ssue . . . To tribal members it represented the quintessential feature of their identity as Indiansö (Campisi, 1985, 360). The Native American understanding of land tenure differs significantly from whitesÆ interpretation of the concept. To Native Americans, land is a life-sustaining resource to be respected, nurtured, and shared. The Indian mentality toward land is often hard for whites to understand, especially those, whose entire lives have revolved around an urban focus. Indians regard land as a sacred, communal possession. Private property rights are foreign concepts in their ancient traditions. The IndianÆs bond with la
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