Welcome
to
Indigenous
Policy
Journal of the Indigenous Policy Network
(IPN)
Formerly American Indian Policy
| XX | Vol.
XVIV, No. 1__ __ Spring, 2008
REVIEW: Ethan Baptiste, “Extended Book Review: Helin, Calvin. Dances with Dependency: Indigenous Success through Self-Reliance.”
EXTENDED BOOK REVIEW: HELIN, CALVIN, DANCES WITH DEPENDENCY: INDIGENOUS SUCCESS THROUGH SELF-RELIANCE. Vancouver: Orca Spirit Publishing and Communications, Inc., 2006, pp. 313. ISBN: 0978210700 Hardcover. Ethan Baptiste, Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies University of British Columbia- Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada, V1V 1V7 Calvin Helin attempts to contextualize the current problems facing Aboriginal people in Canada and then offers simple and practical solutions, which he believes could apply to all Aboriginal people. This book tries to uncover why Aboriginal people's lives are subject to inequalities and hardships and goes on to suggest several psychological theories, which he believes are the origins of those problems. The author believes there is a dire need to address the social problems plaguing the lives of Aboriginal people, in order to fend off a potentially crippling economic crisis, referred to as the Demographic Tsunami. The author provides some excellent interpretations of the historical injustice, critique on current situations and political constrains of Aboriginal governance structures and instills hope in the reader that there is an end, with valid solutions, to such unrelenting problems faced by all Aboriginal people. Tragically, Helin offers nothing innovative or practical and simply mirrors and concedes to the will of the Canadian corporations and government's wishes. It is tragic because this book is so widely promoted throughout mainstream media as the answer to the problems facing Aboriginal people and now, Indigenous leadership are beginning to acknowledge and endorse Helin's misguided solutions. The author's interpretations are wrought with contradictions, on the one hand Helin exhibits pride in his culture and traditions then refuses to incorporate any Indigenous way of life or ideology. Instead, Helin opts to reiterate the agenda of the Canadian governments through his “blueprint” presented, which is a facilitated Aboriginal migration to urban centers, forgetting of the past and individual private ownership on reserves. Also, to the enjoyment of Canadian business and industry, Helin calls not for an implementation or realization of Aboriginal Title or real self-determination but for a shift in focus to economic gains and the bottom line. Given, all the resource extraction taking place on unceded traditional territory of Aboriginal Nations, Helin calls for accommodation agreements and creation of business partnerships. Chapters 1 was intended to provide background into the societal elements of pre-contact Aboriginal societies and how self-reliance was achieved. There is vague reference to rich Aboriginal cultures and the focus is directed to early roles within the fur trade, and stops there. Instead, most of the section is built on introducing sociological pathology theories of welfare trap, welfare syndrome, welfare dependency, dependency mindset, dependency theory, dependency course and other pathologies. Unfortunately, Helin's over reliance on psychological theories is fundamentally inaccurate, because as Chrisjohn points out, western scientific frameworks, in terms of human and social concerns, lack conceptual clarification, causality and are excessively mechanistic (2006, 296:9). In addition, Chrisjohn draws parallels from a Residential School analysis and states: The idea that we can, should, or will understand the Persian Gulf war by examining the personalities of Bush and Hussein; that racism in our society will be eradicated by unmaking racists one by one; that by planting a lot of trees will build a forest; or that by examining the mental contents of the people who ran and the people who attended Residential Schools we will understand what Residential Schools are all about: all these and much more are revealed as being the misdirected presumptions of ideologues, who do not understand (or perhaps ignore) the fact that their tactics and aims follow from an elementary error in undergraduate logic, and are a studied ignorance” (124) Furthermore, Smith had recognized that Western science is limited in its ability to understand human beings because of the need to split the body and the mind within any analysis, as “the separation between mind and body, the investing of a human person with a soul, a psyche and a consciousness, the distinction between sense and reason, definitions of human virtue and morality, are cultural constructs. … Whilst the workings of a mind may be associated in Western thinking primarily with the human brain, the mind itself is a concept or idea” (1999, 48). Contrarily, Indigenous knowledge understands that the mind and body are connected and that human activity was seen to be caused by factors outside the control of the individual. Western science omits any connection with the natural environment and treats the mind as if it is a biological part of the body, which can be studied. However, the greatest hindrance to such research is the researcher. As Smith points out: What makes ideas ‘real' is the system of knowledge, the formulations of culture, and the relations of power in which these concepts are located. What an individual is- and the implications this has for the way researchers or teachers, therapists or social workers, economists or journalists, might approach their work- is based on centuries of philosophical debate, principles of debate and systems for organizing whole societies predicated on these ideas. These ideas constitute reality. Reality cannot be constituted without them (1999, 48) Therefore, if researchers create analysis through a Western science lens the focus will always be on human activity. For our purposes here, researcher's questions will continue to focus on the individual Aboriginal person. Not surprisingly, their outcomes will result accordingly and lead, in one way or another, to the following conclusion: Aboriginal people are on welfare (unemployed, addicted to alcohol, undereducated, etc.) because of internal or mental factors. By diverting the broader cultural, social, political and economic factors onto the individual, researchers will always fail to understand the complex problems facing Aboriginal people and continue to propose solutions that foster and recreate situations. The focus of Chapter 2 and 3 is on a contemptuously toned theory- the Demographic Tsunami, a fear mongering technique that is tirelessly reiterated, past the feeling of annoyance. Unfortunately, if readers aren't racist or ageist before, they will be goaded to become so, after reading this section. Simply put, the Demographic Tsunami argues