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Reserves in RamaValley In addition to the sister reserves dotted across the county, the Renapi live in three reserves in RamaValley: two on the banks of the Ramford River; and the third, most northern reserve which contains many lakes and tributaries of the river. The reserves permit the Renapi to pursue hunting and fishing as well as manufacturing and farming. The most northern reserve, is mountainous and largely covered in hardwood for the most part. A section of nearly 600 acres is farmed. The hardwoods include oak, hickory, elm, birch, maple (both sugar maple and red maple), and beech, among others. On the reserve can be found black bear, coyote, fox, deer, (an occasional lost moose visiting from Maine), muskrat, mink, weasels, eagles, porcupine, opossum, bobcat, and snakes. The Renapi enjoy hunting, they do not like state imposed seasons for hunting. The snows can be heavy inland. They fish in the river and in the lakes on the reserve. The southern reserves, which are smaller are, for the most part farmland and marshland, with a housing areas compared to the larger reserve. They rely on the crabs and shellfish for much of their diet. There is often mobility among the reserves, with individuals moving between relatives' homes. The reserves have modern housing originally provided by HUD and community block grants to the tribe. The homes are largely designed as suburban housing developments, and cluster housing. The wood clapboarded homes, which provide about 2000 square feet of living space, are colonial style, generally with three or four bedrooms, a greatroom (family room and living room combined), kitchen and a separate dining area. The homes use well water. There are full basements in the northern reserve and partial basements in the southern reserves. Indoor plumbing is connected to a septic system. There are no garages for vehicles, which tend to be parked in the driveways. Separate garages are common but often used for hanging game or storage. Each reserve has a health clinic which offers medical services to tribal members, their families (which could include non-Indians), and social services to eligible tribal members. The tribal offices are on the northern reserve, a modest building which was once a WWII army building. There is a youth center near the tribal offices where there is a basketball court, tennis courts, and computer labs; job training is provided for young people. Economic Life The tribe owns a fish farm where they grow freshwater salmon. They own a radio station, a dairy, and, on the southern reserves, they grow cranberries. They also own a cement plant and a cranberry processing plant. They were able to purchase the businesses with settlement monies and profits from investments. The Renapi Tribe is federally recognized as a result of a negotiated settlement with the federal government, after suing to reclaim lands taken illegally during the 1800s. As a part of the settlement, the tribe received approximately 50 million dollars and an expanded reserve. They have hired a wall street investment bank to manage and invest their funds. The tribe has arranged for youth to manage businesses; others became doctors, lawyers, and investment bankers.The tribe has a GIS staff to provide locational information to manage its woodlands and businesses. Some tribal members have chosen to work in the businesses; the tribe also has also retained all employees of businesses which have been purchased. The tribe has offered the employees, including the non-tribal members, profit sharing and excellent benefits. The all Renapi of RamaValley receive annual dividends from the profits from tribal businesses. They hold annual meetings of tribal members to discuss their investments and to make corporate decisions about their economic future. Education Some of the tribe's students have attended Ramford University in a number of disciplines. On each reserve, the tribe has an elementary school serving preschool, and elementary grades up to 8th grade. Highschool aged children are sent to private or public schools based on family preference. Private school students reside at the school during the week but return home on weekends. Public school students are bused to nearby public schools. Teachers consider the Ranapi students above average in their studies, they do particularly well in math, science, and foreign language. Some students have done so well in school that they have received scholarships to Ivy League colleges and medical and law schools. Many Renapi have taken courses that would prepare them for careers in tribal businesses. Some have studied agriculture or food processing so that they might manage the tribe's fish farm or cranberry holdings. Others are interested in forestry and management of the tribe's hardwood acreage. Yet others hope to provide social services to needy tribal members or provide health care in the clinics. Some older Renapi who grew up before the settlement era, lack the training that would make them competitive in the job market off the reserve. Many families still rely on subsistence activities for their livelihood. Some fish, trap or hunt to provide meat for their families. Many have backyard gardens which provide produce for the table. All Renapi share the vision of protecting the environment from pollution and value working with natural systems to protect animals. Political Life The
government of the Renapi was formalized after
the settlement with the federal government.
The Renapi of RamaValley decided to become a
municipality of Ramford County, which
permitted them to have their legal system
intertwined with that of the county. Other
tribal groups across the country are often
considered sovereign nations within the United
States. While this has certain historical
advantages, there are some disadvantages that
the Renapi of RamaValley chose to avoid. The
Renapi hold their reserves in trust for their
tribe, but all hold deeds to the property on
which their homes or businesses sit The
deeds can only be transferred to other legally
recognized Renapi. A tribal court makes ordinances for the tribe
and observes county, state, and federal
laws. Renapi elect a tribal
council similar to a township form of
government. The tribal council elects the
chief. The chief holds office for a term of four years but can be reelected. To be considered
a member of the Renapi Tribe of RamaValley, a
person must demonstrate his/her geneology with linkage to an enrolled tribal member on the first
tribal accounting list of 1900. One must be at least 1/4 Renapi to be
considered an enrolled member of the Renapi
Tribe of RamaValley. Below are listed some
tribal websites. |
