Smoke Signals
6
Indian Leaders Gather, continued
Ancient Ways Meet with Modern Times.
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Zach Red Bear, 14 year-old grass
dancer, shows his moves during the
Harvard award's banquet.
Continued from front page
The moment of the conference
that drew the most attention
from the dominant culture was the
appearance of the Secretary of the
Interior Bruce Babbitt. Babbitt ad
dressed the crowd of Indian leaders
by saying that Vice President Al
Gore was not conceding the election
to Texas Governor George W. Bush.
Babbitt, in typical politician-like fash
ion, lit up like a cigarette lighter at a
Limp Bizkit concert when he heard
the resulting applause from the au
dience at his Gore comment. He grew
even more animated when he spot
ted the lone television camera in the
crowd. The attention was focused on
him and he appeared to like it.
Babbitt (pictured on page 7) used
the NCAI platform to announce that
regardless of the outcome of the presi
dential election he would be leaving
office in January.
"It has been an extraordinary ex
perience these last eight years,"
said Babbitt to over 300 Tribal repre
sentatives. "It has been a wonderful
and enriching experience working
with all of you. The reason I'm leav
ing is not because I'm weary or worn
out. On the contrary I have en
joyed every day of the last eight years.
I've always thought in life that the
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Or
Miss NCAI for 2001 Liberty Toledo, a Shoshone
Bannock Tribal member, poses for a picture with
Miss NCAI 2000 Emily Washines. Toledo, a student
at Idaho State University and member of the National
Guard and ROTC thanked her Elders, her family, all
Veterans, her Tribal leaders and her community for
their support during her Miss NCAI campaign.
Grand Ronde Tribal member Justin Martin (right) and his
assistant Nichoel Holmes show off their award following
the awards banquet.
t
I
I
INDIAN FIGHTER Nisqually Tribal Elder Billy Frank, Jr., a great man of peace and brother
hood, made his legend fighting for Tribal fishing rights in Washington State in the late '60s
and early 70s. Frank's cause drew the attention of Hollywood and stars like Marlon Brando,
James Coburn and Dick Gregory who came to Washington and were arrested alongside Frank.
The fight for Indian fishing rights led to the 1974 Boldt decision that reaffirmed the Tribes'
treaty fishing rights and established them as co-managers of the resource. Frank, Chairman
of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, held court in the hallways of the RiverCentre
during the NCAI conference greeting old friends and fellow Indian leaders.
fJVib
Photos by
Brent Merrill
trick was to get off the stage while the
audience is still applauding."
Babbitt said he is uncertain about
his future in office, but will always
be a friend to the Tribes.
"I can tell you one thing, I am not
going to practice law and I can tell
you something else I'm not going
to be a paid lobbyist," said Babbitt.
"But, let me tell you something else,
as long as I live I will be back among
you all of my life saying T'm not here
for any reason except to say that our
partnership has been one of the
greatest and transcendent experi
ences of my life.' And, I will always,
always be available to speak and
fight for your cause whenever and
wherever you call on me to do so."
Upclose and personal with Oren Lyons:
Continued from front page '
can't talk to their kids in their own language. It is a neglect that na
tions will pay for. And, I will say one more thing about language, lan
guage hasn't been lost language was taken. Language was beaten
out of the people. Language was a federal program of destruction. I
mean we didn't lose language. It was taken from us in the most unjust
manner you know it was a crime. It was really a crime what they did.
Like in the boarding schools...
Well, that is what it was. The whole purpose of the boarding schools
was to take the child away from the culture and the language. When
people don't have a language there is no judgment you can't make
a judgment against them because you just don't know their history and
how they suffered.
hen you looked out and saw over 300 Tribes represented at
the NCAI conference, what did you think?
Well, I'm an old timer I'm 71 years old. I've seen this again and
ajain. It is always good to see them and it always good to see my old
friends. It is important unity is important. It is the only way we
ht ve survived.
ibal officials discussed the future
of Indian Country as well play
ing host to the Harvard University's
"Honoring Nations Awards." ,
The Harvard project highlighted 16
examples of governmental excellence
in Indian Country and the Confed
erated Tribes of Grand Ronde's In
tergovernmental Affairs program
was among the 16 finalists for the
Harvard awards.
Although his program was not
among the final eight high honor
ees, Intergovernmental Affairs Di
rector Justin Martin said it is an hon
ored to be included in the process.
"We're very happy to be included
in this distinguished group of Tribal
programs being recognized by such
a prestigious group as the Harvard
University's Honoring Nations pro
gram," said Martin. "The Intergov
ernmental Affairs program has
achieved positive intergovernmental
relationships with federal, state and
especially local governments by pur
suing a five-pronged strategy of com
munication, education, cooperation,
contributions and presence. Since we
started this program three years ago,
the Tribe has raised public aware
ness, built coalitions and engaged in
innovative partnerships with local
government representatives."
During Martin's presentation, he
drew attention to the Tribe's accom
plishments since Restoration. He
talked about the establishment of the
community center, health clinic, El
der housing site and Tribal Gover
nance Center as well as the educa
tion and health care programs aimed
at improving the lives of Tribal mem
bers. Martin talked about the suc
cess of the Northwest's top casino
(Spirit Mountain Casino in Grand
Ronde) and the fact that this busi
ness enterprise has become the num
ber one tourist attraction in the State
of Oregon.
Martin talked about the fact that
the Tribe now is in a position of help
ing others and that the Tribe has
turned things around economically
in Grand Ronde and W ftg surrqund
ing communities of Willamina and
Sheridan.
He also talked about the fact that
the Tribe's Spirit Mountain Commu
nity Fund has distributed over $10
million to deserving and worthy or
ganizations throughout Oregon and
that the Tribe is now entering ar
rangements to steward land for the
federal government rather than hav
ing it be the other way around.
In response to a question posed to
him by one of the most respected
Tribal leaders in the nation Chief
Oren Lyons, Martin said it is the
Tribal Intergovernmental Affairs
program's ability to establish and
build credible relationships with lo
cal government officials as the key
to their success.
At the awards banquet, Lyons said
he was pleased to be on the panel of
judges for the Harvard honors.
"We have worked hard to come to
these conclusions," said Lyons of the
final eight high award honorees. "As
we look towards the next 1,000 years,
there needs to be direction and a
wealth pool of information and there
needs to be values. We as indigenous
people, we have that. We can do
what needs to be done to sustain a
nation. We are indigenous people
we have been here for a long time.
And, I suspect that a thousand years
from now we will still be here."
Lyons closed by urging Native
people to gain and keep knowledge,
but even more importantly to keep
their languages.
He said the way to do that is to
keep your respect.
"Respect. Respect for one another.
Respect for the earth. Respect for
your leaders. Respect for your fami
lies. Respect for your children and
respect for one another," said Lyons.