that aging baby boomers, a rapidly growing Aboriginal population and the elevated payments from potentially increasing Métis rights “will impact individual taxpayers in their wallets and will have serious long-term repercussions to the well-being of Canada” (53). To me, this philosophy reminds me of the reasoning used by the BC Liberal Government and Canadian Taxpayers Association to justify the 2002 BC Treaty Referendum, where the questions where deliberately bias in favor of the BC Liberals negotiating stance and the referendum saw 75% of BC voters either boycott or register a no vote, and rightfully so. Chapter 4, the First Wave, was an anthropological account of Aboriginal societies prior to contact. The sovereignty and legitimacy of the Canadian government is questioned, while the progressive, evolved, individualistic, Western society is contrasted with the simplistic, cooperative, holistic, Aboriginal society. Lessons drawn were Aboriginal societies were self-reliant, interdependent, enjoyed moral leadership, and, from a philosophical perspective, “survival was intimately connected to nature and what were viewed as precious gifts yielded up from the land and resources” or nature was a gift. There is no legitimate analysis of Aboriginal ways of life or worldview and the author's bias towards non-Aboriginal academics and “experts” knowledge is revealed, with no reference to genuine traditional knowledge. Chapter 5, the Second Wave, the effects of colonization and evolving relationship with non-Aboriginals is touched on. The author does provide a great historical summary of the harmful Indian Act legislation and is accurate in pointing out how the Canadian policies “thought ... the best way to civilize Aboriginal populations that operated outside the accepted economic structure of the time was through a systematic process of assimilation so that they would fit into the emerging industrial society and market economy” (98). Chapter 6, the Third Wave, saw more welfare dependency theory and as for the origin of Aboriginal social pathologies (legitimacy still in question) the author shares his inference that they are based on a “lack of productive employment (which) has undermined traditional role and status relationships” (110). Also, Helin includes distressing statistics and graphs bearing the reality of Indigenous Peoples lives. Chapter 7, 8 and 9, the welfare trap is “expanded” to foster a learned helplessness, culture of expectancy, shaman economics, political pathologies and a psychological theory of pleasure and reward that would make Peter Cole, Roland Chrisjohn, Marie Battiste, Gregory Cajete and Vine Deloria Jr. cringe. Not to be outdone, lateral violence and crab syndrome1 theories are shaped out of the dependency mindset. From this point on, a theme develops: There is excellent analysis of the current situation; however, the author falls short of proposing any move forward that will truly benefit Aboriginal people. Helin is accurate in his observations of the economy and beliefs that “government efforts to create positive economic results will never be realized until there is recognition of the existing governance and structural impediments” (128). Then, the author makes erroneous cries for a need to entice all private sector business, with no clarifications as to how a corporate entity, concerned only with maximization of profit, will restructure existing governance systems beyond accommodation payoffs. Then, from a complete reversal of the nature as a gift ideology discussed in Chapter 4, calls for individual property ownership on reserve lands and the need to capitalize on a booming resource economy. I will add that, I agree with his observation of current Aboriginal government's tendency to mirror, as “one of the most alarming results of being entirely focused on the federal government for such a long period of time is that Aboriginal people tend to mould their behavior, activities and community institutions on the model of the federal bureaucracy” (134). Many communities are beginning to believe further bureaucratization equals validation, but the author only desires change as a means to entice business not underlying structural transformations that will benefit Aboriginal people directly. For example, no real solutions to the problems of internal corruption, community involvement in decision making and nepotism are posed. Additionally, he fails to recognize the historical parallels in consultation procedures, of Aboriginal and Canadian governments, where “meaningful community consultation doesn't exist” (153). There is a growing problem in consultation, both at the Band and community level. Band Councils continually object to the consultation process, lack of communication and level of involvement their own governments are subject to, within consultations with the Provincial and Federal governments and industry. However, the very same Band Councils fail to improve their own consultation policies and procedures. Instead they opt to basically subject their own community members to a reconstructed version of the model imposed on them. Furthermore, an additional tactic learned by Band Councils is the control of the media, where censorship and information is highly regulated by the band and “local newspapers are being referred to as ‘newsletter propaganda rags' sent out by some Band Councils” (154). By now, it should be clear who those Aboriginal governments model and learn from. I do agree with Helin's appeals for governance reform as “real democracy, fair election procedures, and transparent and accountable governance are fundamental to creating a sustainable economy” (152) and there are some “band councils … that rule by out-and-out intimidation” (153). Also, I further acknowledge his recommendations that membership have free access to general ledgers of the band. In Chapter 10, the Fourth Wave, the author calls for Aboriginal people to forget the past (yes, this really is his advice!) and in order to move forward, fundamental principles are outlined. Only part of one principle (out of eight) is worth mentioning here, “aboriginal problems can never be solved by money alone … real success will be measured by the well-being, health and happiness of community members” (#7, 168). Then in Chapter 11, the author heaves cultural integrity aside and urges Bands to welcome oil sand development, diamond mines, pipeline projects, mining, hydro dams and coal bed methane. In effect, the author advises playing the consultation “card”. I say card because he never truly believes Aboriginal people own the land, seen in his belief that “Aboriginal groups do not have an out-and-out veto over development” (189), which is stated on a few occasions. Now it appears that the author has shifted from mirroring government to following industry Canada, that mirror seems to pop-up everywhere, except when our own People are presented.
