support of Tribal Images Youth Council conference to build leadership among youth of southwestern tribes through a Native Youth Leadership Conference

Support for organization and operation of annual All-West Native American Basketball Classic and Youth Weekend in Denver, June 2-4,2000. This gathering focused on Native youth from the mountain states.

Support for the organization and travel of representatives for first Native Youth Gathering organized by AFSC and held August 3-5 in California. This was a very successful gathering of young Native people active in their communities to help them build leadership skills.

The Committee continued annual support for two Native American organizations which provide important support for legal and social issues nation-wide: the Association on American Indian Affairs and the Native American Rights Fund. Newsletters from these organizations help us keep informed of key issues.

The Committee has continued to work with AFSC Native American/Native Peoples Task Force, FCNL, and the Indian Committee of Baltimore Yearly Meeting to address the issue of sovereignty and land issues. In particular the Committee has been reviewing the U.N. Draft Declaration on the Rights of indigenous Peoples and potential support from Friends on its adoption.

The Committee has also worked with AFSC in supporting a fact-finding trip and report on land claims in the Iroquois Confederacy in New York.

The Committee’s long relationship with ACFIA (Associated Committee on Friends and Indian Affairs) has been maintained via our continued support and active visitation with the Mowa Choctaw School.

Committee members were active in preparing and leading two different workshops at the Friends General Conference, held July 1-8, 2000. Melissa Elliott worked with Ed Nakawatase for the workshop “Friends and Native Americans”. The Committee supported travel for two Native leaders to participate in this workshop: Oren Lyons and John Mohawk. Nancy Webster led the workshop “The Past as Prologue to the Future: Topics in American Quaker History”

Committee members continued to make themselves available to speak at several Friends Meetings and Schools, and we continue to make a curriculum packet on the Lenni Lenape/Delaware available to Friends Schools at no cost. The Committee assisted in the preparation of an exhibit on Friends and Indians for the Arch Street Meetinghouse (which opened Fall 1999 and ran through Spring 2000).

The Indian Committee was present in a demonstration held at the Mexican Consulate in Philadelphia in January 1998 to protest the Chiapas massacre

Lois Kuter, Clerk