• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

----,-----~-- Attachment C PROCEEDINGS of the Governor's Conversation on the Preservation of Traditional Native American Wisdom November 999 Contents First Conversation November 1, 1999 1 Governor Marc Racicot's Introduction 1 Bob Staffanson's Presentation 1 Dr. Barney Reeves' Presentation 2 Questions for Consideration 3 What ought we to be concerned about? How is traditional culture at risk? Why is traditional culture worth preserving? Answers Provided by Participants 4 Conversation Reconvened November 29, 1999 7 Introduction 7 Small Group Discussion 8 The strengths and gifts of Montana's non-Indian community 8 Potential means of supporting a pilot program in Montana 10 Soliciting the best thinking about preserving traditional Native American wisdom 10 How do stories and storytelling help preserve traditional Native American wisdom? 11 General Discussion 12 Exciting Ideas 12 Potential Sacred Sites 13 Where We Go from Here 13 Near-term Tasks 14 Next Steps 14 The Montana Indian Institute 14 Participants 15 Page i First Conversation ~-six people attended November 1, 1999 • the 'meeting at the _ Governor's residence. For the first two hours, all sat in a circle facing one another. During lunch, people moved their chairs back to tables that were arranged in a circle. Governor Marc Racicot's Introduction • Referred to the "conversation" model for endowed philanthropy and its ongoing success. • Spoke of inviting to this conversation "people of good sense and honest purpose with a genuine interest in Native American culture." • Defined the purpose of this conversation as exploring how non-Indian Montanans can best assist Native American communities. The Governor introduced Bob Staffanson, founder and Executive Director of the American Indian Institute and a native of Montana. He completed his undergraduate study in music at the University of Montana and graduate study in New York City and Paris. He enjoyed a twenty-year career as a professional symphony conductor. Staffanson founded the Billings Symphony and conducted the Springfteld, MA, symphony. He returned to Montana and founded the American Indian Institute in 1973. He resides in Bozeman. The Governor then introduced former-Governor Tim Babcock who started the personal introductions with his own story of interest in and contact with Indian culture. Storytelling introductions continued around the circle. Interests were expressed in Indian community development, arts and culture, family/morality issues, health and healing, spiritual strength. Bob Staffanson's Presentation Bob Staffanson, founder and Executive Director of the American Indian Institute, described the germination and growth of the Institute. With a commitment born in a life-changing ceremony in which he participated with the Blood Indians of Canada, Bob established the Institute in 1973 with principal incorporators Chet Huntley, George O'Connor (president, Montana Power), Tim Babcock (former Governor), Joe Page 1 PROCEEDINGS Governor's Conversation on the Preservation of Traditional Native American Wisdom McDowell (Chairman, Servomation Corp.), and Louis Lundborg (Chairman, Bank of America). The search for direction for the Institute led to a meeting at which the late Alphonso Ortiz said, "If what we want to do doesn't make sense to the Elders, it won't work." Bob subsequently hosted a meeting of Elders from the United States and Canada at the Headwaters of the Missouri River in August 1977. The Headwaters Council was a landmark event for the Institute. It provided the Institute with direction and focus; it emphasized the need for "no-strings" help in the survival of traditional Indian heritage; and it concluded with an agreement on an organizational structure that allowed the two groups (Indian Elders and the non-Indian Institute) to work together for two major goals: 1) the survival of traditional Indian heritage, and 2) cross-cultural communication. Both goals were accepted completely by both groups. The organizational structure of the relationship came from Indian imagery of cooperation: two circles. The Indian Circle would consist of the Elders who were there, and those whom they would recruit. The non-Indian Circle would be the American Indian Institute and any non-Indian people who want to help "but who do not have a personal or political ax to grind." Each circle would have its own responsibilities and functions. The non-Indian Cjrcle would be the administrative agency and support source for the work of the two Circles. The glue between the two circles would be trust; Bob was the trust figure. Bob mentioned many programs and activities in which the two circles have participated in the more than twenty years since their establishment. After twenty-plus years, "we have a relationship with traditional Indian people in North America that is unprecedented, and which provides unlimited opportunity for innovative cooperation." Dr. Barney Reeves' Presentation The Governor introduced Dr. Barney Reeves, an