Native American Press / Ojibwe News (Bemidji, Minnesota), 2008-11-01

              INDEX
NEWS AROUND INDIAN COUNTRY
NEWS BRIEFS
2
5
Obama: A full
partnership with
Indian country
COMMENTARY/EDITORIALS
CUSSIFIEDS
4-5
7
page 5
Read My Lipstick
McCain-Palin '08
page 5
Stop Selling
Alcohol throughout
Minnesota
Chippewa Tribe
page 4
Alcohol has caused
untold misery on
our rez's
page 4
Red Lake tribal council
breaks ground on south
boundary casino-
questions remain
page 4
Governmental Services & Program Delivery
Rebuilding Native Nations
Part VII
By Bill Lawrence
Delivery of services and
programs is a challenge. Tribal
elections have been over for
several months now, however,
the transformation from one
regime to another is still ongoing. One of the pluses of
the information provided in
the invaluable book named
above is the fact that in the
native building approach to
governance, changing officials
can be done seamlessly and for
the most part painlessly.
However for tribes still
observing the standard
approach—that is the good-
ole-boys, self serving officials
approach—there is much
turmoil. We want to keep
the information available in
Rebuilding Native Nations in
your minds. Hence, we are
reprinting material regarding
government delivery of services
and programs.
This material has not been
printed here before. We offer it
in the hope that tribal citizens,
as well as elected and appointed
officials, can be guided in
choosing and following a new
path. The material reprinted
below is found in Rebuilding
Native Nations, ppg 223-
"Like so many aspects of
Native life and policy, service
delivery in Indian Country is
in a state of transformation.
The era of self-determination,
now in its fourth decade, has
European
organization
observes
Dakotas
elections
ByCHETBROKAW
Associated Press Writer
PIERRE, S.D. (AP)
_ Two representatives
of a European-based
organization are traveling
in North Dakota and South
Dakota to observe the
election process in the two
states.
Vsevolod Perevozchikov
of Moscow and Pierre
Gros of Fountainebleau,
France, are part of a team
of 47 people observing the
U.S. election in 40 states
for the Organization for
Security and Cooperation
in Europe.
The organization, with
56 participating nations
from Europe, Asia and
North America, deals
with security issues that
include preventing conflicts,
building democracy,
controlling military arms
and promoting economic
growth and environmental
protection. The United
States takes part in the
organization.
The two observers said
they cannot discuss specifics
of what they are studying.
"But Gros said election
observers seek to understand
the election process in each
state, determine the risk
of voting fraud and study
voting machines.
Perevozchikov said
observers also are looking
at candidates' access to
the media and the level of
free information available
to voters. Observers are
studying issues related to
Native American voters in
the Dakotas, he said.
"Obviously the issue of
the equality of voting rights
resulted in large numbers of
Native nations taking control
of programs and services that
were once the domain of federal
agencies. A growing body of
evidence demonstrates that this
is having positive effects	
"This encouraging picture
needs sobering qualification,
however. Native nations and
their citizens start far behind
most other Americans. American
Indians continue to experience
disproportionately high rates
of unemployment, lower rates
of educational attainment, and
higher rates of preventable
adverse health events. In short,
tribes and their citizens have
come a long way—but there is
a long way still to go to achieve
healthy, prosperous nations.
"In the future, the quality
and efficiency of social service
delivery will have a major impact
on the well-being of Native nation
citizens. A full range of services
matter: primary and secondary
health care, foster care, injury
prevention, education, substance
abuse services, programs for the
youth and elderly, and so on.
Policies of self-determination
mean that, increasingly, it is the
responsibility of Native nations
to meet these ongoing and
evolving service delivery needs,
through tribal hospitals, clinics,
departments and programs	
"Delivering quality social
services is a difficult endeavor
for any society, and American
Indian nations are no exception.
Obtaining adequate funding
is usually a major concern,
especially for those Native
nations with severe accumulated
socioeconomic ills and an
entrenched dependence on
federal programs. Coordinating
services with multiple public
(federal, tribal, state, local)
and private providers can be
a frustrating experience for
even the most bureaucratically
savvy. Despite desires to make
services distinctly theirs, Native
nations' attempts to implement
innovative and culturally
appropriate services can be
stymied by outside regulation.
Moreover, these nations
often lack the administrative
infrastructure and personnel to
handle more technical aspects
of service delivery, such as needs
assessment, accreditation, and
evaluation	
"While there are no easy
solutions to any of these
challenges, there are a growing
number of innovative and
instructive success stories in
tribal service delivery. For
example, Lorelie DeCora of the
Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska
saw the discarded Indian
Health Service (HIS) diabetes
educational materials strewn
about the floor of the tribe's
health clinic, she knew that the
current methods for diabetes
education were not working.
