Consultation with American Indian Governments

Summary

Consultation with American Indian Governments (CWAIG) is a 3-day training course designed for NRCS management and their immediate staffs. The course is listed with the NRCS National Employee Development Center (NEDC), and students should register through NEDC for the course. As a nationally recognized and accredited course, credit for completing CWAIG becomes part of a student's permanent training record. The course consists of several modules which explore cultural difference, the history of US/Tribal relations, and the NRCS consultation process. Numerous "real-world" examples are used throughout the course, and members of tribal governments are invited speakers and lecturers. Students are encouraged to examine course content in the context of their individual situations and should ask questions based on their own experience and areas of expertise.

Methods of working between different cultures are described and discussed. The history of US/tribal relations is examined, leading up to the present, and is used as a basis for understanding the current sovereign status of federally recognized tribes. Tribal sovereignty is then assumed to be the basis for the establishment of a sound government-to-government relationship between the NRCS and federally recognized tribes.

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