Rez Life: An Indian’s Journey Through Reservation Life

This law, passed during the decade in which the American Indian Movement (AIM) was most active, put an official end “to the suppression of Indian religions” (95). Previously, it had been federal policy to forbid Indigenous tribes’ religions. Christian missionaries supported the prohibition, though it was loosely enforced. Sometimes, authorities seized and destroyed ceremonial items, disrupted religious rites, and jailed religious leaders. By the mid-1970s, there were no longer attempts to disrupt Indigenous religious ceremonies, but the ceremonies were difficult to perform due to sacred sites now being on private property or in national parks. Also, some religious accessories, such as peyote, were illegal to possess.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA) Circular 1665 of 1921 forbade the practice of Indigenous religions. The prohibition was in full effect until 1933 and unofficially heeded later. The circular forbade dancing, as it encouraged “the reckless giving away of property” and “[promoted] superstitions, cruelty, licentiousness, idleness, danger of health, and shiftless indifference of family welfare” (73). When the circular was amended in 1923, it allowed Indigenous tribes to have dances once a week, but not in the spring or summer months. Also, no one under 50 was allowed to participate in the dances.