A problem with indigenous communities is that they pay lip service to utilizing their own educated people, but many go out of their way to avoid this … in the context of dysfunctional attitudes that exist in many communities, educated community members are often viewed as a threat. Sometimes, ethically challenged community leaders are uneasy about having their operations exposed to (and perhaps subsequently exposed by) educated community members … Many of these leaders are the first to pound the table and trumpet the virtues of self-government, but the very last to utilize the most valuable resource in making self-government a reality- their own people (194). The author does provide an interesting analysis of the proposed four obstacles to development. Also, I can live with the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development definition of two approaches to economic development: the jobs-and-income and the nation-building approaches. “Under the more reactive and short-sighted jobs-and-income approach, some tribes simply try to invent a business to create more jobs and income” (199). Conversely, the nation-building approach: Is more proactive in nature and argues that solving the problem will require a solution both ambitious and more comprehensive than trying to start a business or other projects. The solution is to build a nation in which both business and human beings flourish … A nation-building approach doesn't say, -Let's start a business.' Instead, it says, -let's build an environment that encourages investors to invest, that helps business last, and that allows investment to flourish and take off.' … the solution is sovereignty … Sovereignty, nation-building and economic development go hand in hand” (199:200). Here, the term sovereignty simply means "local control and returning genuine decision-making power over community development and affairs to the community level”" (200). I would like to take the author's discussion further. The underlying incentive to pursue the jobs-and-income approach is the direct quantitative results and statistical gains, which are both easily traceable. In contrast, the nation-building approach is one that is more difficult to gauge and qualitative in nature. Boasting the “quality of life has “improved in your community will not get a Band's name in the paper, win leadership awards, or gain approval, but claiming the community has created X amount of jobs and X amount of money, will. For example, outside evaluators cannot determine who has achieved a healthier “"slowing down" of alcohol consumption between two separate communities. In contrast, the uncomplicated jobs and income approach is attractive because of the direct correlations that can be drawn from activities. When assessing which community has made more money, outside evaluators simply compare financial statements to declare a winner and assume the Band must have better leadership. However, the wellbeing, recall principle #7 (168) of a community should signify good leadership, not the maximization of profits. Chapter 13 was a bit confusing and it is difficult to distinguish how Helin values education. In the beginning, the author chastises education, or book learning, as inadequate and not a “real” education. Then, in the second half of the chapter, the author does a complete reversal and cites how education is fundamental to success. In Chapter 14 economic models were put forth. The Maori example was too vague and over generalized, but there is value in their key to success, which is “a focus on education, Maori language, and cultural development” (222). I also enjoyed the Membertou First Nation ideals2, which included a “human resource strategy which sought to attract the more educated community members who had left the community … a stable government founded on the principles of transparency, accountability and ethical leadership … (and) leaders lead by informed consensus rather than rule” (232:3). The Osoyoos Indian Band example seems a bit out of place, as nothing is provided as to how things were accomplished, only calls for action. Also, it is widely known that within the Osoyoos Indian Band, Clarence Louie is the Chief, Band Manager and CEO of the Band's Economic Development Corporation. Politics and economic development seem indistinguishable, which contradict the previous recommendations of the Harvard study. Then, there is the Northeastern Alberta Aboriginal Business Association (NAABA) and the ATCO Group, both resource based businesses involved in oil sands, transmission lines, diamond mines, gold mines and oil and gas, respectively. As far as the land and people are concerned: Syncrude believes to participate meaningfully in oil sands development, Syncrude realized that they had to help Aboriginal locals transcend the challenges of living and working in a modern industrialized society. This was done in a way that respected Aboriginal customs and culture while meeting their corporate objectives (230). … Hunt, Senior VP for Akita Drilling, says, “Successful northern partnerships happen when southern companies cooperate fully with Aboriginal people and show respect for their land” (238). As a traditional person these statements are hard to conceptualize and are, in the end, quite comical. It appears the real “gift of nature” is the money provided from raping the resources. Possibly, the universal Aboriginal principle of connection to land has been simply reduced to an insertion into an economic equation or model. Although, this could all be justified by allowing the Aboriginal employees to sing traditional songs before they assist and contribute to the desecration of the water adjacent to the oil sands. Or, maybe tobacco is offered before an open pit diamond mine is created. Okay, okay … I will end there. Chapter 15, a greater amount of fear is instilled because now there are two Demographic Tsunamis, this second one being urban in nature. Following such, culture of expectancy and welfare trap reappear and more racial generalizations are made about adjustments aboriginals face when moving to the city. Helin believes that Aboriginals “learn that, without a reasonable income, surviving in large cities is very difficult. Unlike reserves where housing is usually provided without cost, city landlords demand that rent be paid on time. Also, welfare cheques don't go nearly as far when everything must be paid for” (243) … it appears I have become desensitized to such statements and do not remain stunned for too long. Also, I don't really have the energy, or even desire, to qualify such a statement, as the problem is beginning to appear more internal than theoretical. Then, Helin feels the need to further relate with and appease the likes of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. After relating