Native American organization seeks portion of popular park
WASHINGTON – A Native American organization is seeking a portion of one of the county’s most popular parks for a burial ground for ancestral remains. The Native American Indian Coalition, based in McDonald, made the request for land in Mingo Creek Park through state Sen. J. Barry Stout (D-Bentleyville).
“Originally, the Coalition was interested in obtaining the Western Center property since they have identified numerous Indian remains on that particular site. However, at this juncture, they feel the best location for their undertaking would be Mingo Creek Park. Their hope is that the county would see fit to turn the park over to them for such a noble purpose,” Stout wrote to Commissioner John Bevec.
Mingo Creek Park covers 2,600 acres and contains picnic shelters, playgrounds and ball fields, as well as two covered bridges, bike and hiking trails and 15 miles of bridle trails. It is one of the more widely used county parks with numerous events held throughout the year including the annual Covered Bridge Festival.
Okama (Chief) Billy Red Fox, also known as William A. Brooks, said only a small portion of the park would be needed for a burial site and museum.
“We don’t expect to take the whole park over. We just want enough to bury our ancestors. I don’t see where it would interfere with the park itself. We wouldn’t want to take their prime property off of them. We need about 300 acres, considering the construction that’s coming up that I know there are burial sites at,” Red Fox said.
Red Fox said the last time Native American remains were uncovered during a construction project, they were taken by Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The remains were later reclaimed and taken to Colorado for burial, Red Fox said.
The county commissioners have not yet formally discussed the request, though John Bevec, chairman of the commissioners, said he would be willing to help Red Fox find a location for the burial ground and museum.
“I didn’t see a problem with Mingo if it was just a little area and it could still be part of the park,” Bevec said.
Red Fox said he would like the land to be sovereign.
“We’re going to see about getting sovereignty so they will have a permanent resting place. It will be in the trust of the Native American Indian Coalition,” Red Fox said.
The Native American Indian Coalition is a registered non-profit group headquartered in McDonald. The group currently operates a Native American Cultural Center at 106 W. Lincoln St. in McDonald, a three-story building that housed the cultural center, museum and school for native drumming, dancing and culture.
The organization is not recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).
“The way they have their laws set up, it’s almost impossible to get recognition unless you’re living on a reservation,” Red Fox said. “I’m not going to move to a reservation to get a BIA number. We really do deserve to have a BIA number.”
Don Sutherland of the BIA said federal recognition isn’t needed to take possession of Indian remains found at most construction sites. If the remains are found on federal land or land held in trust for a tribe, they fall under the Native American Repatriation Act. In that case, the remains may only be released to a lineal descendant or to a federally recognized tribe.
If the land is not federal or trust land, the remains belong to the private landowner, Sutherland said and the property owner has control of the remains. The remains may not be sold or transported across state lines, Sutherland said.
Sutherland said there is nothing stopping the Native American Indian Coalition from buying land for a burial ground, and anyone in Pennsylvania who unearths a Native American burial site could turn the remains over to the group. The land would not be taken into federal trust or considered sovereign land, Sutherland said.