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Central Contact Center for Native Americans

The NAAoG provides a central contact center opportunity for Native Americans visiting or living in Europe (temporarily or permanently). 

The NAAoG 

  • assists Native American artists, authors, guest speakers, educators, etc.
  • cooperates with Native American organizations

Education Information Center for Europeans

The NAAoG is an education information center for Europeans interested in increasing their knowledge about Native American nations and receiving first hand information.

The NAAoG 

 

clarifies misconceptions and clichés related to the Native Americans

  • acts as the resource center for the national and international press
  • serves as consultants in the making of television documentaries in Europe
  • advises educational institutes focusing on Native American topics by providing information for teachers and educators
  • provides assistance to compile educational material purposes
  • supplies answers to questions
  • establishes, builds & maintains working relationship with museums
  • acts as the first-hand knowledge source


 

History of the NAAoG e.V.

Native Americans in the US Military

Up to this day, the majority of Germans are not aware of the fact that Native Americans have been stationed in Germany since 1945. Widely spread stereotypes are the main reason why Native Americans living in Europe are not even identified as such, unless they  talk about their heritage and nationality. A lot of Europeans and especially the children expect Native Americans to wear buckskin and feathers.   

Not noticed by the majority of Germans, Native Americans had get-togethers and organized powwows in Germany. In the beginning, most of those took place on US Military installations. They established the “American Indian Intertribal Society” in 1976, which was later, renamed “Native American Intertribal Society of Germany”, due to an increasing awareness of political correctness.

Over the years, more and more Germans have taken part in their activities. The get-togethers, powwows and other cultural events were open to the German public and took also place outside of US Military installations.

In 1994, Native Americans holding leadership positions within the Native American Intertribal Society of Germany had orders to go back to the United States. In order to maintain a meeting point and a first contact center over here in Germany, the Native American Association of Germany e.V. was founded. It is registered at the District Court (Amtsgericht) Kaiserslautern, Germany (Registration-Number VR Kai 2237) and recognized as a non-profit organization by the Finance Department (Finanzamt) of Kaiserslautern ("e.V. - eingetragener Verein" means registered association).


Since a couple of years, the Native American board members  (three on the executive board and two on the board committee) are in the United States. The German board members ensure that NAAoG e.V. keeps providing this first contact and education information center in Germany by sharing first hand information and doing the administrative work that is required to maintain the registered and recognized as non-profit status. They are all connected by the World Wide Web.



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