his simple measures, he believes should take place for Aboriginals to make the transition to urban centers, Helin forewarns “if these issues are not approached proactively, mainstream society will be on the hook for costly social service programs dealing with a seemingly never-ending social malaise” (243). I begin to wonder if the fear mongering will ever cease. Helin then calls for Aboriginal people to move to the city, and even goes so far as to advocate the need for band governments to facilitate such a move, while trying to maintain connection, of course. However, no real solutions as to how to maintain such connections are proposed. Then, in contradiction, the author believes “there should be some federal transfer payment monies in the line item budgets of rural communities specifically earmarked to provide information and support services to urban-based community members” (247). Is the author really fighting for more transfer monies? Wouldn't that reconstruct an urban reserve system, one that is dependent on the federal government and a direct continuation of the cycle the author is trying to eliminate- maybe that statement needs to be rethought. However, the author does make a good point in his calls for inner city relationship support systems for Aboriginal youth, in terms of mentorship, career fairs, guest speakers, and career days-at-work. Now, my turn. I will begin with a discussion on education. Doug Sandberg believed that “part of the problem, if not the main one, is that many Aboriginal leaders have only limited education and business experience themselves” (159). This is a valid statement but needs some qualifying. I agree that there is a problem with the lack of education in leadership, but this problem is more ideological, not accumulative, as business operations are effected more by the source of that education. I will elaborate. Many uneducated leaders enter office with no formal training in business management. Therefore, much of their education comes from mentorship of non-native business experts or, simply, trial and error. This is fine, in what Helin refers to as the “real world”, but can be detrimental to Aboriginal communities. First, the validation of such expert's knowledge is never questioned, a skill gained through formal education. Second, experts are limited to only one Eurocentric mechanistic world view and theories, such as capitalism, individuality, and exponential growth, which have been instilled through a Western education system. Third, leaders begin to accept that Indigenous knowledge is backward and primitive and that progress can only be achieved through Western frameworks. Eventually, leadership becomes susceptible to any outside expert projecting such ideals or equally complex analysis. Especially, if they are coupled with complex graphs, projections, statistics and equally frightening dialogue, wrought with complicated terminology to instill apprehension in leadership to not appear backward or primitive. What I am proposing is a dual approach to education. An educational learning that focuses on both Western and Indigenous knowledge, through formal institutions and visits with community elder's, attendance at ceremonies and learning of language. Only then, can we ground ourselves in who we are as Indigenous People and appropriately assess the direction we need to take. If only one educational option is available, follow an Indigenous knowledge path. Then, at the very least, leadership will be taught Indigenous concepts of collective interest, community involvement, consensus (Indigenous not Western), respect for the land and people, transparency, accountability, and desire to ensure protection of our great-grand-children's interests. It will be argued that this approach exposes leadership to trial and error mistakes. However, the potential trial and error mistakes as a community is not nearly as destructive as the unhindered mistakes of individual leadership. In Helin's view, the reason an “Aboriginal Canoe of antiquity survived storms was that mutual survival ensured a high degree of social cohesion and cooperation that kept the entire tribal crew in cultural synch and paddling in a common direction” (82). This did not, however, mean that one person set that direction, but the whole community. A problem I have with the metaphor is, it can be interpreted that one person steers and the others fall in line and paddle in the direction set. Also, for me, it certainly did not mean the canoe was paddling in waters depleted by mining operations, even if accommodation agreements and business partnerships paid for a shiny new canoe. I will finish with some of Helin's own observations that he offers and will be used to invalidate his argument. In the beginning the author recognized that “while Victorians viewed what came to be known as the Doctrine of Assimilation (as it evolved in Canada) as an enlightened new direction in social policy, it was subsequently criticized as being based on four dehumanizing and incorrect ideas about Aboriginal peoples” (92). Assumption four states: European ideas about progress and development were self-evidently correct and could be imposed on Aboriginal people without reference to any other values and opinions- let alone rights they might possess (92). Is this not the perspective that Helin's economic development agenda has adopted? In his calls to accept oil and gas revenues and diamond mine accommodation and employment, aren't we called to disregard Indigenous concepts of sustainability, Aboriginal rights and title and even the very possibility of incorporating some form of Indigenous economics? Later the author adds “while some of the Aboriginal land base may be, “moose pasture”, it is moose pasture where more and more oil, gas, diamonds, base metals, valuable forests and flowing rivers are located” (184) In other words, forget about the environment, cultural value of the land, wildlife, water, habitat and demand a cut of the money. Unfortunately, Helin isn't mentioning the flowing water for spiritual or natural beauty, it is because he sees a potential for hydro electricity. Here, I can't help but recall his definition of assimilation, “the imposition of European customs and values on indigenous people” (88). In terms of the need for connection Helin quotes Tennant who believed: In the Indian view, contemporary communities and tribal groups have the same essential connection with the land as did those same communities and tribal groups at contact. In most cases, indeed, present-day Indians do retain powerful emotional attachment to ancestral community, tribal group and territory. This attachment, which is itself regarded by Indians as fundamental to their identity, is largely invisible to non-Indians, whose immigrant-derived society and culture are