There are many issues that haunt the first people of this nation. Since the beginning of European settlement, this country has taken land, violated treaties and failed to ratify treaties that were negotiated by official agents of the U.S. government. Some people were never even officially recognized as tribes.

Many do not understand the ramifications of the initial taking of land and forced relocation to barren places; where, with the resources gone, so were the means of survival. Many have not considered that with the involuntary removal of children from their families, their placement in boarding homes, where, they were forbidden to speak their own language, the teachings by their parents were lost.

For a long time, spiritual practices were discredited. (Now, ironically, ritual is imitated and recently, an improperly constructed “sweat lodge” is believed to have contributed to deaths at a retreat in Arizona.)

The practice of taking continues.

Federally recognized tribes have been banned from harvesting and fishing in traditional waters along the California coast. Across the nation, resources continue to be taken from within the desolate lands of the tribal peoples. This mining of such things as coal, oil and uranium pollutes air, water and the lungs of the indigenous.

Burial sites are disturbed and graves are still robbed, with minor consequences. Sacred Native American places continue to be desecrated; places like Mt. Diablo, Mt. Tamalpais, Mt. Shasta or the shell mounds like the last of those at Glen Cove, Vallejo.

Two years ago, the United States was one of four nations (Canada, Australia and New Zealand are the others) that refused to sign the United Nations Declaration of Rights of the Indigenous People.

On Oct. 12, President Obama invited each of the 564 federally recognized tribes to send one representative to attend a National Tribal Nations Conference, at the White House on Nov. 5.

On Oct. 30, President Obama proclaimed November 2009 as National Native American Heritage Month and called upon all Americans to commemorate and celebrate Nov. 27 as Native American Heritage Day.

Few of the general population seem to be aware of these things.

Both actions by the president show progress . During this month when most celebrate Thanksgiving, shouldn’t acknowledgment be given to the first people? I would encourage all to become informed.

For perspective, read online about the U.N. declaration and the president’s actions, skim the presidential speeches on Indian removal (found at the Miller Center of Public Affairs Web site, and particularly those of Andrew Jackson), view the native American PBS videos on-line, go to YouTube videos with President Obama and the American Indian Tribes from Nov. 5, 2009, or attend the on-going American Indian Film Institute festival in San Francisco.

(Rushing-Hart lives in Napa.)