“One-in-four of all Native Americans and Alaska Natives are living in poverty.”(Krogstad, Jens M.) “Two of the five poorest of the United States 3,142 counties are located on Indian Reservations” (U.S. Census Bureau of 2012). 18.5% of Native Americans and Alaska Natives over the age of 25 had bachelor's degrees; this compares to 30.1% of all Americans (U.S. Census Bureau). The percentage of Native Americans and Alaska Natives who lack health insurance is 23.1, while only 11.7% of Americans lack this service (U.S. Census Bureau). But why? Government regulations, abuse of treaty rights, and programs, although meant to be helpful, are trapping Native Americans in poverty.

A  huge problem that continues today is government abuse of timber and milling rights granted to the Dakota and Ojibwe tribes in the “White Pine Treaty”. The American Fur Company paid the Dakota $16,000 in cash and goods up front while the Ojibwe received $24,000 for their land. The company agreed to pay the Dakota “$40,000 per year for years to come,” and allow the Ojibwe to retain “rights to use the land for hunting, fishing and other purposes.” The tribes were paid but the land was abused until the Supreme Court ruling in 1999 where the rights were returned (“Relations: Dakota & Ojibwe Treaties”). Those resources weren’t the government’s to take. If people found out the government had stolen money from them it would be a huge deal, but because it was natural resources that were taken, it seems less severe. Tribes are living in poverty because those resources could’ve been used to make money.

There are many ways the government causes the Native Americans to remain in poverty. Shawn Regan, a Director of Publications and a Research Fellow at PERC (Property and Environment Research Center), explains some of these practices. The government manages their lands and economic development, hinders economic growth through an elaborate framework of laws, regulates energy, and mismanages their assets (Regan). These government programs and laws don’t allow Native Americans to flourish and grow as a community. If they weren’t limited by the government, their hard work would payoff and promote more of it. Native Americans don’t usually own their own homes or lands on reservations, so they can’t mortgage their assets for loans like other Americans, which makes starting a business very hard (Regan). Energy development on reservations can take years to process while it takes people on private lands only a few months (Regan). Recent estimates say reservations contain about “$1.5 trillion” in natural resources but most will go undeveloped because of government interference (Regan). All these limits and regulations that affect only Native Americans are not reasonable or helpful.

“The BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) maintains programs for tribal government, social services, law enforcement, infrastructure, and stewardship of land, water, and other natural resources in Indian Country.”(5 Native American Funding Facts) For 2019, they have a current budget of “$2.4 billion” to use for these programs. Due to all of the areas that need funding, this isn’t enough to properly help them to become more self-sufficient and it is less than previous years by over $400 million. In child welfare services alone, $206 million was sent to tribes across our nation (“Grant Amounts Allocated to American Indians...FY 2018). It might seem as though more funding would lead to them being less self-sufficient, but in reality, the money is used to create jobs and to improve education. Both of these can lead to a better life because more jobs means more and more Native Americans working and education helps them to get higher quality jobs off of the reservation. Due to the fact that both of these are lacking, American Indians aren’t as motivated to work. If someone did want to this person either wouldn’t have the proper education or there wouldn’t be a job available. This is why Native Americans sometimes resort to selling drugs as their only source of income and end up in poverty or in jail.

The effects on Native Americans, from years of mistreatment and mismanagement of them and their lands, are poverty and depression. Poverty rates among Native Americans rank highest in the country. Year after year they struggle with finding jobs and paying for themselves, let alone if they have to pay for a family. Many people think that they all receive a large check from the government or a stipend from the casino but this is not always true. According to “5 Native American Funding Facts,” “the U.S. government does not mail out basic assistance checks to people simply because they are Native American.” Welfare is sent out to Native Americans who are veterans, disabled, or retired after years of work (5 Native American Funding Facts). These checks are sent to all Americans in these categories so it isn’t a special privilege. Some Native Americans receive portions of their tribe-owned casino’s profit, but “5 Native American Funding Facts” says, “fewer than 15% of Indian tribes operate prosperous casinos.” This means that 85% of casinos don’t have payouts or don’t payout very much because it is spread amongst the tribe. Many Native Americans are in poverty, and it isn’t always because they poorly spend their government and casino checks; it’s because many don’t get them.

Health issues are an effect from years of struggles on Native Americans. Some of the effects on the children living in poverty, according to “INDIAN COUNTRY POVERTY FACTS,” are “poor academic achievement, school dropout, abuse and neglect, behavioral and social problems, physical health problems, and developmental delays.” It’s so much more than poverty. They also said it can cause low self-esteem, depression, and anxiety (INDIAN COUNTRY POVERTY FACTS). All of these effects are a concoction for a hard adulthood with drugs and alcohol use to “help” cope. Growing up in poverty is messing up the rest of their lives because learning is harder from slower development, poor physical health,  and the stress of not knowing where their next meal is coming from.

Native American struggles with treaty abuse, government mismanagement, and underderfunding in their programs, caused the poverty and health issues that many of them live with today. They were taken advantage of years ago by the government, and still, to this day, pay for it. Most of their health issues don’t just go away, and will have permanent effects on their lives. From things that happened to them as kids. From things they had no say in. The struggles will continue until there is a drastic change in their treatment and funding from the government. Imagine trying to live the American Dream of working out of poverty and into prosperity, but the resources needed are restricted by the government or received in a much slower manner. This is the life of way too many Native Americans.

Works Cited

“Relations: Dakota & Ojibwe Treaties” Treatiesmatterorg Educator Comments.

“5 Native American Funding Facts” Native American History and Culture: Boarding Schools - American Indian Relief Council Is Now Northern Plains Reservation Aid.

“Grant Amounts Allocated to American Indian Entities Administering a Federal TANF Program, a Federal NEW Program, and a Federal Tribal TANF Child Welfare Coordination Grant Program, FY.

“INDIAN COUNTRY POVERTY FACTS.” Goodthinking 4 All Our Relations.

Krogstad, Jens Manuel, and Jens Manuel Krogstad. “One-in-Four Native Americans and Alaska Natives Are Living in Poverty.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 13 June 2014.

Regan, Shawn. “Five Ways the Government Keeps Native Americans in Poverty | Shawn Regan.” FEE, Foundation for Economic Education, 3 Sept. 2016.

“Relations: Dakota & Ojibwe Treaties” Treatiesmatterorg Educator Comments.

US Census Bureau. “Newsroom.” Census Bureau QuickFacts, United States Census Bureau, 3 Aug. 2018.