based upon exodus from established communities and upon individual rather than collective values (246). Then Helin offers his own analysis that “Aboriginal people are tribal with a family/community focus. Largely, their entire understanding and view of the cosmos is anchored in their tribal/community ties. Yet when they decide to move to a big city, this connection is virtually severed with no reflection as to what harm this may cause” (246:7). However, Helin's understanding goes awry and states “this is unfortunate since maintaining that connection, at least initially, could be important to facilitating a smoother transition to a better way of life in the city. It would be much wiser to marshal the strength of tribal community connections to support the migration to urban centers” (247) and offers his first solution to the problem as being- some federal transfer monies (247). If we read Tennant from an Indigenous perspective, we realize that the “powerful emotional attachment” very importantly includes territory and that the “connection with the land” is the connection to the actual land they call home. That is the missing ingredient to Helin's solution, as Aboriginals require a holistic connection, not just in terms of relationships. Furthermore, Aboriginals were never landless people, their whole identity, language, governance and knowledge systems were tied to the actual land they sustained for millennia. It is also frustrating to see Helin's underlying solution reiterated again and again because such a solution is far too popular with Indigenous politicians, which can be summed up in eight words … “Get the Money, and then solve the Problems”. Even though he recognizes that “Aboriginal problems can never be solved by money alone” (168) Helin bombs his analysis by adding “the future of Aboriginal nations does not depend on how much monies Chiefs are successful in extracting from the government” (168). Isn't that the very remedy proposed for urban aboriginals- more federal transfer monies? Furthermore, he is merely substituting sources of funding and advocates for business partnerships that should extract as much money as possible from resource based corporations, with no contingency plan for what should happen after the oil dries up and all that is left is a devastated environment. Does he not recall his own earlier words that: In varying degrees of complexity, rituals arose to remind tribal people that their existence was dependent upon nature and that a substantial degree of humility and very careful stewardship was required in dealing with lands and resources. In keeping with the holistic view … indigenous people generally viewed their existence as part of the web of nature: in order to survive, tribal people were of the view that they had to be extremely careful about what they did to nature, its lands and resources such as water and wildlife (79). Perhaps, that wouldn't matter if we were all collecting our royalties while living in urban centers. However, the urban settings could make it easier for urban Aboriginals to stay connected to their communities. Aboriginal people could seek out and move to inner city neighborhoods that include similar shopping malls or residential housing that would soon become erected on their reserves lands, on their lakes, and within their traditional territories. Therein, the connection may lie, however, it would still create a landless people, with no spiritual ties to any land. This sounds like the “Get the Money” solution above, instead it is: Move to the City, and then find connection. However, that connection cannot include the very land you define yourself by. This book is one tiring intellectual rollercoaster-ride, cycling endlessly between promise and cultural demise. Instead he opts to reiterate the agenda of the Canadian Governments. And, as my graduate supervisor Bill Cohen jokingly suggests “When the Canadian Government is applauding and supporting you or your efforts, you better step back and take a good look at the direction you are headed in”. The reason the government and media fully support his approach is; Helin is unknowingly reproducing the desires they have for how Aboriginal people should fit within the Canadian society and economy. He has duplicated Flannigan's beliefs in his calls for Aboriginal people to relocate in cities and echoes the Conservative government's agenda to transform reserve lands from communal ownership to fee simple. Furthermore, he has completely bought into industry and corporate wishes in his proposal for Aboriginal people to severe all spiritual and cultural ties to the land, effectively, trading money for environmental salvation. Do not read this book hoping to find innovation or any adequate or real solutions to the problems facing Aboriginal communities, on the ground. Instead, focus on the historical backdrops of his analysis, assessments of the current situations of Aboriginal governments, skim past “psychological” paradigms and fight racially provoked feelings, towards Aboriginals, Métis, and the elderly. Helin's dilemma is; he has not realized that Indigenous knowledge is legitimate and valid. Also, he fails to distinguish between subconsciously imposed direction and value systems, from mainstream media, government and education systems, and ones that are truly conceptualized from within our communities. Doing so, Helin exerts a very familiar paternalistic role of an outside expert who criticizes and formulates from afar. However, misguided paternalism, cloaked in destiny, dreams or best intentions, will still be a misguided direction. As a whole, Indigenous People cannot afford to make the same mistake and fail to understand that, as Indigenous People, we need to build a system that does not recreate our own oppression, even if that oppression creates a lot of money. Footnotes1. Crab Syndrome is an Indian Country phenomenon. It is believed that if an Indigenous person living on the reserve (metaphorically representing the bucket) tries to climb out (or move up), the rest, of the Indigenous People, will pull them back down, and not allow them to leave (or move up in) the reserve. 2. I have not been to Membertou or talked with their community members, therefore, I am cautious to assume these ideals area reality, which I have learned from hearing my own communities publicly expressed ideals and the everyday reality we face, that are far from in line. I discuss this in “Traditional Governance: A Case Study of the Osoyoos Indian Band and Application of Okanagan Leadership Principles”. References Chrisjohn, Roland, 2006. The Circle Game: Shadows and Substance in the Indian Residential School Experience in Canada. Penticton: Theytus Books. Smith, Linda, 1999. Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples. New York: Zed Books.
