Lessons of Our Land

The Indian Land Tenure Foundation provides free Indian land tenure curriculum for all educational levels.

Head Start & K-12 Curriculum

Lessons of Our Land is an interdisciplinary Indian land curriculum created by ILTF as a way to easily incorporate Native American stories, lessons and values into regular classroom instruction. Aligning with state educational standards, this dynamic, interdisciplinary curriculum is used successfully by teachers in more than 100 school districts. While Lessons of Our Land positions Native American tribal issues and values at the forefront, the curriculum emphasizes the fundamental relationship between land and people in general, not just Native Americans. The curriculum:

• Meets state standards in multiple core areas including history, art, civics, mathematics, science, geography and language arts
• Includes grade-level appropriate lessons in four key content areas
• Has a wide variety of online resources teachers can use to supplement the lessons
• Includes a teachers guide for curriculum integrations
• Has specific state adaptations for California, Minnesota and Montana. In addition to state adaptations there are general lessons which can be used to teach Native Land Tenure History anywhere in the U.S.A.

Learn more at lessonsofourland.org

College Curriculum

The Native Land Tenure History course is intended to serve as a starting place for faculty to develop a course particular to the academic field in which it will be offered. It discusses Native land tenure issues and problems currently facing Indian people outlined as an introductory, three- or four-semester credit, college-level course. The curriculum components include:

Message Runner

Message Runner is an educational publication produced by ILTF to address specific topics related to Indian land tenure. Past issues have been widely distributed throughout Indian Country and have been used by colleges and universities, tribes and federal agencies for education and training purposes. ILTF offers the Message Runner free to individuals, nonprofit organizations and tribes. Charges may apply for larger quantities. Contact ILTF to order paper copies.

Click the volume number of each issue below to see a pdf version of the publication.

Message Runner, Vol. 11

• “Local government relations: Butt heads or shake hands?”

Message Runner, Vol. 10

• “A new generation is preparing to lead in Indian Country”

Message Runner, Vol. 9

• “Managing Indian Land in a highly fractionated future.”

Message Runner, Vol. 8

• “Appraisals 101: The realities of valuing Indian land.”

Message Runner, Vol. 7

• “Now hiring! Exploring career opportunities in tribal land.”

Message Runner, Vol. 6

• “Native Land Law: Can Native American People Find Justice in the U.S. Legal System?” (abridged version)

Message Runner, Vol. 5

• “Cutting through the Red Tape: An Indian Landowner’s Guide to Reading and Processing Federal Forms.” A collection of federal forms used in the management of Indian lands and assets and explanations about how to read and process the forms.

Message Runner, Vol. 4

• “From Removal to Recovery: Land Ownership in Indian Country.” A historical account of Indian land ownership, from pre-contact to the present.

Message Runner, Vol. 3

• Rights of way in Indian Country.

Message Runner, Vol. 2

• A primer on Indian estate planning and probate. (Revised edition)

Message Runner, Vol. 1

• An overview of the major Indian land tenure issues.

American Indian History Timeline

The updated American Indian History Timeline illustrates events, policies, legislation and laws relating to Indian land tenure from 1598 to the present. Suitable for hanging on a wall, the timeline was recently redesigned to make it easier to read. It measures 24″ x 55″ inches. To order a timeline free of cost, please email info@iltf.org or call 651-766-8999.

Click here to view the American Indian History Timeline. (Please note: Due to its large size, the timeline cannot be printed directly from this website.)

Native Land Law (CLEs)

ILTF worked in partnership with the Indian Law Resource Center (indianlaw.org) to develop a set of 17 General Principles of law that create a legal framework to guide the future development of federal law relating to Indian land and resources. The resulting publication, Native Land Law: General Principles of Law Relating to Native Lands and Natural Resources, published by Thomson Reuters, provides a comprehensive overview of the General Principles and an extensive legal analysis of relevant federal law. ILTF has also developed a CLE series offered through West LegalEdcenter, as a companion to the book.

Here’s what one leading legal scholar had to say about the publication: “Native Land Law provides a penetrating and useful understanding of the underlying principles of native land law in the United States through a proper reading of Justice Marshall’s opinions against a backdrop of then-prevailing international law and the reinforcement of those foundational principles in modern instruments such as the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It is against these basic principles that we are able to identify and address the present errors, anomalies and misunderstandings in native land law today.”  – John EchoHawk, Executive Director, Native American Rights Fund

To order a copy of Native Land Law please email info@iltf.org

View abridged version of Native Land Law

Land and Asset Management

This section includes useful information for all Indian landowners and tribes who want to learn more about managing their trust land and assets. We will continue to update these materials as more resources become available.

Cutting through the Red Tape

Based on Message Runner, Vol. 5 “Cutting through the Red Tape” is a collection of federal forms used in the management of Indian lands and assets. Each page includes general information about the topic, helpful tips about how to read or process the relevant form, and where to go for help.

