Journal Article

Sacred in the City: The Huron Indian Cemetery and the Preservation Laws

Ragsdale, John W.

2016

Overview

[...]of what subsequently happens to the people, the sacred lands remain as permanent fixtures in their cultural or religious understanding. [...]many tribes now living in Oklahoma, but formerly from the eastern United States, still hold in their hearts the sacred locations of their history, and small groups travel to obscure locations in secret to continue tribal ceremonial life.21 Over the course of the four centuries since the European incursion, the Indians' sacred world was physically shattered; many of the most revered sites were on lands lost along the various \"Trails of Tears,\"22 or on lands threatened by the non-Indians' relentless, uncaring economy, law, and politics.\\n615 Finally, the plans or laws operated prospectively and did not offend vested rights.616 Indeed, in some of the cases, the plaintiffs were not even able to argue the Establishment Clause because they could not show a constitutional basis for standing.617 The Supreme Court and Congress have recently rolled out the welcome mat of protection and accommodation for Christian interest in a way that may make the Indian concerns seem almost quaint.

• Publisher: The Section of State and Local Government Law,American Bar Association
• Subject: Beliefs, opinions and attitudes / Casinos / Cemeteries / Federal court decisions / Historic preservation / History / Indian reservations / Influence / Jurisdiction / Land / Land economics / Laws, regulations and rules / Native American religion / Native Americans / Native culture / Native North Americans / Plaintiffs / Preservation / Protection and preservation / Religion / Religious aspects / Sacred places / Sacredness / Secularism / Small groups / Social aspects / Spirituality / Supreme courts / Treaties / Tribal land / Tribes and tribal systems / Wyandots