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Christensen, Sagwitch Shoshone Chieftain, Mormon Elder, 1822-1887; Dale Morgan, Shoshonean Peoples and the Overland Trail Frontiers of the Utah Superintendency of Indian Affairs, 1849- 1869; Matthew E. Kreitzer, ED., The Washakie Letters of Willie Ottogary Northwestern Shoshone Journalist and Leader, 1906-1929, all from: http://www.usu.edu/usupress/native_american/. University of Nebraska Press offerings include: Michael E. Harkin and David Rich Lewis, Eds., Native Americans and the Environment: Perspectives on the Ecological Indian (370 pp. for $24.95 paper,); Rebecca Kugel and Lucy Ederslveld Murphy, Eds., Native Women's History in Eastern North America Before 1900 (503 pp. for $29.95 paper, $60 cloth); Margaret Holmes Williamson, Powhatan Lords of Life and Death: Command and Consent in Seventeenth Century Virginia (344 pp. for $19.95 paper); Karl Marcus Kreis, Ed., Lakotas, Black Robes and Holy Women (338 pp. for $55 cloth); Richmond F. Brown, Costal Encounters: The Transformation of the Gulf South in the Eighteenth Century (328 pp. for $24.95 paper):; Gerald A. Reid, Kahbawa:ke: Factionalism, Traditionalism and Nationalism in a Mohawk Community (235 pp. for $24.95); Harriet S. Caswell, Our Life among the Iroquois Indians (358 pp. for $24.95 paper); Larry Cebula, Plateau Indians and the Quest for Spiritual Power: 1700-1850 (195 pp. for $19.95 paper); Cora DuBois, The 1870 Ghost Dance (368 pp. for $19.95 paper); Paul Kelton, Epidemics and Enslavement: Biological Catastrophe in the Native South East, 1492-1725 (314 pp. for $50 cloth); Clare V. McKenna, Jr., The Trial of Indian Joe: Race and Justice in the Nineteenth Century West (159 pp. for $19.95 paper); R. Warren Metcalf, Termination's Legacy: The Discarded Indians of Utah (311 pp. for $24.95 paper); Bruce Granville Miller, Invisible Indigenous: The Politics of Nonrecognition (248 pp. for $24.95 paper); Deborah A. Rosen, American Indians and State Law: Sovereignty Race and Citizenship ( 369 pp. for $55 cloth); Robert L. Bigart, Ed., Pretty Village: Documents of Worship and Culture Change, St. Ignatius Mission, Montana, 1880-1889 (382 pp, for $49.95 cloth); Robert L. Bigart, Ed., Zealous of all Virtues: Documents of Worship and Culture Change, St. Ignatius Mission, Montana, 1890-1894 (324 pp. for $19.95 paper); Michael C. Coleman, American Indians, The Irish and Government Schooling: A Comparative Study (382 pp. for $49.95 cloth); Jaqueline Fear-Segal, White Man's Club: Schools, Race, and the Struggle of Indian Acculturation (422 pp. for $55 cloth); Margaret Connell Szasz, Indian Education in the American Colonies: 1607-1783 (360 pp. paper for $24.95); David W. Dinwoodie, Reserve Memories: The Power of the Pasty in a Chilcotin Community (120 pp. for $19.95 paper); Jeffery Anderson, Four Hills of Life: Northern Arapahoe Knowledge and Life Movement (376 pp. for $29.95 paper); Jeffery Anderson, One Hundred Years of Old Man Sage: An Arapaho Life (140 pp. for $19.95 paper); and Michael E. Harkin, Reassessing Revitalization Movements: Perspectives from North America and the Pacific Islands (342 pp. for $29,95 paper ), all, plus $5 for first item, $1 for each additional, from University of Nebraska Press, 1111 Lincoln Mall, Lincoln, NE 68588 (800)755-1105, pressmail@uni.edu, www.nebraskapress.unl.edu. Laurence Armand French and Peter Lang, Legislating Indian Country: Significant Milestones in Transforming Tribalism is 208 pp. for $29.95 paper, from Peter Lang Publishing, 29 Broadway, New York, NY 10006, (800)770-LANG, www.peterlang.com. Daniel McCool, Susan M. Olson, and Jennifer L. Robinson, Native Vote: American Indians, the Voting Rights Act, and the Right to Vote ($24.99 Paper) from Cambridge University Press, http://www.cambridge.org/us/. Kevin Bruyneel, The Third Space of Sovereignty: The Postcolonial Politics of U.S.–Indigenous Relations, is $22.50 paper, $67.50 cloth, from University of Minnesota Press, http://www.upress.umn.edu/Books/B/bruyneel_third.html Daniel N. Paul, First Nations History: We Were Not the Savages, Third Edition, is a history of the near demise, caused by the European invasion of the Americas, of ancient democratic North American First Nations; with special focus on the Mi'kmaq, from a Mi'kmaq perspective, published by Fernwood Publishing, available from Independent Publishers Group, Chicago, IL (800)888-4741, frontdesk@ipgbook.com. For Canadian or European distributors, as well as links to the table of contents and excerpts. go to: http://www.danielnpaul.com/index.html. Donna Loring, 'In the Shadow of the Eagle: A Tribal Representative in Maine is 224 pp. for $20 paper from Tilbury House. Sarah Deer, Bonnie Clairmont, Carrie A. Martell and Maureen L. White Eagle, Eds., Sharing Our Stories of Survival: Native Women Surviving Violence is 383 pp. for $29.85 paper, $85 cloth, cloth from Alta Mira Press, at: http://www.altamirapress.com. Waziyatawin Angela Wilson, Michael Yellow Bird, and Angela Cavender Wilson, Eds., For Indigenous Eyes Only: A Decolonization Handbook is published by School of American Research Press. Roger C.A. Maake and Chris Anderson, The Indigenous Experience: Global Perspective, is available from