Native Americans as a Bi-Cultural Society

Over the decades, Native American culture has become a bi-cultural society. Native Americans exist as self-governing people, for the fact that their nationhood preceded that of the United States. The United States has acknowledged a special "government-to-government" basis for Native people. The United States set up contractual and statutory responsibilities to protect remaining lands and to promote the health, welfare and education of Native Americans. The Government also holds about 56 million acres in trust for the tribes acknowledged by the federal government. Currently there are 314 federally recognized tribes and groups in the form of reservations and trust lands.

Unfortunately there were many instances when the U.S. government, acting as trustee of the land and resources,...