Land Management Resources

Contact information and links with useful information on a range of topics related to Indian land ownership and management.

Agriculture

• Intertribal Agriculture Council
• Indian Agricultural Resource Management Act of 1993
• Your Guide to FSA Farm Loans (June 2012) Includes resources and information specific to producers using American Indian trust land.
• Federally Recognized Tribal Extension Program (FRTEP) paper – Learn more about tribal community outreach focused on agricultural productivity, youth development and healthier communities.
• Indian Country Extension Commission (ICEC) Report (April 2022)

Federal Agencies

• Code of Federal Regulations, CFR 25 
• U.S. Department of the Interior
• Bureau of Indian Affairs
• Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians
  Trust Beneficiary Call Center
  4400 Masthead Street, NE
  Albuquerque, NM 87109
  1-888-678-6836

Federal Land

• Bureau of Land Management
• Federal Register 

GIS/GPS

• Aboriginal Mapping Network
• Pine Ridge Land Information System

Historical Land Records

• BLM, Land Patent and Survey Records
• David Rumsey Historical Map Collection

Indian Estate Planning and Probate

• American Indian Wills Clinic
  Native American Legal Resource Center
  Oklahoma City University School of Law
• California Indian Legal Services
  800-743-8941
• Center for Indian Law and Policy
  Seattle University School of Law
  206-398-4284
• Columbia Legal Services
  206-464-1122
• Dakota Plains Legal Services
  800-658-2297
• DNA People’s Legal Services 
• Montana Legal Services Association
  406-442-9830
• Swanson, Drobnick & Tousey P.C.
• Wisconsin Judicare

Indian Trust Settlement

• Indian Trust Settlement
  P.O. Box 9577
  Dublin, OH 43017-4877
  1-800-961-6109
• Indian Trust Settlement Flyer

Natural Resources

• Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission 

Rights of Way

• BIA Procedural Handbook: Grants of Easement for Right of Way on Indian Lands (March 2006)
• Saving Fast Track
  Reprinted from the July/August 2012 issue of Right of Way Magazine. Permission to publish granted by the International Right of Way Association (irwaonline.org).

Other Publications

Annual Reports & 990s 

• Learn more about ILTF’s work since 2002 by reading past Annual Reports.

Cultural Property Guide

• Prepared by the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, the guide serves as an example that explains the processes involved in designating sacred lands as traditional cultural properties.

Pine Ridge Reservation: Allottee Land Planning Map Book

• General information on land use planning for Indian allottees as well as GIS-based land maps for Pine Ridge landowners to use for individual and tribal land planning purposes. Developed by Village Earth, with a grant from the Indian Land Tenure Foundation.

No Quick Fixes: A Look at the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Indian Land Consolidation Project

• An analysis of the BIA’s Indian Land Consolidation Pilot Program, which began in 1999, as a result of Congressional Acts and Supreme Court decisions that sought to remedy problems associated with fractionated ownership of Indian land title.

Estate Planning Services Pilot of the American Indian Probate Reform Act Implementation Project

• A report by Indian Land Tenure Foundation to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians.

Native Women and Youth in Agriculture Essay Contest: Winning Essays, 2005 – 2008 

• Winning entries from Native Women and Youth in Agriculture’s annual student essay contest.

Community Survey (January 2004)

• The second community survey conducted by ILTF examines landownership and estate planning among Indian people.

Community Survey (January 2003) 

• The first community survey conducted by ILTF about the importance of land and the value of property rights.

Land Buy-Back Program Pamphlet

• Download insert: Understanding Appraisals and the Valuation Process in the Land Buy-Back Program

Program updates

ILTF publishes updates about our projects, initiatives and people.

• Read the March 2024 program update: Shattering the American Myth: Treaty Signers Project offers powerful tools to discover the truth.
• Read the May 2023 program update: Beyond Land Acknowledgements: Inspiring organizations and individuals to more than just talk.
• Read the November 2022 program update: Land recovery: Putting it all together at Bois Forte
• Read the April 2022 program update: Protecting Tribal Land for Future Generations
• Read the November 2021 program update: Reversing Manifest Destiny
• Read the November 2019 program update: 10^th Tribal Land Staff National Conference
• Read the June 2019 program update: ILTF grant supports the Rock Creek Buffalo Project
• Read the November 2018 program update: Native Children’s Holiday Program
• Read the November 2017 program update: Spirit of Sovereignty scholarships help make education a reality
• Read the July 2017 program update: ILTF helps land recovery efforts at Bear Butte.
• Read the February 2017 program update: 7th Tribal Land Staff National Conference: Advancing Sovereignty & Self-Determination Through Tribal Land Management
• Read the September 2016 program update: Kashia Band of Pomo Indians return home to the Pacific Coast

INDIAN LANDS IN INDIAN HANDS