Donations and Gifts
PLEASE HELP OUR TRIBE... TO
MEET ITS LAND MORTGAGE AND TAX PAYMENTS, AND REDEEM OUR ANCESTRAL BURIAL
GROUNDS AND ANCENT VILLAGE SITE!
Our ANA Grant funds
may not be used to make land
payments.
PLEASE HELP TAKE THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OFF OUR CHIEF'S
FAMILY
Now is the time: Who We Amonsoquath Are
http://www.amonsoquathbandofcherokee.com/whoweare.html
In the summer of 1998, our incorporated tribe was given a non-gambling business opportunity. It was an opportunity being taken advantage of by some other traditional tribes for raising revenues and was shared with us through family channels.
The business could have easily made our tribe self-sufficient -- using natural materials - water - from beneath our property.
Until... a few members of the tribal council decided to "go into business for themselves" in the summer of 1999.
An clumsy, illegal and unsuccessful attempt was made by a minority faction on our council, and a few greedy others, to take over the tribal government. The coup attempt failed, but it was not without repercussions.
As a result, tribal finances have gone into a tailspin, because monies were embezzled.
Federal and state investigators have refused to help us, leading us to believe that these governments are tring to shut down our tribe, which is a remnant of the Powhatan Confederacy -- the oldest sovereignty in the U.S. (as the first encountered by the English in Virginia), and was just starting to get on its feet after 400 years since its incorporation in 1993.
We have recently been informed by an informed source within government, that this takeover may be funded and inspired by gambling interests, and similar tribal government takeovers are underway, in our sister tribes, using the same tactics, and by the same perpetrators involved.
We wish we could tell you more, but it would compromise ongoing investigations. We would like to add that this kind of vicious intrigue is, and has been going on, in Indian Country for years, as more and more bona-fide tribes seek recognition.
The reason is that tribes like ours, which are traditional and do NOT want to use gambling or other undesirable methods of raising funds.
We are not judging individuals who like to gamble. We do no want gambling operations, with its attendant evils, in our back yard - or our front yard. We see what gambling has done to our cousins in Norh Carolina and elsewhere, so our tribal constitution forbids using gambling as a business.
Still, attempts are being made all over Indian Country, through conspiracies, blackmail, violence, etc. to force Native Sovereignties into the gambling business, and we simply refuse to "go there!"
We would simply prefer to continue to live here without modern conveniences, in tarpaper shacks - as we have for many years - with out gambling in ANY form including Bingo, than to bring in the influences that gambling enterprises attract, like alcohol, drugs, and prostitution.
At least we have the original 705 foot well, which provides water to the rez. Our chief hauled water to the property for 3 years so it is a great blessing.
We still have no underground water piping, and use hoses... but not in the winter when water is taken to buildings, by the bucket, as needed
Thank you all for considering all these burdensome things, and for considering donating money. NO DONATION IS TOO SMALL and are tax deductible.
For all those who are thinking of sending donations to help our tribe, which is a non-profit corporation, please bear in mind that Chief Walking Bear is now having to paying all the tribal obligations out of his own pocket, and he is sinking fast. We will lose telephone and internet services soon, and have already received cut off notices.
Some local members are helping, but this is the poorest county in Missouri. He will soon be losing telephone service soon because of it. We have also lost the ability to do mailings to our 700 members to appeal for funds, so that really cripples us as most simply don't know what is happening!
$6300 dollars total is needed to pay off the land and other obligations, and to pay our taxes, so every little bit will help!
Please send donations, which are TAX DEDUCTIBLE, made out to:
Amonsoquath Tribe of Cherokee, Inc.
ADDRESSED TO OUR TREASURER EXACTLY AS SHOWN:
Chief Walking Bear Wilson
Rt 1 Box 127,
Van Buren, MO 63965
As an Indian Tribe we are a not "recognized for services from the Secretary of the Interior," but are affirmed as a sovereign nation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, who has furnished us with three ANA or Administration for Native Americans Grant to help us clarify our petitition for recognition.
This ANA grant, after professional services for Ethnologists and Federal Recognition Consultants, allowed the Tribe about $31,000 last year to pay for three part time employees, phone service, and a pittance for office supplies and office space rent.
We are grateful to ANA and Health and Human Services for what they do, but their budget is only 2.5 million a year to help 200 tribes, many of whom wait for their grants to be funded.
Seeking recognition from the Secretary of the Interior, takes many years, of effort, expenditure, and research.
The per capita income of the Indians who live on the Tribe's property, is about $3,600 per year.
No Indian tribe recognized by the federal government lately has spent less that $250,000 to $400,000 dollars to get "federally recognized." Once we become federally recognized, we will be eligible for services from the Secretary of the Interior, including special grants and health services. Until then, we must compete with all other non-profit charities in the United States
Many of you reading this may be descendants of Pocahontas, and if so this is your Tribal home. By the way, the entire British Royal Family are all cousins of ours!
We "hid-out" from Missouri's anti-indian laws between 1831 and fairly recently when those laws were dropped from state statues. The 1834 Non-Intercourse Act of Congress illegally took away our lands which were granted from Spain in 1793, which had been guaranteed to us by the Treaty of Ghent and the Louisiana Purchase Treaty of 1803. Our ancestors signed the Treaty of 1677 with Virginia, when the Virginia Company lost its Royal charter, and had to bargain with our ancestors for lands.
If you are thinking about a gift of any kind, our tribe literally needs everything, as we have no running water in our homes, no inside toilets, poorly insulated structures, etc.
We live in the poorest half of the poorest county in Missouri, and live way below 50% of the poverty level.
Before we got our well last year, our Chief personally hauled water from 10 miles away almost daily for several years. We very much need an underground water system to distribute well water to our homes. Now that we have water, more families are moving onto the reservation.
Our computers are antiquated, so we could use hardware and software of all kinds. We are also in need of non-profit research software, etc.
Just about anything you can think of would be welcomed as a gift here, provided it is operable.
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The Amonsoquath Band of Cherokee, Inc. is exempt from federal taxes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and has received a ruling that it is a publicly supported organization as described in sections 509(a)(1) and 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) of the Internal Revenue Code.
THIS IS AN OFFICIAL SOVEREIGN AMONSOQUATH
BAND OF CHEROKEE GOVERNMENT SPONSORED WEB SITE
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Woman.