Going back to her own cultural
DELIVERY to page 5
Ex-museum head to repay
Smithsonian for expenses
By BRETT ZONGKER
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - The founding
director of the National
Museum of the American
Indian has agreed to repay
the Smithsonian Institution
more than $9,700 for improper
travel and entertainment
reimbursements, according to
an audit released Wednesday.
The report from Smithsonian
Inspector General A. Sprightley
Ryan was issued to members
of Congress and Smithsonian
leaders after scrutiny last
year of W. Richard West Jr.'s
extensive travel expenses. He
spent more than $217,000
on transportation and luxury
hotels in 2006 and 2007,
according to calculations in
the audit.
The audit found the
appearance of "lavish
entertainment expenses and
premium travel" but asked
West to repay less than $10,000
and faulted lax oversight by past
Smithsonian executives for
most of the problems.
Commonly referred to as "the
nation's attic," the Smithsonian
complex of 19 museums and
galleries, the National Zoo and
nine research facilities grew
from the bequest of a British
scientist, James Smithson, who
died in 1835. He never visited
the United States but willed
the young country his fortune
for use "for the increase and
diffusion of knowledge among
men."
Smithsonian Secretary
G. Wayne Clough, who
took office in July, issued a
statement Wednesday that
said the museum complex
has strengthened its policies
to ensure excesses like West's
"never occur again."
West's attorney, Michael
Bromwich, said the report
largely cleared West of any
wrongdoing. Still, he apologized
for any excesses.
N"I accept the (inspector
general's) conclusion that I
should have exercised better
judgment," West wrote in a
statement. "I have without
hesitation agreed to reimburse
the funds."
West, a member of the
Cheyenne and Arapaho
American Indian tribes,
retired in 2007. The report
EXPENSES to page 6
ELECTIONS to page 6      gaming revenue.
Arizona Indian casinos feel
weak economy
Associated Press
TUCSON, Ariz. - Weak
economic conditions mean
fewer dollars coming into
Arizona's Indian casinos.
It also means a drop in the
amount of dollars flowing to
the state. Arizona received $25
million in the three months
ending Sept. 30, down from
$27.6 million a year ago.
Arizona gets cash from casinos
under the 2003 Arizona-Tribal
Gaming Compact.
Although revenues are down,
the Arizona Indian Gaming
Association says state tribes
rank fourth in the nation for
Gaming officials say that as
the economy slips, gamblers
have less disposable income to
play with.
Since the gaming compact was
passed, tribes have given more
than $471 million to towns,
cities, counties and the state for
wildlife conservation, tourism,
problem gambling education
and treatment, among other
things.
The money comes from
revenue generated by slot
machines, poker, blackjack,
keno, bingo and off-track pari-
mutuel betting in 23 casinos.
Maine tribal officials face trial
Associated Press
BANGOR, Maine - A former
Passamaquoddy tribal governor
at Indian Township and the
tribe's ex-business manager
go on trial in U.S. District
Court on Monday for allegedly
misusing $1.7 million in federal
funds, health care center funds
and other tribal money over a
41/2-year period.
Robert L. Newell, 64, of
Princeton and James J. Parisi
Jr., 45, of Portland, pleaded not
guilty on April 1 to a multicount
indictment.
Newell, who most recently
served as tribal governor at
Indian Township from 2002 to
2006, and Parisi, who served
as Indian Township's finance
director from 2003 to 2006,
were indicted on March 19 by a
federal grand jury after a nearly
two-year investigation.
According to a 29-page
indictment, the Indian
Township tribal government
received more than $7 million
in federal funds between Oct.
1, 2002, and Sept. 30, 2006.
Of that amount, nearly $1.7
million was misapplied by
Newell and Parisi for uses not
allowed by federal law, the
indictment charges.
Among some ofthe improper
uses being alleged are
"honoraria" payments made
to the governor, lieutenant
governor, tribal council
members and certain senior
employees that were based
on vacation time and paid
in addition to their regular
salaries.
A witness list filed by the
U.S. Attorney's Office includes
about 70 names, including
the current Indian Township
tribal governor, the former
director of the health center
on the reservation and other
tribal members, as well as
officials from the Bureau of
Indian Affairs and investigators
at a handful of other federal
agencies.
The trial is expected to last
three weeks. A jury was selected
last week.
VOICE      OF      THE      PEOPLE
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American
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A weekly publication.  Copyright, Native American Press, 2008
Founded in 1988
Volume 20 Issue 12
November 1, 2008
Native American Oral Tradition:
The Stories & Storytellers
Referred to as "the dean of American Indian writers" by The New York Times, Scott Momaday
holds an important place in the American literary arts. Momaday was the first Native American
to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his novel, House Made of Dawn. His brilliant use of language
has garnered him countless awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, The Autry Museum
of Western Heritage Humanities Prize, a prize from the Academy of American Poets, and the
"Mondello," Italy's highest literary honor. In 2004 Momaday was named a UNESCO Artist for
Peace, in recognition of his outstanding achievements as a writer and painter and his efforts to
safeguard Native American heritage. He was awarded the 2007 National Medal of Arts at the
White House in November. He is also the poet laureate of the state of Oklahoma.
