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American-Indians-R-Real
Friday September 21, 2007
| Gover, supporters respond to criticism |
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| Posted: September 21, 2007 |
| by: Jerry Reynolds / Indian Country Today |
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WASHINGTON - The day after the Smithsonian Institution announced the hiring of one-time BIA chief Kevin Gover as the next director of the National Museum of the American Indian (a so-called unit museum of the Smithsonian), trust funds lawsuit lead plaintiff Elouise Cobell reeled off a tempestuous condemnation of his integrity, reputation and commitment to Indians.
''Kevin Gover was held in contempt of court in the class action lawsuit over the federal government's admitted mishandling of Indian trust accounts,'' Cobell stated in a Sept. 12 media release.
''Our case represents one of the most important instances in which the federal government has continued to abuse Native people and Mr. Gover played a key role in grossly managing the Individual Indian [Money] trust and failing to produce records in the lawsuit over what Congress has called 'the broken Indian Trust.'
''What this means is that the Smithsonian has hired someone to head this important museum who has literally thumbed his nose at Indian people - some of the poorest people in the nation. His guilt in this [contempt] case and that of his boss, [former] Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt, was never challenged by the government.''
By Sept. 19, a week later, Cobell hadn't backed off, informing The Washington Post that Gover isn't well-respected in Indian country and that no ''adversary'' of any Indian interest should direct NMAI. Between airplane flights, business meetings and a time zone difference, Cobell was unable to be interviewed by Indian Country Today. But an associate said she remains furious, fuming and offended, while another said she didn't accept an invitation to join the NMAI board of trustees just so that she could play ''wooden Indian,'' speechless and impassive.
Meanwhile, Cobell's misgivings about the Smithsonian executive selection process that approved Gover's candidacy had gained a foothold among her fellow NMAI trustees. As part of that critique, Gover's qualifications to run any museum have been questioned; but the main target of criticism here is the Smithsonian itself. Elliott Levitas, an attorney with the firm of Kilpatrick Stockton, representing the plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit over the IIM trust, said the lack of transparency in Smithsonian Institution conduct criticized in an Independent Review Committee report from last June was still evident in the selection process. ''I don't see the transparency that must occur if they want to restore the public trust,'' Levitas said.
As the former chairman of the board of a Washington-based museum, he added that trustee boards can't be dismissed as ''merely advisory.'' Congress intends for such boards to be consulted and to advise ''on all matters related to the administration, operation, maintenance and preservation'' of the Smithsonian Institution museums, he said. For that, trustee boards need information that was not forthcoming in this instance, he said. ''Instead, they totally ignored and disdained them.''
In response, Gover emphasized that he looks forward eagerly to the job of NMAI executive director, confident that he has the knowledge he needs to do the job and to win over his harshest critic - a clear reference to Cobell.
He can rely on others at NMAI for museum-specific expertise, he said. The gift he brings to the museum is an ability, developed over years as an attorney, highly placed government official, and now a law professor at Arizona State University, for conveying complex information to people who lack a prior understanding of it. He has conveyed complex Indian-specific information to clients, congressional members, government officials and students for decades now, and he will convey it to a wider public at NMAI, he said.
Of the contempt charges that set Cobell off, he said it's significant that they were filed against him in his capacity as a federal official. ''It wasn't as though I had gone out and deliberately tried not to produce these [trust] documents.''
Rather, he said, the lawsuit was filed against Interior and the BIA in 1996; he became the BIA head in 1997; and by 1998, with other lawsuits pending, no one had told him that producing the documents was going to be a problem. But when a court ruled it to be a problem - ''That's contempt of court. I accepted that responsibility.'' He wasn't about to fight the charges because he agrees the government has mismanaged the IIM trust, he said.
Worth noting, according to NMAI public affairs officer Eileen Maxwell, is that later federal officials who fought contempt charges in the case have been exonerated because a new judge in the case has voided the contempt charges. From her viewpoint, Gover has a guilty conviction on his record because he agreed with the plaintiffs who now lambaste him.
Gover found the Smithsonian search and selection process exceptionally thorough, having been through similar processes both as an administrator and a job applicant.
He acknowledges a blind spot or two in his past, never more so than after his BIA career ended and he went to work for the law firm Steptoe & Johnson. Only after signing on did he learn the firm represented Atkinson Trading Company in the Navajo case that is widely held to have diminished tribal sovereignty. ''Had I known that, my decision about where to work might have been different.''
Cobell's insinuation that Gover ''thumbed his nose at Indian people'' found poor support in Washington at least. More treasured here is Gover's September 2000 apology for the BIA's past record in Indian country - a performance at once magisterial and modest, moving and genuine, in the estimation of many who experienced it. It can be found online at video.google.com.
Gover had other defenders. Not each of them was willing to speak on the record, simply because they don't relish a sparring match with Cobell. But Greg Smith, a lawyer and lobbyist with Johnston & Associates in Washington, said he can't assess Cobell's concerns because he's not an expert on the Indian trust funds. But he has worked with Gover. ''I hold him in high regard. I can say that I've worked with him on complex problems that required a total commitment to Native rights. He combined integrity and intellectual rigor at an elite level on behalf of Indian country, and he brought that to the BIA'' - not a plum assignment in government service because of the perceived condition there of intractable problems and limited resources. Smith said Gover also articulated the concept of the BIA as an Indian trust possession, not simply a government agency; and the concept proves helpful in warding off the BIA's historical paternalistic attitude.
Bruce deGrazia, president of Global Homeland Security Advisors in Washington and an attorney and archaeologist by training, doesn't have a dog in the trust funds fight. He worked with Gover and the BIA as assistant deputy undersecretary of the Defense Department for environmental quality from 1997 to 2001. American Indian issues were among his responsibilities at Defense. ''I had professional encounters with Kevin Gover ... regular contacts in meetings because of my responsibility for Indian issues. ... I found him to be intelligent, a very personable guy, had his finger on the issues, was a good communicator of those issues. I think that his appointment ... is an excellent one.'' Gover's skills will serve him well as he addresses ''big-picture'' issues as opposed to daily detail, in deGrazia's view. If there had been a concern with his integrity, deGrazia said, ''We would have heard about it. And there wasn't a peep.'' | | | | |
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| Rock'n the Rez lets young people show their skills |
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| Posted: September 10, 2007 |
| by: Jack McNeel / Indian Country Today |
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Photos by Jack McNeel -- Rock'n the Rez is a five-week camp for children ages 5 to 12 where youngsters select from a variety of activities to concentrate on, like this culture outdoor group that had a chance to do hide tanning and basket making. (Bottom) The five weeks came to an end at the Event Center at the Coeur d'Alene Casino where the children dressed up and made their way down a red carpet to perform on stage in front of family and friends. |
| WORLEY, Idaho - Dressed as if for a night at the Emmys or Oscars, the kids arrived in big white stretch limos and a massive black Hummer, and entered the Event Center at the Coeur d'Alene Casino on a red carpet. The thing that was most evident in nearly every youngster was a huge smile.
This was the big finale after five weeks of hard work and fun: the night when they would perform on stage in front of an audience of parents, grandparents and friends. This was Rock'n the Rez at its ultimate best.
LoVina Louie, Coeur d'Alene/Colville, has headed up the program since its inception nine years ago and had started a similar program even earlier on the Colville Reservation. Louie said she loves working with young people. ''I've worked with kids pretty much since I was a kid. I was very involved with United National Indian Tribal Youth and was first co-president of the National UNITY Council. I'm also a former Miss Indian World [1990 - '91], and traveling around the country as Miss Indian World, I got to speak to kids and inspire them to be the best they could be. The reason we started Rock'n the Rez was to help kids make positive decisions.''
The youngsters range in age from 5 to 12 and attend camp Mondays through Thursdays from about 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m for five weeks. During those weeks, the youngsters selected from a variety of different activities to concentrate on. There's a performing arts camp teaching various dances to about 40 kids. The 5- and 6-year-olds were in another camp, where they worked on a variety of things including the Coeur d'Alene language. About 60 kids were signed up in that group. A culture outdoor group had a chance to do hide tanning, basket making and working with natural resources people. They did stick games and drumming; and since the camp was on the shores of Coeur d'Alene Lake, they also got to swim every day.
Another 20 youngsters were in the video production camp. They filmed the activities of the other camps and filmed the final performance. Johnny Guerrero was brought in to help with the production of all the music to make it more of a professional performance including some music written and sung by group members.
Youth leaders are hired to work with each camp. The leaders, young people from 12 to 18, are given extensive training before the camps begin. They attended a leadership camp at Washington State University, ''an awesome camp,'' Louie said. They remain at WSU for an entire week, studying, working and putting on a performance for the community. ''We had 70 kids go,'' Louie said.
''They returned from WSU and we brought in Missoula Children's Theater and they went through a week with them. They had to learn lines, wear costumes, sing songs, and gave a performance called Rumpelstiltskin,'' Louie explained. ''We also train them in first aid and CPR, and some in the Coeur d'Alene language.''
The big performance was the culmination of five week's hard work. The limousine ride lasted about 20 minutes. The walk down the red carpet was single file, waving to friends, high-fiving others, and beaming all the way. ''It's awesome,'' Louie said.
Group after group appeared on-stage to do their thing. Those from the culture camp gave a PowerPoint presentation showing their activities and a piece of rawhide they were making into a box for storage. Some had necklaces they had made and were planning to present to a parent or grandparent. But mostly there was a lot of dancing and singing.
The youth leaders had been taught hip hop, stomp, break dancing, ballroom dancing and salsa. They had then taught their groups some of those dances and all were evident on stage. Many of the girls were dressed in long gowns and many of the boys wore dress shirts and ties, some added sports coats and a couple even had formal tuxedo jackets.
The Coeur d'Alene Tribe has funded this all nine years and it's grown from a one-week camp to the present five-week camp. It's also grown from about 30 kids to 200 this year. Louie added, ''We have lots of film. In years past we've done a music video and short films and that can be found on www.rezkast.com. Indian children all over can go to that Web site and see what we've done.'' | | | | |
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| PGA play begins in Indian country |
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| Posted: September 21, 2007 |
| by: Tom Wanamaker / Indian Country Today |
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Professional golfers hit the links at Atunyote
VERONA, N.Y. - The Oneida Indian Nation has again broken new ground. By hosting the inaugural Turning Stone Resort Championship at its Atunyote Golf Club, which began play on Sept. 20, OIN becomes the first Indian nation to sponsor and host a major professional golfing event. This represents a coup not only for the Oneidas, but for Indian country as a whole.
Nation Representative Ray Halbritter, the driving force in positioning Turning Stone as a complete destination resort that happens to contain a casino, told ICT that hosting the new PGA Tour event will create a vehicle for what he hopes will be improved communication with the surrounding community.
''We're able to present an aspect of our people to the world in a way that represents what we desire - good relations and a beneficial existence,'' Halbritter said. ''In our culture, we're taught to do our best in life. It's not about us as individuals - we're part of creation.''
One significant part of that communication is the champion's sterling silver trophy. Based on a 20-foot sculpture titled ''Allies in War, Partners in Peace'' by Utah artist Edward Hlavka, the award features George Washington, Oneida Chief Oskanondohna, and Oneida woman Polly Cooper, who led a delegation of Oneidas that delivered food to Washington's Continental Army at Valley Forge during the brutal winter of 1777.
Cooper's story, and the Oneida Nation's alliance with the then-fledgling United States, illustrates the Oneidas' contribution to American freedom, a gift often overlooked and omitted from the history books. The original sculpture is now on display at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.
Atunyote
That sense of unity with the environment is readily apparent, so much so that Audobon International has certified Atunyote, which means ''eagle'' in the Oneida language, as an environmentally friendly course, the only such course on the PGA Tour.
Halbritter told ICT that in building Atunyote, the Nation sought to create a golfing experience of the highest quality, with great attention to detail and care.
In terms of both playing conditions and sheer scenic beauty, Atunyote rivals any other course currently hosting a PGA event and has garnered high praise from golfers and golfing publications alike. Renowned course architect Tom Fazio designed Atunyote, giving it a healthy dose of water hazards, deep bunkers, narrow fairways and quick greens to challenge top players.
Giving back
Philanthropy, a natural outgrowth of the general spirit of generosity among the Oneida and the Haudenosaunee as a whole, plays a vital role in the tournament. All net proceeds of the Turning Stone Resort Championship will benefit charitable organizations operating in Central New York and across the country.
''This is about being an example - and living the example,'' Halbritter said. ''Not just watching and witnessing, but living it.'' He added that approximately $250,000 has so far been raised for charity.
The idea of giving to the community is important to Halbritter and OIN. As its casino and other business ventures have succeeded, OIN has faced considerable backlash and outright hostility from state and local politicians and ''citizens' groups.'' Most of these folks bemoan the fact that OIN, citing its treaty relationship with the federal government, refuses to collect state taxes.
''The tax issue is a principle,'' Halbritter said. ''It's not about our ability to pay. People don't like it. This is an economically depressed area and lawyers twist words and politicians refuse to work cooperatively.''
PGA estimates say that a tournament like Turning Stone can have an economic impact of $25 million to $50 million on the surrounding community. Yet, Halbritter said, while OIN has created 5,000 jobs and brought the PGA to Central New York, local leaders fail to create economic development of any type.
''All you hear is that the Oneida Nation isn't paying taxes,'' Halbritter said. ''We look to the future. We hope someday there will be a better relationship between our people and those who came from overseas.''
A situation witnessed Sept. 13 by one reporter is perhaps indicative of just how the local community ''supports'' OIN and its endeavors. Several Oneida County sheriff's deputies were seen in the vicinity of the entrance to the course parking lot. Two of their SUVs were parked on the shoulder of Route 31, just to the left of the lot driveway and completely blocking the view of oncoming westbound traffic for motorists trying to exit the lot. None of the deputies made any attempt to direct traffic.
Approximately a half-mile to the west, Route 31 intersects with Route 365, which carries traffic to the New York State Thruway. Traffic was backed up quite a ways in all directions, but there were no policemen or deputies anywhere in sight to direct traffic and help ease the congestion.
Day one
After the first day of play at Atunyote on Sept. 20, two players - Chad Campbell and Jeff Gove - were tied for the lead at -7. Notah Begay III, Navajo, finished the day at +1. He had a chance to break even but just missed a putt on his final hole to finish one over par for the first round.
Begay has been member of the PGA Tour for the past eight seasons. A former teammate and roommate of golfing great Tiger Woods at Stanford University, Begay has assumed an ambassadorial role in promoting the Turning Stone tournament, lobbying his golfing colleagues to give the new tour event a try. While Woods is not playing at Atunyote, many of the world's other top golfers are taking part.
''Notah is very intelligent and articulate,'' Halbritter said. ''He's a true gentleman and a professional. We're delighted to have a man of his caliber helping us.'' | | | | |
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| Declaration adoption marks the end of the first step |
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| Posted: September 21, 2007 |
| by: Gale Courey Toensing / Indian Country Today |
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Photo courtesy Dick Bancroft -- A delegation from the Six Nations (Haudenosaunee Confederacy) brought attention to the plight of indigenous peoples when they traveled to Geneva, Switzerland, in 1977 to speak before the United Nations. They sought recognition of indigenous peoples' identities and relief from the violation of their rights. |
| NEW YORK - When Cayuga Chief Deskaheh traveled to Geneva in 1923 to address the League of Nations about the right of his people to live freely on their own lands, practice their own religion and follow their own laws, the door was shut in his face by what he called ''cruel indifference.''
Deskaheh's courageous attempt to bring justice to his Haudenosaunee people was the first step in an ongoing quest that reached a benchmark almost 85 years later when the U.N. General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples on Sept. 13.
One hundred and forty-three member states voted yes, 11 states abstained, and four voted against the adoption.
Canada, one of the countries that blocked Deskaheh in March 1923 from entering the League of Nation's plenary session, continued its negation of the indigenous rights embodied by the declaration, and was joined by Australia, New Zealand and the United States in voting no.
The declaration is a nonbinding document that formally establishes the individual and collective rights of the world's 370 million indigenous peoples, advocates for the protection and enhancement of their cultural identities and right to self-government, and underlines their right to control the lands and territories they have traditionally owned or used as well as their right to restitution for lands that have been taken from them.
The hope and expectation is that it will become a convention with the force of international law.
''The declaration is wonderful. It's a respect, recognition, and a beginning,'' said Ray Halbritter, Oneida Indian Nation Representative and CEO, and publisher of Indian Country Today.
''The fact that the world is now aware of and supporting the concept of indigenous peoples - rather than exterminating them - is very significant, and I think it will help in those forums [dealing with land and natural resources rights, for example] because people will now know others are aware and watching, and that's an important element.''
Halbritter was a member of a delegation from the Six Nations (the Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois, Confederacy) that traveled in Deskaheh's footsteps to Geneva in 1977 on a similar mission: seeking recognition of indigenous peoples' identities and relief from the violation of their rights. The 1977 conference marked another beginning in the effort that culminated in the declaration's adoption.
The delegation's 1977 reception was very different from Deskaheh's in 1923, Halbritter said. Although Deskaheh was denied entry into the League of Nations, he gave a speech to the people of Geneva.
''And it was amazing to us in 1977 that the city officials remembered, and they held a special reception to honor and recognize and respect the Six Nations delegation,'' Halbritter recalled. ''So we know that it's a long process, but nonetheless, it must be continued and it will be continued.''
The delegation traveled to Geneva on Six Nations passports, which garnered a flurry of attention from the Swiss customs people who had never before seen American Indian passports, Halbritter said.
Robert ''Tim'' Coulter, Potawatomi, co-founder and executive director of the Indian Law Resource Center, and one of the declaration's original authors, said its adoption will help inform federal judges, Congress and government officials that the rights of indigenous peoples worldwide must be respected.
''Indigenous peoples are now accepted as a permanent part of the world community, and this will help stop discrimination and end the marginalization of indigenous peoples,'' Coulter said.
Jose Barreiro, Taino, assistant director of research at the National Museum of the American Indian and former senior editor of ICT, hailed the adoption as a ''huge milestone.'' He was involved in the 1970s efforts by the Haudenosaunee and paid homage to Coulter; the late John Mohawk, Seneca; Onondaga Faithkeeper Oren Lyons; and other early initiators of the document. He attended the 1977 Geneva conference and also edited ''A Basic Call to Consciousness,'' the seminal publication comprised of position papers largely written by Mohawk which outlined the indigenous fight for international recognition of the ''Sacred Web of Life.''
The first draft of the declaration had been circulating prior to the conference and emerged from a confluence of events: the horrific human rights violations Central America; the massacres and disappearance of many indigenous leaders; the nascent indigenous movements in Bolivia, Guatemala and Mexico; the sovereignty movement in North America. The conference took place four years after Wounded Knee '73, ''so the human rights elements were very important and people got to Geneva with many cases to present,'' Barreiro explained.
What arrived in Geneva was not simply a complaint of oppression, however, but an idea of a shared identity and shared belief about the relationship of human beings to the natural world.
''There were two points of unity, and one was the shared history of oppression that everybody could sense; but the deeper, more foundational one occurred when the elders began to conduct early morning ceremonies and the unifying element of the indigenous world became more obvious,'' Barreiro said.
''I remember the scene. Chief Corbett Sundown, a [Seneca] elder who has since passed away, invited the delegation to a tobacco burning one early morning and intoned the Thanksgiving Address of the Haudenosaunee, and in the pattern of that very traditional oration that's to be done in the Native languages of the Iroquois were elements that Hopi brought with them as well, and Maya could recognize, so the various people from very distinct cultures increasingly realized that they shared a worldview.''
At its very foundation is a spiritual message, ''yet it's not taken over by this spiritist stuff,'' Barreiro added, noting that the foundational element has kept the movement together for 30 years.
There were some bumps along the way. In the 1980s, differences over the relevance of Marxism and free market ideologies fostered contentions.
''Some people called it disunity, but, you know, things fall apart and things come together and over the long haul you can see where all these debates have led to growth of intelligence and an idea of the world,'' Barreiro said.
The indigenous movement continued to develop and refine the draft declaration through the 1990s with many attendant activities such as international conferences and forums, workshops, presentations, papers and meetings.
The creation of the U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in July 2000 provided a mandate and a structure of consistency that accelerated the process toward the declaration's adoption.
Some of the next steps will include a monitoring program to protect the rights upheld in the declaration, and a deeper study of international law in search of practical solutions. ''The idea was always to go to international law to get some relief from domestic policies,'' Barreiro explained.
While there is much work ahead, the passage of the declaration ''is momentous,'' he said.
''There's always someone who says, 'What does it mean, what does it matter? It doesn't guarantee one acre of land.' No, it doesn't have any teeth or political enforcement. It's just a great moral base and a tremendous recognition. It's a triumph after 30 years and thousands and thousands of people mobilizing around these ideas.'' |
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| News from the Pacific Northwest |
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| Posted: September 10, 2007 |
| by: Richard Walker / Indian Country Today |
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Photo by Molly Neely-Walker -- Lummi elder Lutie Hillaire gave a Lummi canoe permission to depart at the conclusion of the Tribal Journey Days celebration, July 7. Lummi pullers will join others from Samish and Swinomish at the Friends of the San Juans' annual picnic Sept. 15 on Shaw Island. |
| Tribes help celebrate environmental advocacy
SHAW ISLAND, Wash. - Canoes from Lummi, Samish and Swinomish will return to this island, known historically by the Coast Salish people as Somemana, on Sept. 15 to participate in Friends of the San Juans' annual picnic.
Friends of the San Juans is an environmental advocacy group that has worked with Lummi, Samish and Swinomish on environmental issues. The San Juans are the ancestral home of the Lummi, Samish and Swinomish and all operate habitat restoration, marine cleanup or resource protection programs here.
Visitors to the picnic will be given the opportunity to pull in a Coast Salish canoe. The event also includes a beach walk, lunch and guest speakers including Coast Salish elders.
The event is 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Shaw Island County Park. Call (360) 378-2319 or visit www.sanjuans.org.
Puyallup building 'healthy' home for elders
PUYALLUP, Wash. - Ground will be blessed and construction will begin Sept. 20 on an ''Elder Healthy Home,'' the first of 20 using healthy design and sustainable materials. The homes are being built for Puyallup's seniors.
The single-family, two-bedroom home will be built on 32nd Street in Tacoma. It is believed to be the first of its kind on tribal land in the Northwest and Puyallup hopes the project will demonstrate an approach to green and affordable housing for tribes in the region.
Unique features of the home include accessible design and assistive technology, such as smooth ground surfaces of entranceways, without stairs; wide interior doors and hallways; lever handles for opening doors, rather than twisting knobs; light switches with large flat panels, rather than small toggle switches; clear lines of sight to reduce dependence on sound; and bright lighting.
The home will be built using salvaged and locally produced materials; certified sustainably harvested wood; recycled-content roofing, concrete and insulation; and low- or non-toxic materials, paints and finishes. It will have low-flow plumbing fixtures, appliances and toilets; solar cooling and heating; rainwater collection for landscape irrigation; native plants and drought-tolerant landscaping; and pervious pavement for on-site stormwater infiltration.
Elders and their caregivers participated in the design. The home will be built by Martin Luther King Housing Development Association. Ten corporations are sponsoring or endorsing the project, including the National American Indian Housing Council and the Builders Association of Pierce County.
Longhouse Media wins Seattle mayor's Arts Award
SEATTLE - Longhouse Media received the Mayor's Arts Award for its Native Lens program. Mayor Greg Nickels made the presentation Aug. 31 at Seattle Center.
Native Lens teaches American Indian and Alaska Native youth not only how to make films but how to tell stories that challenge stereotypes about Native people while bridging a gap between Native youth and digital media.
In addition to providing life skills, alternative education and career development in the media field, the program offers young people an opportunity to express the stories they want to tell while giving back to their communities.
Native Lens was launched in 2005 by executive director Tracy Rector, Seminole, and artistic director Annie Silverstein with the support of the Swinomish Tribal Community. Since its inception, Longhouse Media has introduced hundreds of students - many from low income and at-risk backgrounds - to the art of writing and filmmaking.
Two films produced by Swinomish participants were shown at the Native American Film and Video Festival in New York on Nov. 30 to Dec. 3; a documentary about the effects of pollution caused by an oil refinery located in traditional Swinomish territory was sent to Gov. Christine Gregoire in early 2006.
Pole erected to honor Haida carver Saaduuts
SEATTLE - Native dancers and a traditional salmon dinner commemorated the installation of a traditionally carved 24-foot honor pole at The Center for Wooden Boats on Aug. 25.
The pole is a gift from the Tlingit people and the town of Klawock, Alaska, to Saaduuts and the center in appreciation for a 36-foot canoe - the ''Spirit of Peace'' - that Saaduuts made as a gift for Klawock in 2005. Saaduuts is the center's artist in residence.
The pole was raised as a permanent feature of The Center for Wooden Boats and the new Lake Union Park.
For two years, Klawock carver Jon Rowen worked with youth in Klawock to carve the honor pole. The pole is 24 feet tall and tells the story of the connection between Saaduuts, the center and Klawock.
For more than eight years through the program ''Carving Cultural Connections,'' Saaduuts and the center have been carving traditional dugout canoes with school children of all backgrounds from the Seattle area and beyond. Four of the canoes have been given to Native communities to help them reconnect to their canoe culture.
Lummi Nation first in hazard mitigation
LUMMI, Wash. - The Lummi Indian Nation was first in the United States to have its updated multi-hazard mitigation plan submitted to and approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Plan approval make the Lummi eligible to apply for grants related to fire management assistance, hazard mitigation, pre-disaster mitigation and flood mitigation through May 30, 2010. Funding for these grants is made available through the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.
FEMA Region 10 Administrator Susan Reinertson presented a formal approval letter to the Lummi Indian Business Council and Lummi's multi-hazard mitigation team on Aug. 6 in the Council Chambers.
''The Lummi Nation is committed to maintaining a comprehensive and current multi-hazard mitigation plan for the welfare of our community,'' Lummi Chairman Evelyn Jefferson said in a press release before the presentation.
''By ensuring that our hazard mitigation plan addresses the ever-changing hazards that might occur within our community, we're actively developing and managing a living blueprint for reducing the impact of future natural disasters.''
Funds available for energy assistance
SEATTLE - Some $21.9 million in funds are available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help rural residents and businesses - including those in Indian country - upgrade energy infrastructure and make other energy efficiency improvements.
Grant applications must be postmarked by Oct 1. An application guide is available at www.usda.gov/rus/electric and at http://Grants.gov under ''Code of Domestic Federal Assistance (CDFA)'' No. 10.859.
Funds may be used to acquire, construct, extend, upgrade or otherwise improve energy generation, transmission or distribution facilities serving communities in which the average residential cost for home energy exceeds 275 percent of the national average.
Grants are available to individuals, businesses, nonprofit entities, states, local governments and federally recognized tribes.
Grants may not be used to pay utility bills or to purchase fuel and may not be used for the sole benefit of the applicant, according to USDA.
Richard Walker is a correspondent reporting from San Juan Island, Wash. Contact him at rmwalker@rockisland.com. |
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