On May 22, Larry EchoHawk was officially sworn in as the Department of the Interior’s 11th Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs. This morning, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar administered the oath of office to EchoHawk at a Swearing-In Ceremony in Washington, D.C.
EchoHawk is an enrolled member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma. He joins the Department of Interior in D.C. after a move from Utah where he was a Professor of Law at Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School. EchoHawk is a former U.S. Marine, served two consecutive terms in the Idaho House of Representatives, and was the very first American Indian to serve as a state attorney general (for Idaho, 1990).
EchoHawk is an enrolled member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma. He joins the Department of Interior in D.C. after a move from Utah where he was a Professor of Law at Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School. EchoHawk is a former U.S. Marine, served two consecutive terms in the Idaho House of Representatives, and was the very first American Indian to serve as a state attorney general (for Idaho, 1990).
Hosted by Nedra Darling, Director of Public Affairs for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the event gave tribal leaders, family, friends, congress and Native organizations the opportunity to celebrate this momentous appointment.
Salazar expressed that while he and EchoHawk stand at a new beginning, they will be met by many difficult challenges; however, he is sure that, “Indian Country will not be forgotten” by the United States.
During his remarks, EchoHawk stated that “things are lined up just right to do something special, something magical.”
Director of Public Affairs for the BIA Nedra Darling
After a cedar blessing performed by Marshall Gover of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, Darling welcomed EchoHawk and Salazar to the “Indian family of this country.”
Lee Juan Tyler of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Ft. Hall Reservation of IdahoLee Juan Tyler led a prayer.
Assistant Secretary Larry EchoHawk, Wife of Larry EchoHawk Terry EchoHawk, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar
EchoHawk
EchoHawk, Salazar, President of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma George E. Howell
Photo Credit (All): Cerissa Hontiveros
I just hope he does better at this job , than he did as Idaho's AG!! He wasn't very NDN friendly!!
ReplyDeleteJust hope he does a better job, than he did as the AG of Idaho!!!
ReplyDeleteMany come into that position without knowing much about the BIA and the strangle hold the the DOI has on it and how it is the least favorite of all the bureaus in DOI. I wish him well and hope he has a better understanding of DOI than his ill informed predecessors.
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