IN THIS SPEECH PREPARED FOR THE 1965 NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON POVERTY IN THE SOUTHWEST (TUCSON, JANUARY 25-26, 1965) MR. MCNICKLE BRIEFLY TRACES THE TREATMENT OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN FROM FOREIGN COLONIZATION TO THE PRESENT. NOT ONLY WERE THE INDIANS DEPRIVED OF AN ENTIRE CONTINENT, BUT THEY LOST ETHNIC, TRIBAL, AND SELF-CONCEPT IDENTIFICATIONS. THEY LEARNED TO DISTRUST MOST FORMS OF HELP BECAUSE OF A LACK OF SINCERITY ON THE PART OF THE HELPER. ALTHOUGH THERE HAS RECENTLY BEEN AN UPSWING IN THE INDIAN'S DESIRE TO PARTICIPATE IN GREATER AMERICAN SOCIETY, THERE IS A STRONG COUNTER-CONSERVATISM INGRAINED THROUGH YEARS OF REBUFF. WHAT THE INDIANS WOULD LIKE IS THE CHANCE, THROUGH SELF-HELP PROGRAMS, TO FIND THEIR OWN EQUILIBRIUM IN AMERICAN SOCIETY, RATHER THAN BEING FORCED TO ASSIMILATE BY GIVING UP WHAT IS LEFT OF THEIR "INDIAN-NESS." (BR)