Spilyay Tymoo
Warm Springs, Oregon
December 13, 1991 PAGE 3
Sovereignty, tribal rights, state
Warm Springs delegates crowded Into Pie meeting room where the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians was
conducting their caucus. ATM is said to be one of the largest and most powerful caucuses In the United Slates.
by Donna Behrend
Hundreds of tribal leaders from
throughout the United States con
verged on San Francisco for the six
day annual meeting of the National
Congress of American Indians.
Conferees not only heard issues faced
by fellow tribesmen, but elected a
new executive committee as well at
the 48th annual meeting.
The President's Message
In his opening statement, execu
tive president Wayne Duchcncaux
reflected on his two-year term that
was quickly coming to a close. "In
two years, the organization has come
a long way." At the beginning of his
term in 1989, NCAI "was close to
bankruptcy" and ready to close its
doors. With the help of many vol
unteer workers during the first sev
eral months, NCAI was able to turn
the corner to prosperity. Duchcncaux
advised that people "not dwell in the
past Look toward the future. We
should be poised to sail smoothly
into the 2 1st century."
The Director's Message
Executive Director A. Gay
Kingman echoed Duchencaux's -comments,,
adding that "we reduced
operating costs and completed the
audit with money in the bank. Our
credibility has been restored. ..In
1989, every contract was in default.
All those problems have been turned
around...NCAI is being delivered to
you in eood shape. Take care of her."
Reservations are .
considered to be V
"easy hunting
grounds" for those
who challenge tribal
sovereignty. .
Risling
Dale Risling, chairman of the
Hoopa Tribal Nation of Northern
California, welcomed the attendees,
stating that "California is a state of
contrasts. We live in the largest state
in the nation and we have many
problems. We produce more food,
yet the hungry and homeless are still
on the streets. We are a progressive
state yet our tribal sovereignty is
constantly threatened."Keservauons
are considered to be "easy hunting
grounds" for those who challenge
tribal sovereignty. In the past, he
said, tribes have fought to maintain
their sovereignty. The fight contin ues
and will for many years. "The future
looks bright for Indian throughout
the United States. The 'New Federal
ism' is not just another slogan
r
I j . VI
New NCAI President
Caiasbkibos
iK
buried in bureaucracy it means
more self-government... We must
show the nation that we can establish
and maintain solid governments."
The Senator Speaks
Senator Daniel Inouye, chairman
of the Senate Select Committee on
Indian Affairs, spoke about sover
eignty as well as the quintcentennial
of Columbus' "discovery" of North
America. "In ten-and-one-half
months, many will observe the jour
ney of Columbus. Indians will not
join in the celebration. For Indians, it
was an age of deceit, death, destruc
tion, deprivation and denial. It was
not a happy age."
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Senator Daniel Inouye
However, Inouye added, "there is
cause for Indians to celebrate. It is
the beginning of rediscovery. Re
discover the honor within each of
you..Rediscover your power. We did
this in the Duro case and the capital
punishment issue. This is an age of
resurgence." -
Inouye asked the tribe to "tell us
how tribal sovereignty is to be
discussed.. .Train us on your legal
system." A three-year study on sov
ereignty will begin next year, Inouye
said. "We want to hear from you on
how we can study sovereignty."
Inouye reiterated that "people often
don't realize now much power they
have within themselves. You have a
lot of power. If used properly,
miracles can happen."
"Certain things have to be done,"
said Inouye. "First, learn how to tell
your story. The American Indian Mu
seum will tell one thing the glory
and grandeur of Indians."But, Inouye
feels there's more to the story. He
reminded the group of Indian par
ticipation in all American wars since
the American Revolution. "Indian
Executive
committee
members elected
President:
Gaiasbkibos
Lac Courte Oreilles
First Vice-President:
Joseph Goombi
Kiowa
Recording
Secretary:
Rachel Joseph
Shoshone-Paiute-
Mono
Treasurer:
A. Ron Allen
Klallum
of NCAI discussed at 48th annual convention in
-
1
participation has been greater pro
portionately than any other ethnic
ffmun.. I think it's about time that
Indians begin tooting their own horns.
You have something to brag about
tell your story."
Unity among Indian tribes is im
portant A united front gets things
done, such as in the Duro case, in
which Indian tribes lobbied Congress
to enact a law to overturn a Supreme
Court decision which removed tribes'
law enforcement authority over non
member Indians. "Whenever I see
division among Native American
people, I get sad. Non-Indians arc
probably pleased with the division
among the ranks." Inouye asked that
the tribes support the federal recog
nition of the West Virginia Lumbee
Indian tribe. Federal recognition of
the Lumbee tribe, to some, said
Inouye, means "cutting a small pie
into even smaller parts. This oppo
sition is not based on principal or
fact, but on materialism."
