Show End to Indian Poverty I Exclusion from Society Seen by Indian Speaker The American Indian soon will have moved into the ranks ot at the foremost fore Americans cans I Robert L Bennett US Com I missioner of Indian Affairs predicted Wednesday night in Salt Lake City Addressing a special work shop on Indians at the sity of utah he said In the sum the future for American spirit of Indian self awareness I have an abiding confidence in inthe inthe the good sense and ability of the Indian people to face the years immediately ahead with as much skill kill and determination as their forefathers dis played in times past INDIAN INVOLVEMENT The dependency relationship with the Bureau of Indian Af fairs is already replacing itself with Indian involvement in policy making The culmination of this trend will be the end of Indian poverty and exclusion he said Mr Bennett himself an In In- In Indian dian began his work within the Bureau of Indian Affairs at atthe atthe the Uintah and Ouray Reserva tion He said that within the next decade and in some cas cas- cas cases es sooner the following changes in activity will be highly evident Indian leadership will be beI I I the moving force within all federal efforts to help American Indians The federal government will be involved in a partner partner- partnership ship with Indian tribes to pro pro- promote mote self determination and a standard of living for Indians equal to that of the country as asa asa a whole Tribes will be conducting their own school programs fOJ fox their reservations population probably through contracts with universities or research and development centers INDIAN HISTORY All schools serving Indian children whether tribal public or federal will offer programs giving attention to Indian his tory and culture and childrens special language needs Most Indian reservations will have set aside land for in in- in industrial and commercial de de- de development and new sties will have m materialized in those areas Indian employment in such areas will be greatly increased over present levels and more Indians will have acquired the i know how to open their new businesses Thousands of Indians who are school children today will willbe willbe be engaged in higher studies for specialized and profession profession- al work such as doctors law law- lawyers and teachers POVERTY DISSIPATED The sorry aspects of the culture of poverty that have clung to Indian tribes for a hundred years will be dissipated ed in every Indian community where the people have made an effort to help themselves in planning with local and federal development agencies The best of Indian culture will enjoy a full revival and the Indian outlook on life Ufe will have havea a leavening effect upon the pre pre pre- present sent tendency of the American society to overemphasize mat mat- material erial values But the most pressing need of the Indian people now is isto isto to make available to 10 the Indian the choices of alternatives in career residence and employ employ- employment ment that are available to other Americans PRIDE OF SELF To do this he said one of the first things we are trying to todo todo do is to give the Indians pride of self We are having some effect There are more tribal cere cere- cere ceremonies monies going on than ever be be- be before fore and more young people are taking part and developing pride in their own identity Deseret News |