Narragansett Indian Tribe

The tribe I have chosen put across the image of, with the help of the large amount of content and history on their website, that they are still a thriving tribe that have survived the test of time. One of the first things that you read is a small biography, which states that 'The Narragansett Indians are the descendants of the aboriginal people of the State of Rhode Island. Archaeological evidence and the oral history of the Narragansett People establish their existence in this region more than 30,000 years ago'. Being one of the first things that they want you to read, it is obvious that they are proud of their history and the heritage of their ancestors. Also it shows that they want the world to know where they came from and that they want to keep their history alive. To add to this, they have devoted a huge section of their website to accounting the early years of the tribe and how European settlers affected their lives, and still affects them today. They account stories, that have been passed down orally, of the massacres that they endured and how they were forcibly removed from their sacred land to a reservation, but then how they were able to advance and begin to thrive again.

Now in the modern day, the tribe have adapted to their situation and have created a new community which they have control over. The website gives information about their government and the representatives that have been elected by the tribe. A big part of their renewed community is preserving and improving the lives of the tribes people; they have 'Adult Vocational Training' courses, 'Child Care Programs' and even a 'Housing Department' to make sure the tribe survives. Conserving the past is also important to them, so they continue to campaign to regain lost land from the Federal Government and have schemes to re establish their heritage so they can don't lose part of their history.

It is obvious that the tribe has progressed over time and have come to adapt to their lives on the reservation. It is encouraging to see that they have found the strength to pick themselves back up from years of repression from European settlers and still be able to thrive and want to better themselves for future generations. Its easy to see that this tribe has been successful as they have been able to maintain their heritage and history and also conserve it for the future.