Are you welcome to visit Tribal communities and Reservations?

Absolutely! We have been welcoming visitors - Indian and non-Indian – to our communities since the beginning of time. When visiting, please treat our home as you would anyone else’s – with respect for property, privacy and traditions. Here are a few suggestions to help you navigate.

• Not all ceremonies and performances are open to the general public. Public events will be announced.
• Observe ceremonies and performances respectfully.
• Ask permission before taking photographs or making recordings or sketches.
• Supervise your children at all times.
• Observe signs and stay in designated areas.
• Homes are private. Enter only when invited.
• Leave undisturbed any objects or artifacts, including fossils, that you may find on the ground.
• Alcohol, weapons and drugs are prohibited at tribal events.
• Obey all posted rules and laws. When uncertain, simply ask!

It’s common sense, really. So enjoy your visit and come back again and again.

Is it Indian-Made?

As you visit tribal communities you’ll see an amazing array of traditional and contemporary art – from painting and sculpture to beautiful textiles, beadwork, jewelry, quillwork, quilts and more. Our arts are distinct, and our artists are respected and valued.

If you would like to purchase a work of art, please observe the following suggestions to ensure that what you’re about to purchase is authentically produced by American Indian artists.

• Know what you are buying.
• Buy only from reputable sources and places.
• Ask for documentation such as a receipt that describes what you’ve purchased and identifies the artist.
• Whenever possible, buy directly from the artist.
• Know the artist’s name and tribal affiliation, and be sure each piece is signed or hallmarked (a logo or symbol that represents that specific artist). This is recommended for insurance purposes and will help document your trip and/or collection.
• Not all artists will bargain over price. This is a case-by-case situation.

If artworks are marketed as “American Indian,” they must be made by an enrolled member of a federally or state recognized tribe. If not, it is a violation of the federal Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 which was enacted to curtail exploitation of tribal artists and art forms. For more information, please contact the Indian Arts and Crafts Board (IACB), Department of the Interior, Washington, DC, at (202) 208-3773 or visit www.doi.gov/iach/

Do all Tribes operate casinos?

There are 562 federally recognized tribes in the United States today. Of these, two in five tribes have gaming operations. To learn more about tribal casinos, visit the National Indian Gaming Association’s website at www.indiangaming.org. You’ll discover that tribal casinos are just as different from one another as the tribes themselves. In most cases, casinos help tribes rise above the economic poverty many of our communities have known for generations. They provide jobs and services that are often rare in tribal communities. Revenues generated by casinos are dedicated to improving tribal education, health care, housing, natural and cultural resources, language, culture, infrastructure and government. Local, non-tribal communities benefit, too, in the form of jobs, financial support for essential governmental services and charitable contributions to schools, libraries and other non-profit organizations.