The TVA Prevents Access to The Chickamauga Nation Sacred Sites and Hallowed Ground By Flooding Them
The United States continues its War of Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing against The Chickamauga Nation which began in 1776 by its soldiers murdering, raping, pillaging, and taking women and children as sex-slaves when they attacked our Lower Town villages as documented in the War Department Records and sworn courtroom testimonies of Revolutionary War annuitant soldiers. They refuse to allow The Chickamauga Nation access to Homelands, Sacred Sites, and Hallowed Grounds because the United States’ TVA flooding them. While The Chickamauga Nation is a Federally Recognized Tribe under current Federal Statute and Code, they are denied access to their Homelands, Sacred Sites, and Hallowed Ground by the TVA and other Federal Agencies because they are not one of the 575 Tribes on the List for Services.
The Following Laws prevent the TVA and almost all other Federal Agencies from working with The Chickamauga Nation because they are NOT on the List for Services.
National Historic Preservation Act (1966)
This act requires review and approval from appropriate authorities for any project, activity or program that could have an effect on the character or use of archaeological or other historic properties. These include projects, activities or programs that are on TVA lands, receive financial assistance from TVA or require TVA permitting, licensing or approval.
Archaeological Resources Protection Act (1979)
This act makes it a crime to dig for or remove archaeological resources from all federal land, including TVA-managed land, without a research permit. Archaeological resources are defined as any material remains of human life or activities that are at least 100 years of age and are of archaeological interest.
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (1990)
NAGPRA places two important responsibilities on federal agencies:
• It requires federal agencies and museums to inventory Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects and objects of cultural patrimony in their possession and repatriate those items to a lineal descendant or affiliated Native American group.
• It establishes regulations and procedures for the intentional excavation or inadvertent discovery of Native American remains and associated objects on federal or tribal lands.
Anyone who discovers human remains and associated burial objects on TVA lands or during activities related to a TVA project should contact the TVA Police.
TVA’s Detailed Plan of Actions 2021
Overview:
The United States government has a unique legal relationship with Federally Recognized Indian Tribes (“Tribes”) set forth in the Constitution of the United States, treaties, statutes, and court decisions. As a federal agency, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is committed to work with Tribes within the framework of a government-to-government relationship, respecting tribal sovereignty and self-determination. The government-to-government relationship requires consultation between appropriate Tribal officials and TVA officials. TVA’s Tribal Consultation Official, Rebecca Tolene, has principal responsibilities under Executive Order (EO) 13175 (“Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments”). TVA’s Tribal Liaison, Marianne Shuler, will assist in the performance of tribal consultations and other duties under EO 13175.
The United States government has both moral and legal obligations to tribal nations. The
relationship between federal agencies and Tribes should be treated as a partnership. Over the past
five years, TVA has increased its efforts to provide partnership and engagement opportunities to
strengthen TVA’s relationship with Tribes, and to encourage meaningful cultural interaction between
tribal representatives, TVA staff, and the public. The goal is to:
1. promote tribal sovereignty;
2. strengthen and build new relationships with Tribes;
3. improve understanding of TVA’s government-to-government relationship with Tribes;
4. increase awareness of Native American culture; and
5. provide platforms for Tribes to present their perspective in their own voice.
TVA Tribal Consultation Official is Rebecca Tolene
Contact Information is 400 West Summit Hill Drive, Knoxville, TN 37902.
865-632-2101.
TVAINFO@TVA.COM
(C) This document was produced at the request of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on July 18, 2019, to document the History, Anthropology, Culture, Religion, and Archaeology of The Chickamauga Nation.