archaeologist and third generation southern Albertan. He grew up in Waterton Lakes National Park, is Professor Emeritus of the Department of Archeology at the University of Calgary where he worked for thirty years studying Native peoples' traditional culture, history, and the archeology of Alberta and Montana. For his community service in Native and sacred site preservation in 1990 he was awarded the Federal Minister of Heritage - Heritage Service Award, the first archaeologist to receive the award. He received the Governor General's Confederation of Canada Medal in 1992 for cross cultural communication. In 1992, he was honored by the Peigan nation for work preserving Blackfeet sacred sites. He has spent 20 years working with Elders. His Peigan Page 2 name translates to "Big North Inside Lake" (Waterton Lake). Dr. Reeves began his discussion by telling the group that he was taught by his professors in the 1960s that "the Blackfeet people have nothing to tell us, that they'll tell you a story because you're a white person. They'll tell you a story because they want to please you." Dr. Reeves explained that he has since learned that the Blackfeet people have plenty to tell us. The reason they have so much to tell is that they've been here forever. Our version of Native American history needs to be corrected on that point. Our version - if you pick up a Montana history book - says the Blackfeet only got here after the horse. Dr. Reeves went on to explain that 1) sacred sites are essential to Native American well-being. 2) forests are cultural ecosystems, e.g., people have been using fire for centuries to control the system for the benefit of all the beings. 3) We hear a lot about the richness of the ethnobotany in the Amazon rainforest, and we must protect it. But we have an equally rich storehouse in our own back yard; Native peoples know about that storehouse and are willing to share their knowledge. Bob Staffanson explained: "We say we work with traditional people, spiritual people, and the Indians know what that is - the people who enrich their communities with ceremonies and wisdom, who sustain and support the heritage. The political people, for lack of a better term, are people who function in the systems we (non-Indians) have set up. There is a spiritual/political split in every tribe. Among the strongest traditional societies are the Six Nations in the Northeast and the Pueblo peoples in the Southwest. They have retained their internal structure exceedingly well. They are the most successful at living economically and successfully in two worlds. How many spiritual people are there? I don't know. But as long as there is one, there is hope. Lately, we've been seeing more young people at the ceremonies. That's a good sign. However, disconcerting things are happening in Indian communities. For example, at Hopi some youths are rebelling against their heritage. I used to be concerned that one day there would not be any traditional people, but the fact is that interest in cultural heritage is growing. Our organization, the American Indian Institute, is dedicated to helping Native people preserve their own heritage. We can't make it happen only the Native peoples themselves can make it happen. But, we all do one of two things: we hinder or we help, passively or actively. For the past 500 years, we've been hindering, even destroying cultures. The American Indian Institute for the first time provided a mechanism for traditional people to gather and strengthen their spiritual and cultural heritages with centuries-old concepts of trust and consensus-building. Page 3 PROCEEDINGS Governor's Conversation on the Preservation of Traditional Native American Wisdom The Governor asked participants to think about three questions during lunch: 1. What ought we to be concerned about? 2. How is traditional culture at risk? 3. Why is traditional culture worth preserving? Answers provided by participants: 1. What ought we be concerned about? What can we learn? a. Child rearing b. Health c. Justice 2. How is it at risk? a. Government intervention (land, environment) b. 1V and popular culture c. Loss oflanguage 3. Why is it worth preserving? a. Health - Native culture holds knowledge affecting native people and all others. b. It's part of our North American heritage, a part of this land. Joe McDowell asked the Governor, "What do you think we can and should do?" Governor: We have to abide by the law and respect contracts (i.e., treaties). We have to educate Montanans about the relationship between the u.s. Government and the tribes. I don't know how you get to spiritual understanding without accepting that Native Americans have a right to exist as separate nations. We also should make it mandatory that in education Montana history includes Native American history. We have to work toward the preservation of traditional culture "not only because it's right for [Native Americans], but it's right for us." Page 4 There is lots of conflict around all Indian issues in Montana.

Load more

  21

Copy Link