Canada Scholars Press, 180 Bloom St.,, W., Suite 821m Toronto, Canada M5S 2U6. Martin Reinhardt, American Indian Inclusion Manual, was created as a guide for both Indian and non-Indian educators seeking to include the Native American perspective in subjects across the curriculum. Free copies can be downloaded at: http://www.edoptions.com/indianed/. For more information contact Jeff Sawner (877)635-0434, jsawner@edoptions.com. Karen J. Atkinson of Tribal Strategies Inc. and Kathleen M. Nilles of Holland & Knight LLP, Tribal Business Structure Handbook is published by the BIA. American Indian Issues: An Introductory and Curricular Guide for Educators was made possible by the American Indian Civics Project (AICP), initially funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation's Native American Higher Education Initiative. Copies can be downloaded at: http://sorrel.humboldt.edu/~go1/kellogg/PDFarchive.html. The Circle, carrying Native American news and perspectives is published monthly by The Circle Corporation, and can be accessed at: http://www.thecirclenews.org/index.html/. The Asian Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Network produces occasional papers and reports, including occasional country assessments of Indigenous conditions, at: http://www.aitpn.org/Issues/II-08-07.htm. Indigenous Rights Quarterly can be accessed at: http://www.aitpn.org/irq.htm. First Nations Films are available on subjects from Spirituality to Land Claims, to Traditional Music to Politics from First Nations films, (604)990-9337, coyote00@telus.net, www.firstnationsfilms.com. Chiapas Media Project (CMP)/Promedios is celebrating its 10th anniversary and seeks university, cultural and community-based sponsors to host screenings for Fall 2008. The tour will feature videos produced by indigenous video makers from the states of Chiapas and Guerrero, Mexico, including CMP's newest production: Paying the Price: Migrant Workers in the Toxic Fields of Sinaloa, part of a cross border educational campaign to bring attention to the effects of Mexican agribusiness on indigenous workers, the environment and ultimately the US consumers. For further information, please call us at e-mail us at: cmp@chiapasmediaproject.org.
Useful Web Sites The Indigenous News Network list, put out by Andre Cramblit, is an E-mail communication tool, first and foremost, to disseminate information about critical issues and action requests, highlighting important people, traditions, and events in the lives of Native people. The list also occasionally makes readers think, reflect, smile and even laugh out loud. It regularly provides helpful information for this journal. To subscribe E-mail: IndigenousNewsNetwork@topica.com or andre.p.cramblit.86@alum.dartmouth.org. This list has been very helpful in compiling issues of IPJ. Native Research Network is at: http://www.aaip.com/nrnet/nrn.html. Its vision statement is: "A leadership community of American Indian, Alaska Native, Kanaka Maoli, and Canadian Aboriginal persons promoting integrity and excellence in research". Its mission is "To provide a pro-active network of American Indian, Alaska Native, Kanaka Maoli, and Canadian Aboriginal persons to promote and advocate for high quality research that is collaborative, supportive and builds capacity, and to promote an environment for research that operates on the principles of integrity, respect, trust, ethics, cooperation and open communication in multidisciplinary fields". The Native Research Network (NRN) provides networking and mentoring opportunities, a forum to share research expertise, sponsorship of research events, assistance to communities and tribes, and enhanced research communication. The NRN places a special emphasis on ensuring that research with Indigenous people is conducted in a culturally sensitive and respectful manner. Its Member List serve: NRN@lists.apa.org. The National Indian Housing Council offers a number of reports at: http://www.naihc.indian.com/. The American Indian Studies Consortium is at: http://www.cic.uiuc.edu/programs/AmericanIndianStudiesConsortium/. Some news sources that have been useful in putting the issues of Indigenous Policy together are: Indian Country Today: http://www.indiancountry.com/index.cfm?key=15. News from Indian Country: http://www.indiancountrynews.com/. The Navajo Times: http://www.navajotimes.com/. IndianZ.com: http://www.indianz.com Survival International: http://www.survival-international.org/. Cultural Survival: http://209.200.101.189/publications/win/, or http://www.cs.org/. Censored (in Indian Country): http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/. ArizonaNativeNet is a virtual university outreach and distance learning telecommunications center devoted to the higher educational needs of Native Nations in Arizona, the United States and the world through the utilization of the worldwide web and the knowledge-based and technical resources and expertise of the University of Arizona, providing resources for Native Nations nation-building, at: www.arizonanativenet.com The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development offers a number of reports and its “Honoring Indian Nations” at: