International Indian Treaty Council

The International Indian Treaty Council (IITC) is a group made up of people from many places, including North, Central, and South America, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. These people are known as Indigenous Peoples. They work together to help protect their rights, their lands, and their traditions.

The IITC focuses on helping Indigenous Peoples keep their freedom to make their own decisions about their communities. They want the world to respect the agreements, called treaties, that were made between Indigenous groups and governments long ago. These treaties are very important to many Indigenous communities.

By working together, the IITC tries to make sure that the cultures, lands, and way of life of Indigenous Peoples are protected and valued. Their work helps keep traditions alive and ensures that these communities have a say in what happens to their own lands and people.

History

The International Indian Treaty Council (IITC) started in 1974 during a meeting on the land of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. This meeting brought together leaders from 97 tribes and nations across North and South America.

Later meetings followed, including one in 1976 on the land of the Yanktonai Dakota people. In 1977, the IITC organized a big meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, about fairness for Indigenous groups in the Americas. Since then, the United Nations has recognized IITC as an important group working for Indigenous rights.

Objectives

The International Indian Treaty Council (IITC) helps Indigenous Peoples from many places around the world to protect their rights and lands. It supports their efforts by sharing information, connecting groups, and speaking up for their needs. The IITC works with big international groups like the United Nations to make sure Indigenous voices are heard.

The IITC wants to help Indigenous Peoples take part in important meetings around the world. It also wants recognition for agreements between Indigenous groups and countries. The IITC supports the rights and freedom of Indigenous Peoples, works against unfair treatment, and builds friendships among Indigenous groups. It shares news about their struggles and helps others understand their issues. The IITC also sets up offices to manage its work and guide people on how to share their stories with the world.

Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

The International Indian Treaty Council (IITC) played an important role in creating the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which was approved by the United Nations in 2007. The IITC worked hard to make sure this important document was accepted.

In 2004, the IITC organized a protest to protect the rights of indigenous peoples who were at risk of losing their land. This included issues like unfair treatment of the environment and losing important resources.

The Indigenous Peoples Sunrise Ceremony

Since the mid-1970s, the International Indian Treaty Council has organized the Indigenous Peoples' Sunrise Ceremony. This is an annual event held on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, in the United States of America.

The ceremony takes place on the United States Thanksgiving holiday in November. It honors a special feast that happened on Thanksgiving Day in 1969 during the Occupation of Alcatraz.

Treaty Council News

In 1977, the International Indian Treaty Council started publishing a bulletin called Treaty Council News. This was one of the first news publications for Indigenous people in the United States. Today, the Council still publishes this bulletin online through its website.

Notable people

The International Indian Treaty Council was started in 1974 by Bill Means from the Oglala Lakota group. Many important people have worked with the council over the years. These include Jimmie Durham, Paul Chaat Smith who comes from both the Comanche and Choctaw groups, Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, Bill Wahpepah from the Sac & Fox, Hinewirangi Kohu Morgan from the Māori, Bumpy Kanahele from the Native Hawaiian community, and Andrea Carmen, the Executive Director, who has Yaqui heritage.