"Whenever I see
division among
Native Americans, I
get sad...There are
many ...who are
probably pleased with
the division."
Inouye
Inouye also asked for tribal sup
port of the Gaming Regulatory Acct.
Tribes and states must each "recoe
nize and respect the other's sover
eignty and authority." Tribal gov
ernments must abide by the terms of
the law, much like they expect state
governments to do...If Indian coun
try doesn't do this, there are many on
the sidelines who are eager to make
sure you do."
The Secretary's Message
Manual Lujan, Secretary of the
Interior, stated it is a "mutual goal to
strengthen the government-to-government
bond. The President's com
mitmentruns throughout the Depart
ment of the Interior...We are trying
to make the bureau programs the best
they can be."
'Total commitmentoneveryone's
part" is necessary for the success of
education. 'Tribes are taking a very
good interest in education...Our chil
dren must be educated."
Of self-determination, Lujan said
that 16 tribes are involved in self
governance demonstration projects.
Seven of those are in their second
year. We're working with other tribes
to help them assume responsibility
of their own programs." Also related
to self-determination is the BIA re
organization task force. Lujan said
that 36 tribal leaders, chosen by their
tribes, are working with seven Inte
rior people to help design the re
structuring of the BIA. "We're
striving to develop programs that will
best serve the needs of tribal
govcrnmcnts...This is the first lime
tribes have been given the opportu
nity to help restructure the BIA."
On Legal Issues
Larry Echohawk, of the Native
American Rights Fund, spoke abut
the importance of asserting tribal
sovereignty and looking to "Con
gress to solve the problems created
by the Supreme Court," such as in
the Duro case. 'Tribal courts arc
capable of handling cases involving
non-member Indians."
Elbridge Coochise, president of
the National Indian Court Judges As
sociation, stated that sovereignty
must not be taken for granted. "Some
tribal sovereignty has been restored
and recognized by Congress.. We
can'l continue to say we're sover
eign and do nothing." Tribal courts
are the arena in which sovereignty is
established. "It's up to tribes to im
prove the judicial systems under
which we work.. There is room for
improvement. If we don't have re
sources to operate, we can'l exercise
our sovereignty and operate fully."
tribes are careless,
"people will have to
look somewhere else
for their day in court,
because they won't
have it at home."
Coochise
Tribes are continually faced with
opposition. "Processes are still in
place to diminish tribal sovereignty."
If those efforts are successful, tribal
courts may no longer exist. "People
will have to look somewhere else for
their day in court because they won't
have it at home." Coochise asked for
support of the Courts Enhancement
Bill (S 7152) that would beef up
court systems. 'Tribal courts need
help," he said.
Nuclear Waste
Russell Jim, a Yakima tribal
member and part of the NCAI Na
tional Indian Energy Advisory board,
was one of many to talk about nuclear
and hazardous waste. The Yakima
Reservation is relatively close ("20
miles as the crow flies") to the
Hanford Nuclear Reactor site where
thousands of tons of nuclear waste
are stored. Heexplaincd that the waste
(2,100 tons) are stored "less than 300
yards from the Columbia River. The
K-reactor in which the waste is stored
is built on a geological fault. "If there
were an earthquake," the damage
would be insurmountable and irre-
14
WarmSpringsTribalCouncUChairmanZaneJacksonandVuehau-
to a fellow-delegate relate issues and concerns affecting his reservation. Many sucn issues were
discussed at the 48th annual NCAI convention held in San Francisco December 2 through o.
vcrsible for decades.
"We may continue to degrade
those who ruin our lands," said Jim.
"But, we must consider the options
for the future. One way in which this
can be accomplished is to "encourage
our youth to study the sciences be
cause they may be able to deal with
the waste." J im said that many people
don't understand what tribes have
gone through in relationship to waste.
' 1 hope the logic of the uninformed
will go away.
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'A '.,
-fell
Brenda and Gordon Scott and Art and Bernice Mitchell prepare their ballots
during the election of officers. The elections, a long and sometimes confusing
event, took an entire afternoon.
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San Francisco
"Seventy-five percent of nuclear
waste storage facilities are located
on or near Indian reservations," said
Jim. Of the 139 single-shelled stor
age tanks currently in existence, 66
arc leaking. Twenty-eight double
shelled tanks have been constructed
to store the material leaking from the
faulty tanks. "One tank nearly ex
ploded last year. No one was around
to tell how to prevent the explosion."
People, in general, know very little
about nuclear waste.
"Don't condemn those of us who
are Irving to deal with nuclear waste.
It's not our fault or your fault. But if
you don't deal with the issue, whose
fault will it be?" asked Jim.
"Seventy-five percent
of the nation's nuclear
waste is located on or
near Indian
reservations. ..It's not
our fault or your fault.
But if you don't deal
with the issue, whose
fault will it be?"
Jim
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