http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/hpaied/res_main.htm. Native Earthworks Preservation, an organization committed to preserving American Indian sacred sites, is at: http://nativeearthworkspreservation.org/. Indianz.Com has posted Version 2.0 of the Federal Recognition Database, an online version of the Acknowledgment Decision Compilation (ADC), a record of documents that the Bureau of Indian Affairs has on file for dozens of groups that have made it through the federal recognition process. The ADC contains over 750 MB of documents -- up from over 600MB in version 1.2 -- that were scanned in and cataloged by the agency's Office of Federal Acknowledgment. The new version includes has additional documents and is easier to use. It is available at: http://www.indianz.com/adc20/adc20.html. Tribal Link has an online blog at: http://triballinknewsonline.blogspot.com. The National Indian Education Association: http://www.niea.org/. The Northern California Indian Development Council has a web-based archive of traditional images and sounds at: http://www.ncidc.org/. Resource
sites in the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA):
National Indian Child Welfare
http://www.calindian.org/legalcenter_icwa.htm, http://www.narf.org/nill/resources/indianchildwelfare.htm, http://www.tribal-institute.org/lists/icwa.htm, http://www.nicwa.org/library/library.htm, http://www.nationalcasa.org/JudgesPage/Newsletter-4-04.htm, http://www.dlncoalition.org/dln_issues/2003_icwaresolution.htm, http://tinyurl.com/6mkywg http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?i104:I04296:i104HUGHES.html, http://nccrest.edreform.net/resource/13704, http://www.naicja.org,
American Indian Graduate Center: http://www.aigcs.org. The Minneapolis American Indian Center's Native Path To Wellness Project of the Golden Eagle Program has developed a publication, Intergenerational Activities from a Native American Perspective that has been accepted by Penn State for their Intergenerational Web site: http://intergenerational.cas.psu.edu/Global.html. The Indigenous
Nations and Peoples Law, Legal Scholarship Journal
has recently been created on line by the Social Science Research
Network, with sponsorship by the The National Council Of Urban Indian Health is at: http://www.ncuih.org/. A web site dedicated to tribal finance, www.tribalfinance.org. Lessons In Tribal Sovereignty, at: http://sorrel.humboldt.edu/~go1/kellogg/intro.html, features Welcome to American Indian Issues: An Introductory and Curricular Guide for Educators. The contents were made possible by the American Indian Civics Project (AICP), a project initially funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation's Native American Higher Education Initiative, The primary goal of the AICP is to provide educators with the tools to educate secondary students - Indian and non-native alike - about the historical and contemporary political, economic, and social characteristics of sovereign tribal nations throughout the United States. The Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) has a blog as part of its Celilo Legacy project, serving as a clearinghouse for public discourse, information, events, activities, and memorials. The blog is accessible by going to www.critfc.org and clicking on the "Celilo Legacy blog" image, or by simply enteringwww.critfc.org/celilo. A listing of the different Alaska Native groups' values and other traditional information is on the Alaska Native Knowledge website at: www.ankn.uaf.edu. Red Nation Web Television: www.rednation.com. A list of indigenous Language Conferences is kept at the Teaching Indigenous Languages web site at Northern Arizona University: http://www2.nau.edu/jar/Conf.html. The Council of Elders, the governing authority of the Government Katalla-Chilkat Tlingit (provisional government): Kaliakh Nation (Region XVII) has initiated a web site in order to expose crimes against humanity committed upon the original inhabitants of Alaska, at: http://www.katalla-chilkat-tlingit.com/. An interactive website, www.cherokee.org/allotment, focuses on the Allotment Era in Cherokee History during the period from 1887 to 1934, when Congress divided American Indian reservation lands into privately owned parcels that could be (and widely were) sold to non Indians, threatening tribal existence. The Blue Lake Rancheria of California launched a web site, Fall 2007, featuring the nation's history, philosophy, economic enterprise, community involvement, and other topics, with many-links. One purpose of the site is to make tribal operations transparent. It is at: www.bluelakerancheria-nsn.gov. The newsletter Message Stick highlighting the activities of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) and its Secretariat 05 is available at: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/news/quarterlynewsle_home1.htm. Indigenous Rights Quarterly can be accessed at: http://www.aitpn.org/irq.htm. A link on Latin American Indigenous Peoples: http://tinyurl.com/fn3by The Asian Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Network produces occasional papers and reports at: http://www.aitpn.org/Issues/II-08-07.htm.
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