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I put up a thread about some feathers I just got from the repository and was getting opinions as to what I should do with them. In the process my friend Chevy said what about trading them.
Not according to our esteemed rule setting government, they say this(from the repository website):
Possession of Eagle
Feathers and Parts by
Native Americans
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
February 2009
Eagles are directly protected under
two Federal laws: the Bald and Golden
Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory
Bird Treaty Act. These laws generally
prohibit the possession, use, and sale
of eagle feathers and parts as well as a
number of other activities.
The Service operates the National
Eagle Repository as a clearinghouse
for eagles and eagle parts to provide
Native Americans with eagle feathers
for religious use. The Repository
collects dead eagles salvaged by
Federal and State agencies, zoos,
and other organizations. Enrolled
members of federally recognized tribes
(as established under the Federally
Recognized Tribal List Act of 1994, 25
U.S.C. Section 479a, 108 Stat. 4791)
may obtain a permit from the Service
authorizing them to receive and possess
eagle feathers and parts from the
Repository. Permit applications must
include certification of tribal enrollment
from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Because demand is high, waiting periods
exist.
Native Americans may also legally
possess eagle feathers and parts acquired
through certain other means. Such items
include any owned before eagles were
first protected by Federal law (1940 for
bald eagles, and 1962 for golden eagles)
and feathers and parts passed down
within a family or received as gifts from
other Native Americans.
Native Americans may wear feathers
legally in their possession or make
them into religious or cultural items
for their own or tribal use. They may
transfer feathers to tribal craftsmen to
be fashioned into such objects; no money
may be received for the feathers, but
craftsmen may be compensated for their
work.
Native Americans may give feathers
or other eagle items as gifts to other
Native Americans and may hand them
down within their families. They may
not, however, give them to non-Native
Americans
Now , I have some issues with this ! LOL
We can give them to other Tribal members , and hand the down to our own family members. O.K. My children missed the boat by 1/64th enough to be tribal members. So technically , even passing them down to family will be breaking the law. So what happens then ? What happens to the feathers when I die ? Got me to thinking !
And what about trading ? Can we trade them and if so , isn't putting a dollar value on the trade the same as selling them ?
Say I trade my bustle that I value at say $1000 bucks.(this is just hypothetical as I will never trade away my bustle) What's the difference in trading that , at that worth for say....a used car ? I know , crazy , but just saying. Once you put a dollar amount on the object , doesn't it make it the same as money ?
Now I'm not saying this is right or wrong , I'm just asking what the difference would be.
I've had folks ask about trading feathers for other regalia items and I refused. At the same time I've given feathers away to some who needed a few to finish out a project or had a certain need. Just a while back my brother in law gave away his fan and needed another , so I sent him one.
There are just lots of questions when it comes to feather possession and I thought I'd get some more opinions !
Not according to our esteemed rule setting government, they say this(from the repository website):
Possession of Eagle
Feathers and Parts by
Native Americans
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
February 2009
Eagles are directly protected under
two Federal laws: the Bald and Golden
Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory
Bird Treaty Act. These laws generally
prohibit the possession, use, and sale
of eagle feathers and parts as well as a
number of other activities.
The Service operates the National
Eagle Repository as a clearinghouse
for eagles and eagle parts to provide
Native Americans with eagle feathers
for religious use. The Repository
collects dead eagles salvaged by
Federal and State agencies, zoos,
and other organizations. Enrolled
members of federally recognized tribes
(as established under the Federally
Recognized Tribal List Act of 1994, 25
U.S.C. Section 479a, 108 Stat. 4791)
may obtain a permit from the Service
authorizing them to receive and possess
eagle feathers and parts from the
Repository. Permit applications must
include certification of tribal enrollment
from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Because demand is high, waiting periods
exist.
Native Americans may also legally
possess eagle feathers and parts acquired
through certain other means. Such items
include any owned before eagles were
first protected by Federal law (1940 for
bald eagles, and 1962 for golden eagles)
and feathers and parts passed down
within a family or received as gifts from
other Native Americans.
Native Americans may wear feathers
legally in their possession or make
them into religious or cultural items
for their own or tribal use. They may
transfer feathers to tribal craftsmen to
be fashioned into such objects; no money
may be received for the feathers, but
craftsmen may be compensated for their
work.
Native Americans may give feathers
or other eagle items as gifts to other
Native Americans and may hand them
down within their families. They may
not, however, give them to non-Native
Americans
Now , I have some issues with this ! LOL
We can give them to other Tribal members , and hand the down to our own family members. O.K. My children missed the boat by 1/64th enough to be tribal members. So technically , even passing them down to family will be breaking the law. So what happens then ? What happens to the feathers when I die ? Got me to thinking !
And what about trading ? Can we trade them and if so , isn't putting a dollar value on the trade the same as selling them ?
Say I trade my bustle that I value at say $1000 bucks.(this is just hypothetical as I will never trade away my bustle) What's the difference in trading that , at that worth for say....a used car ? I know , crazy , but just saying. Once you put a dollar amount on the object , doesn't it make it the same as money ?
Now I'm not saying this is right or wrong , I'm just asking what the difference would be.
I've had folks ask about trading feathers for other regalia items and I refused. At the same time I've given feathers away to some who needed a few to finish out a project or had a certain need. Just a while back my brother in law gave away his fan and needed another , so I sent him one.
There are just lots of questions when it comes to feather possession and I thought I'd get some more opinions !
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