The Center for World Indigenous Studies (CWIS) is a non-profit American organization. It was founded in 1984 by Dr. Rudolph C. Ryser, Ph.D. (Cowlitz tribe) and Chief George Manuel (1929–1989, Shuswap nation) as an independent research and education organization. It began earlier as an unincorporated research and documentation clearing house in 1979 in response to calls by the Conference of Tribal Governments in the United States and the World Council of Indigenous Peoples.
George Manuel, former chief of the National Indian Brotherhood/Assembly of First Nations in Canada, was first to initiate global communication and coordination amongst indigenous peoples emerging from colonialism. Through their formation of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples, he and Dr. Ryser[1] laid the groundwork for indigenous fora and working groups within the UN.
Joe DeLaCruz (1937–2000),[2] chair of public policy at CWIS and former president of the National Congress of American Indians, was once called the greatest American Indian leader of the twentieth century.
CWIS today is considered the premier indigenous think tank and archival repository serving the Fourth World.
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