Many American Indians are Pagans, too!

Within the boundaries of the United States, several hundred American Indian tribes remain. Although many of our people have assimilated and are now Christians, within every tribe there is a core group of people who prefer the old ways and customs and seek to preserve and practice them. All across America our people are practicing their ancient tribal religions and keeping the fires of their Nations burning.

Hopi and Pueblos still seek ancient knowledge in their sacred Kivas, and the Longhouse of the Six Nations is still powerful in Iroquois society. On the Great Plains in the center of the country, my Ponca Tribe is a tribe of the Sacred Pipe and Sundance as are the Omaha, Lakota, Cheyenne, Crow, Kiowa, Mandan and many other tribes of the plains. All together we are called "Traditionals." We are not only the "first Americans," we are also America's first Pagans.

Being a Pagan or a "Traditional" in America has been very hard over the past 500 years. At first it often meant beatings, imprisonment or death. Later, it meant missionaries taking your children to government-run re-education schools. It meant that every program and policy of the American government, even in modern times, would be based on destroying the "old ways" as a way of assimilating us into the mainstream.

Now, during the last four decades, a renaissance of traditional ways has swept Indian country, and in every village and reservation Indian people are relearning the ancient ways and finding their place in the sacred circle of their tribes.

Like other religions, we provide for the spiritual needs of our people and we also work to better the material and physical lives of our people. Traditionals of all tribes are very involved in the social problems that confront our nations and in the effort to provide services to the poor and sick as well. In hospitals, rehab centers and elderly kitchens on the reservations, we work within the social services programs provided by the federal departments via our tribal governments.

In most Indian communities there is mutual respect between Traditional and Christian Indians; marriages and funerals often have both services side by side. And this is what is threatened by the inevitable preference that will be given to powerful Christian denominations if they are given control over the social services in Indian country through the "faith-based" initiative. It will become "us vs. them," and our people will be the losers.

Traditionals who need services will have to endure Christian proselytizing or be denied needed services and Traditionals who are qualified to serve the people will be denied work. All across this country if the funding of services is doled out by Christians to churches a new assault will begin against Traditional Indian people and our religion.

For this reason I ask that when Americans United lobbies and works to preserve the necessary separation between church and state, that you also include my people, the ancient Pagans of this land, in your deliberations. Because no Americans will be hurt more if the separation between church and state is destroyed, on behalf of my people, I wish you well.

Carter Camp

Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma