Tribal leaders, many of whom had supported Obama during his campaign, greeted him warmly as he underscored his political and personal kinship to Natives and provided access to his top officials so they could hear firsthand the concerns of tribal communities.

That order was intended to establish 'regular and meaningful consultation and collaboration" between Native nations and the federal government, Obama said, but little has been done. With the signing of his memorandum, Cabinet agencies will now have to produce a plan in 90 days.

'Part of a Lasting Conversation'

"And I want to be clear about this," he told the group at one point, "Today's summit is not lip service. We're not going to go through the motions and pay tribute to one another, and then furl up the flags and go our separate ways. Today's sessions are part of a lasting conversation that's crucial to our shared future."

In inviting representatives of 564 federally recognized tribes, Obama was making good on a campaign promise to bring tribal leaders to Washington to help his administration shape federal policies regarding Indian Country.

Critics and even some of his supporters had questioned whether such a summit would take place or, if it did, whether it would turn out to be a one-time event. While stopping short of any timetable, Obama indicated that the tribal summit was just a start.

In his talk, Obama said he understood such skepticism and that few people have been more marginalized and ignored by Washington as Native Americans.

'I Know What it Means to be an Outsider'

"We know the history that we share," he said. "It's a history marked by violence and disease and deprivation. Treaties were violated. Promises were broken. You were told your lands, your religion, your cultures, your languages were not yours to keep.
And that's a history that we've got to acknowledge if we are to move forward."

Obama pointed to his personal ties to Indian Country — humorously citing his well-publicized adoption by a Crow Nation family during the campaign. And he also recalled his own upbringing as an African-American child raised by a single mother.

"I get it," he said. "I'm on your side. I understand what it means to be an outsider."

In the audience, tribal leaders like Selina Petruska, chief of the Beaver Village Council in Alaska, were moved by the president's words.

"He's listening to us. He's working for us. And that's a good thing," she said.

Representatives Express Hope for More Actions

Ivan Posey, chair of the Eastern Shoshone Business Council and a tribal leader on Wyoming's Wind River Reservation, also was moved. "I was very impressed by it," he said of the speech. "People were fearful this would be a one-shot deal. I've seen it happen before, but I think this is different."

Cedric Cromwell, chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe in Massachusetts, said a key was Obama's emphasis on providing "an infrastructure and framework built around dialogue, commitment and consultation" with a measure of fairness.

"He's committed to fulfilling the United States' trust responsibilities to the tribes," Cromwell said.

During his half-hour speech, Obama was interrupted frequently by applause, but it grew quiet as he noted the challenges faced by Indian Country: unemployment rates as high as 80 percent; a quarter of all Native Americans living in poverty; more than 14 percent of all reservation homes without electricity; and 12 percent without access to a safe water supply.

Those stark numbers were familiar to many of the tribal leaders in the audience.

Tribal Leaders Described Troubles to Washington

For the rest of the day after Obama's speech, "interactive" discussions consisted of administration officials explaining their programs and their efforts to improve Native policies. In turn, tribal leaders addressed panels of Cabinet secretaries, agency heads, legislators and other key officials who came to hear their personal stories and tribal concerns. There were stories of frustration, despair and the occasional success stories when it came to public safety, health care, economic development, education, youth and agricultural issues mixed in with nightmarish federal regulations.

In the end, some tribal leaders came away heartened by their experiences meeting the president and talking directly to him and key officials.

Caroline Cannon, president of the Native Village of Point Hope in Alaska, told the group her tribe is threatened by offshore oil drilling and environmental problems. She asked the Obama Administration to consider ways to help her community. She came away pleased with Interior Secretary Kenneth Salazar's agreement to look into the matter.

"Overall, I'm very excited that we've been heard," Cannon said. "A record was made today and we've been acknowledged by the administration. My people are waiting to hear about this, and then we will wait to see what happens."

A Closing Guarantee

At the end of the day, Obama closed the tribal conference as he opened it — with a guarantee to tribal leaders that the work is not done.

"I want to give you my solemn guarantee that this is not the end of a process but a beginning of a process, and that we are going to follow up," he said to applause. "We are going to follow up. Every single member of my team understands that this is a top priority for us."

For Dino Beltran of the Lower Lake Rancheria Koi Nation in Northern California, those were welcome words after a long day. He awoke at 3:30 in the morning to become the first person in line an hour later outside the Department of the Interior and a had a front-row seat to greet the president. When he emerged from the day-long conference, it was dark once more and, though tired, Beltran had no regrets.

"I believe Barack Obama is going to put his heart in the right place," he said, "and do things so we can move forward."

 
Article Source: RezNet