Reindeer Act facts for kids
.svg) |
|
| Long title | An Act to provide subsistence for the Eskimos and other natives of Alaska by establishing for them a permanent and self-sustaining economy; to encourage and develop native activity in all branches of the reindeer industry; and for other purposes. |
|---|---|
| Nicknames | Reindeer Industry Act of 1937 |
| Enacted by | the 75th United States Congress |
| Effective | September 1, 1937 |
| Citations | |
| Public law | 75-413 |
| Statutes at Large | 50 Stat. 900 |
| Codification | |
| Titles amended | 25 U.S.C.: Indians |
| U.S.C. sections created | 25 U.S.C. ch. 14, subch. VII § 500 et seq. |
| Legislative history | |
|
|
The Reindeer Act (also known as the Reindeer Industry Act of 1937) is a United States federal law. It was passed by the U.S. Congress and signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on September 1, 1937.
This law made it illegal for people who were not Native Alaskans to own reindeer herds in Alaska. The main goal was to help Native Alaskans create their own strong and lasting economy based on reindeer. This way, they could support themselves.
The government gave power to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (through the Secretary of the Interior) to make rules about reindeer ownership. These rules mostly stopped non-Natives from buying or selling reindeer.
Why the Reindeer Act Was Created
The idea for the Reindeer Act came partly from similar rules in Norway and Sweden. These countries had laws about reindeer ownership for the Sami people of Lapland.
In the 1930s, many Sami people came to Alaska to help manage the reindeer. After the Reindeer Act was passed, these Alaskan Sami were required to sell their reindeer herds to the U.S. government. Many of them then left Alaska.
Changes to Reindeer Ownership
For 60 years, the Reindeer Act made sure that only Native Alaskans and the government could own live reindeer in Alaska. This was like a "monopoly," meaning they were the only ones allowed to do it.
Legal Challenges
By 1989, some people challenged these rules in court. This led to a new legal difference. Reindeer brought into Alaska by non-Natives after 1937 were treated differently from the herds owned by Native Alaskans.
Between 1937 and 1940, the number of reindeer herds went down a lot. This happened because some reindeer joined wild caribou herds, or they simply got lost.
In 1997, a court decision changed things again. This decision allowed non-Natives to own reindeer once more.
