The Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin

I had the distinct pleasure of working for the Oneida Tribal Police Department from 1995 to 2000. It was an eye opening experience. The Oneida are a Matriarchal Society. They honor their elders. (As an old lady, I couldn' t help but believe I was in the right place at the right time.)

These "People of the Standing Stone" have a reverence for Mother Earth that could be a lesson for all. Their elementary school is built in the shape of a turtle.

Using Native American architects, the Police Department is built into a hillside. The entire glassed front "Great Room" is a community gathering place.

From Wikipedia:

The Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin is a sovereign nation, enjoying the same tribal sovereignty as all recognized Indian tribes in the United States. Theirs is a limited sovereignty —the tribes are recognized as "domestic dependent nations" within the United States—but to the degree permitted by that sovereignty, they are an independent nation outside of state law. The tribe's sovereignty means the state of Wisconsin is limited in the extent to which it can intervene legally in tribal matters.

With a series of casinos near Green Bay, Wisconsin, the Oneida Tribe has, in a manner of only a few decades, gone from being a destitute people to enjoying a fair amount of social prosperity by investing a large portion of their profits back into their community, including a sponsorship of the Green Bay Packers.

The new wealth generated by the tribe's gaming and other enterprises has enabled the tribe to provide many benefits for the members on the tribal rolls. Oneidas have free dental, medical and optical insurance, and they receive $800 every October. As with all other tribes, the Oneidas define who qualifies to be on those rolls. The Oneidas' requirements are fairly liberal, based entirely on blood quantum: members are those with at least 1/4 Oneida blood. There is no additional requirement of matrilineality, as with the New York Oneidas and other tribes.

I love the sincerity of the people I met. Sheko:lih (A friendly greeting used upon arrival or departing.)