I am a native american social worker working on a USA Indian Reservation. AMA

Can you provide proof?

I'd be more than willing to if you have any ideas as to how.

My girlfriend once did some work with the Seminole Tribe. She said most of the people were obese and would wear cheap Wal Mart clothing, but had private jets and would spend ridiculous amounts of cash on the dumbest shit.

1. Is obesity a problem with many other tribes? What's the usual diet for those living on a reservation?
2. Are most people in the tribe wealthy, or is it structured similar to the outside, i.e. a few rich at the top and many people far below?

Obesity is a problem as is diabetes. Our bodies were not designed to digest the food that Europeans are. The usual diet on a rez is the diet of a poor person: cheap food loaded with preservatives and high in fat.

In this tribe I'd say the majority are still poor. Generally people believe that because a tribe has a casino they must be rich, but it depends on the tribe. There are some tribes where their members make hundreds of thousands a month and others like my husband's (Leech Lake) where they get 125 dollars a year.

How do you feel about the name of the Washington Redskins? Does it bother you?

Yes. Redskin is a racist term. Other teams don't bother me as much.

Is it true tribe members can hunt and fish year round anywhere they can find it, without paying for a license?

Only on tribal lands.

What's the best single thing I can do to try to help the tribes? Is there any one non-profit that you think is particularly good/worthwhile? (I'm asking less from savior complex and more from sadness, I guess. My favorite state parks are all in territory that was/is sacred to the Utes and I always feel like I am sleeping on stolen ground when I camp there...want to give something back.)

I'm a big fan of the American Indian College Fund. Other than that I think our societal issues are best resolved by the tribe itself.

What is the general feeling of reservation inhabitants toward the fact that they live on a reservation?

For them it's sort of the natural order of life. It's all they've ever known, it's where their friends and families are, and so they can't see themselves any place else.

I spent a week living on the Wind River reservation in Wyoming, often lauded as one of the most dangerous places in America. While there, I noticed a "culture of poverty" so to speak. The people realize there are no opportunities on the reservation, other than oil, casino, or fastfood. However, they do not leave because they would be seen a deserters to their family's and friends on the reservation still. What do you think can be done to help minimize this feeling of hopelessness on the reservation?

It would truly have to be a huge cultural shift within the people on the reservation. We need to start encouraging our people to get educated and to bring that education back to their community.

I've read somewhere that Native American women are raped more by percentage, than any other race of women in the US, and that the rapes are perpetrated largely by men who are not native themselves. I don't have a source, but, as a social worker, are you aware of this? Is this due to racism, drug abuse, or some other factor?

I'm aware as a former domestic violence advocate. I think it's due to more native women being a part of poverty and crime-ridden areas.

Something I've been wondering... There are some really massive "Indian" casinos - do they ever help out reservations with some of their billions of dollars?

Some of them provide the funding that keeps the society going or makes it even exist. They pay for tribal schools, elder housing, housing and electric assistance programs, job search, and my department among many many other programs.

If a person just wanted to come experience native american culture in your reservation (or any for that matter), how welcome would they be?

Probably not very. Native American communities are very wary of outsiders. And it would depend on what "experience" meant to the person.

There is a lot of talk now about the passage (or lack thereof) of the new Violence Against Women bill due to the protections that it affords Native Americans that live on reservations. Have you ever observed anything that would be impacted by the inclusion of further protections?

I will have to educate myself on this issue more before I can answer.

Have you watched John Stossel's Freeloaders expose on Native Americans?

Do you have a rebuttal to his documentary showing native americans who are not eligible to be wards of the State have prospered yet sanctioned conservations have nearly the deepest poverty imaginable?

I have not seen this but am not a big fan of John Stossel's views on Native society. I saw a "give me a break" segment he did on Native Americans belief that Columbus Day should be removed and turned into a day of honoring native peoples and he basically thought it was a joke.

Why are you still using the term "Indian", as opposed to "Native American"? Isn't that a bit antiquated?

It's more of a colloquial term these days. Much how African American is the more PC term these days but they will still refer to themselves as "black."

Which Reservation do you work with?

Edit: better word

I'd rather not say just because Indian Country is small and if I say which rez, some people could connect what I say to the organization and either stalk me or figure out the people I'm talking about in reference to specific cases.

Which reservation are you at?

I'd rather not say.