The land was taken away from these tribes through numerous dishonest dealings. The Dawes act that Gargoyle references was a way to try to round up Indians back in the 1880s - it would give out a portion of land to each who registered and take the rest back (many tribes refused to, in protest, and are now shit-out-of-luck).

There are billions owed to tribes by the Dept of the Interior and that lawsuit has dragged on for years.

The American Indians in most areas have been treated like poor-stepchildren (Indians are to the rest of America what Palestinians are to Israel). That said, I am always suspicious of fund-raisers and the touchy-feeling spiritual outpouring of groups who are wannabes and outright fakes. It seems there just isn't a way for a lot of tribes to catch a break - the government won't work with them and the people who raise money on their behalf are often times crooks who take the money and run.

SRS