Brothertown Indian Nation

How to Help

Brothertown Indians have a long history of strength, hard work, and self-reliance. You can continue that history by helping to shape the future of BIN. Listed below are some ideas, but you can think of more.

Most important: Take a stand and be heard.

• Write the Office of Federal Acknowledgment
• Write your Senator and your Representative
• Involve your children in the work of the tribe and teach them the Brothertown history of how Christian Indians from six tribes and seven locations came together as one tribe to emigrate to New York, and then to Wisconsin.
• Write the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs about problems with the process of Federal Recognition of Indian tribes. Among other things, it is:
  -expensive (we've spent more than $50,000, not including many, many thousands more in volunteer hours, services, and materials)
  -time-consuming (we began the process almost 30 years ago and our petition was not reviewed for 13 years)
  -slanted toward a specific type of Indian experience
  -highly vulnerable to changes in administration perspective (three administrations since petition submitted and five since the process began
  
• Be part of the Brothertown Picnic (July 10, 2010).
• Come Home, occasionally. Homecoming is October 16, 2010. There are things to do for adults, children, veterans... all Brothertown members.
• Record the stories of your Brothertown parents and grandparents on tape, video, or in writing. Provide copies to BIN, as well as to your children.
• Make sure everyone in your family is getting - and reading - the Brothertown newsletter.
• Volunteer to keep BIN informed of family changes - and help keep your family aware of BIN news.
• Make sure you and the Brothertown tribe are counted in the Census. Let the Census Bureau know that you are a member of the Brothertown Indian Nation when responding to the "enrolled" or "principal" tribe question on the 2010 Census.
• Get involved in regional activities. Share your expertise with your tribe. (Use Contact Us!)

It's especially important to share with BIN the following kinds of information:

• The addresses by decade (1850 to 2010) for your ancestors, family, and yourself.
• Record, on tape, video, or in writing, the stories of your parents and grandparents as Brothertown Indians. Provide copies to BIN, as well as to your children.
• Diaries, letters, or scrapbooks, (copies only) that tell of the events and everyday life in Brothertown history.
• Any help or recognition that you or a family member received as a Brothertown Indian from the government or another organization, including scholarships, trust payments, letters, or other forms of communication.
• Your current address, e-mail address, and telephone number, so that we can communicate more quickly and less expensively than using the U.S. post office. We will not sell or share this information with any third party.
• A good address for every other adult family member.