But it is through the spoken word that his dedication to his people's heritage is most profoundly felt. Born a Kiowa in the Oklahoma Dustbowl, Momaday was raised on reservations
in the Southwest, steeped in the oral tradition. "If I do not speak with care," he has said, "my
words are wasted. If I do not listen with care, words are lost." Says Momaday, "stories are not
told merely to entertain or instruct. They are told to be believed. Stories are realities lived and
believed. They are true."
His works of fiction include: In the Bear's House (which includes his own paintings), The Way
to Rainy Mountain, The Ancient Child. His collections of poetry include: In the Presence of the
Sun.The Gourd Dancer. He is also the author of: The Man Made of Words: Essays, Stories,
Passages.The Names (his memoir), Circle of Wonder: A Native American Christmas Story (a children's story), Children of the Sun The Indolent Boys. He is currently working on a new novel.
Indian law
officers get
advice
By BECKY SHAY
Of The Gazette Staff
Indian Country law
enforcement can be most
proactive by working with
people - and that doesn't just
mean arresting criminals, the
Bureau of Indian Affair's top
law enforcement official said
Tuesday.
Indian Country generally
doesn't have enough officers to
"properly react to crime, much
less respond," Pat Ragsdale said.
But officers can be proactive by
doing community outreach,
cooperating with other providers
and working with youth.
"Sometimes that means just
talking to them," Ragsdale
said. "Collectively, we can make
things better as opposed to
giving up."
Ragsdale, who is deputy
bureau director of the BIA's
Office of Justice Services, is in
Billings for a three-day summit.
About 60 people are attending
this first joint summit for the
BIA's District 5 corrections
and law enforcement divisions.
The district covers Montana,
Wyoming, Idaho, Washington,
Oregon and Alaska.
Criminals look for
jurisdictional weaknesses
to exploit, Ragsdale said. To
overcome the disadvantage is to
build working relationships with
other jurisdictions, he said.
"We have to work together or
at the end ofthe day we will fail
the people we are working to
protect," Ragsdale said.
When officers are in trouble,
they help each other, regardless
of their jurisdiction, he said.
"We need to build on that and
then work toward the formal
relationships," he said.
Although it is chronically
short of resources, BIA law
enforcement is reaping the
benefits of the high caliber of
LAW to page 6
Navajo reps join global
discussion on human rights
By Alysa Landry
The Daily Times
A crowd of more than 300
indigenous people from around
the globe convened in Geneva,
Switzerland, early this month to
talk about human rights.
Among the delegates to the
Indigenous Peoples Caucus
was Shiprock Chapter President
Duane "Chili" Yazzie, who
serves as chairman ofthe newly
established Navajo Human
Rights Commission. The Navajo
Nation covered the cost to send
three delegates to the caucus.
"All my life I thought of
indigenous peoples as Native
Americans," Yazzie said. "It
was quite an awakening to
see people of all colors calling
themselves indigenous."
The caucus met in Geneva to
address the Declaration of the
Rights of Indigenous Peoples, a
NAVAJO to page 6
DC lawyer to argue land case
before high court
Associated Press
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -A former
U.S. solicitor general will
represent Rhode Island before
the U.S. Supreme Court next
week in a case involving a
parcel of American Indian tribal
land, state officials announced
Friday.
The decision resolves a
weeks-long dispute between
the state and town officials
in Charlestown over who was
going to make the arguments
before the high court Monday.
Attorney General Patrick
Lynch and Gov. Don Cariceri
had delegated Theodore Olson,
the former U.S. solicitor
general, to do the job, but
Joseph Larisa Jr., an attorney
for the town, had asked for the
arguments to be split so he also
could participate.
COURT to page 6
Arizona casinos, contributions
down nearly 10%
The Arizona Republic
Like restaurants, movie
theaters and other entertainment
businesses, Arizona's tribal
casinos are making less money
in the stingy economy.
The Arizona Department of
Gaming on Friday reported that
casinos' contributions to state
programs, which are based on
gaming earnings, fell 9.8 percent,
to $24.9 million, in the quarter
ending Sept. 30. Contributions
were $27.6 million for the same
time period in 2007.
"People are being more
cautious with their money," said
Wendell Long, chief executive
officer of Sol Casinos, owned by
the Pascua Yaqui Tribe outside
Tucson. "We have the same
number of visitors, but the
amount that they are bringing
to spend is down."
Casino contributions, which
were down nearly 7.5 percent
in the last quarter of 2008, fund
state education, tourism, health
care and other services.
The state does not release
quarterly revenue for casinos.
The most recent annual revenue
report, released in September,
showed that slot machines and
table games generated $1.98
billion last year.