Place Eagle Distribution In Hands of Indian Nations

Place Management of Sacred Eagle Parts With Indian Nations

March 25, 2009 (API)

Four men arrested by the u.s. Fish and Wildlife Service is the result poor processing of returning Eagle carcasses to American Indian applicants, American Indians claim.

The recent bust was the culmination of an undercover investigation into illegal killing of eagles between the justice department and Fish and Wildlife.  A similar %u2018sting%u2019 occurred in the 1980%u2019s where many %u201CNative American Church%u201D (NAC) members were arrested for killing Eagles and selling their feathers.

At that time, Secretary of Interior James Watt utilized numerous eagle carcasses that were actually already in frozen storage at the Eagle Repository, eagles that were killed by not by church members, but by power company power lines, farming chemicals, and prairie dog poisoning. To stage that event, media frenzy was coordinated out of Sioux Falls, SD - with dozens of government killed birds on full display for cameras %u2013 that precluding the bust, aired live on national news.

The four arrested in this sting operation were Ricky Sam Wahchumwah, of Granger, Washington, Alfred L. Hawk Jr., of White Swan, Washington, William Wahsise, also of White Swan, Washington, and Reginald Dale Akeen, of Anadarko, Oklahoma, who are being charged with being involved with killing eagles and selling feathers and other bird parts in violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and the Lacey Act.

One complaint outlines a purchase from Alfred Hawk, Jr. that yielded a bald eagle tail, two golden eagle tails, one set of golden eagle wings, four red-shafted northern flicker tails, four rough-legged hawk tails, and two northern harrier tails for a total of $3,000. According to the documents, Hawk and William Wahsise allegedly hunted and killed three bald eagles on the morning of the sale, by sitting near some wild horses killed to bait and attract the eagles.

Another complaint alleges that Ricky Wahchumwah sold one golden eagle tail in violation of the law. The sworn affidavit accompanying the complaint states that Wahchumwah sold the tail to an undercover special agent for $500. A fourth complaint, filed in the District of Oregon, alleges that Reginald Akeen made several sales to an undercover agent, including two fans made from juvenile golden eagle feathers worth over $3,000.   

%u201CAs with so many instances regarding the conservation and use of our natural resources, the illegal actions of a few selfish individuals have the potential to hurt the interests of the majority of people who respect the resource,%u201D said Paul Chang, Special Agent in Charge of Law Enforcement for the Service's Pacific Region. %u201CIt is alarming that eagles, sacred to many, could be at risk because of the illegal greed-driven actions of relatively few individuals.%u201D

But American Indians, many who wait years to receive feathers that are utilized in ceremonies and celebrations, feel that Fish & Wildlife management - or lack thereof - of Eagle Repository distribution of dead eagle remains contributes to such foreignistic, barbaric actions by a few greedy ones. American Indians, prior to columbus washing up, never killed members of the Bird Nations.

%u201CThis will not hurt the interests of the majority of us who attain our feathers either through the repository or from our ancestors.%u201D Replied a tribal citizen. %u201CI think that statement by the agent in charge, Chang, of Fish and Wildlife shows their stinginess and arrogance with these feathers and parts that American Indians need.%u201D

The ever-increasing waiting list of American Indian applicants for eagle remains may, indeed be a cause for the immoral actions of a few.  Over 98% of all eagle deaths are directly related to power lines, farming chemicals, and prairie dog poisoning %u2013 all %u2018legal%u2019 and in effect sanctioned by the u.s. government and its Fish & Wildlife department. Hundreds of birds sit on ice, awaiting selective distribution of the sacred parts to Indians who patiently wait. Many Indians feel the local Indian Tribes should handle all remains and their processing %u2013 as they have done for millions of years.

Eagles and other protected migratory birds and their feathers and parts are viewed as very sacred in within indigenous culture, with the feathers crucial to religious and spiritual Ways of Life,

By american law %u2013 often imposed upon Indian Nation Citizenry in violation of supreme law Treaties (protected by Article VI of the U.S. Constitution) only enrolled members of federally recognized, 1934 act tribal council regimes, and are forced to obtain %u2018permits%u2019 to possess eagle parts for religious purposes.

Fish & Wildlife claims it works to increase the number of salvaged eagles sent to the Repository and to make it easier to send birds to the facility by providing shipping materials at no charge. But beaurocratic %u201Cwhite tape%u201D %u2013 as many Indian Nation citizens claim, finds the numerous carcasses held in limbo. The Repository also obtains eagles from state and federal agencies, as well as zoos.

Indian Nations may encourage any non-Indigenous person who finds a dead eagle to return the carcass to the nearest tribal headquarters, while Fish & Wildlife encourages anyone who finds an eagle carcass or eagle feathers or other parts to contact their office.

%u201CThere should be an Eagle Repository on each reservation.  We can handle our own spirituality and we can develop the formula based on tribal enrollment and requests in order to get these sacred parts distributed immediately and without unnecessary delay.%u201D

It is recommended that people urge the Obama administration allow local Indian Nations to manage the remains or at the minimum, force their Interior Department to make the necessary enhancements and corrections as to how Fish & Wildlife and the Eagle Repository distributes sacred Eagle remains to Indigenous Citizenry.