Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation

The Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation is a cultural heritage organization of individuals who identify as descendants of the Coahuiltecan people. They have a nonprofit organization, the American Indians in Texas-Spanish Colonial Missions, based in San Antonio, Texas.[1]

Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation
Named afterCoahuiltecan peoples
Formation1994[1]
Typenonprofit organization[2]
EIN 74-2717029[1]
PurposeA23: Cultural, Ethnic Awareness,[1] A20 Artist, cultural, organizations–multipurpose
Location
Official language
English
Executive Director
Ramon Vasquez[2]
Revenue (2017)
$557,641[1]
Expenses (2017)$498,839[1]
Staff
4[1]
Websitetappilam.org

The Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation is an unrecognized organization. Despite using the word nation in its name, the group is neither a federally recognized tribe[3] nor a state-recognized tribe.[4]

Texas has "no legal mechanism to recognize tribes"[5] and has no state-recognized tribes.[6] However, the state legislature passed a congratulatory resolution, that is an honorific and non-legally binding resolution, H.R. No. 787 honoring the Tap Pilam-Coahuiltecan Nation.[7]

Organization

In 1994, the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation formed American Indians in Texas–Spanish Colonial Missions, also known as AIT-SCM as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, based in San Antonio, Texas.[1][2]

Their subject area is cultural and ethnic awareness.[1] Their mission statement is "Preservation and protection of the culture and traditions of the Tap Pilam Coahuittecan Nation."[1]

Their administration includes:

  • Executive director: Ramon Vasquez[2]
  • President: Mary Jessie Garza
  • Vice president: Miguel Acosta[1]
  • Development coordination: Karla Aguilar.[2]

Petition for federal recognition

In 1997, Tap Pilam: The Coahuiltecan Nation sent a letter of intent to petition for federal recognition.[8] They have not followed up with a petition for federal recognition, however.[9]

Activities

The organization claims descent from the American Indians buried at the Alamo Mission in San Antonio and in 2020 filed a lawsuit against the Alamo Trust, Texas Land Office, Texas Historical Commission, and their leaders[10] in the U.S. District Court. The lawsuit was dismissed.[11] Stephen Chang of the Texas General Land Office (GLO) said, “The GLO has won every case that Tap Pilam has brought against the state. ... Courts have consistently rejected Tap Pilam’s claims because of their baseless claims."[12]

See also

References
  1. "American Indians in Texas-Spanish Colonial Missions". Cause IQ. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  2. "American Indians in Texas-At the Spanish Colonial Missions". GuideStar. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  3. "Indian Entities Recognized by and Eligible To Receive Services From the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs". Indian Affairs Bureau. Federal Register. 1 May 2022. pp. 7554–58. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  4. "State Recognized Tribes". National Conference of State Legislatures. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  5. Brewer, Graham Lee; Ahtone, Tristan (27 October 2021). "In Texas, a group claiming to be Cherokee faces questions about authenticity". NBC News. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  6. "State Recognized Tribes". National Conference of State Legislatures. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  7. Turner of Coleman. "H. R. No. 787". Texas Legislature Online.
  8. "List of Petitoners By State". webcache.googleusercontent.com. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  9. "Office of Federal Acknowledgment". U.S. Department of Indian Affairs. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  10. Gibbons, Brendan. "Native American Group Tap Pilam Renews Legal Fight Over Human Remains at Alamo". Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  11. "Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation v. Alamo Trust, Inc". U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas San Antonio Division. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  12. Kovac, Birdie R. (4 December 2021). "Conflict over Alamo burials, Native American worship could continue after settlement talks break down". Disturb Media. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
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