Obama Proclaims Today King Kamehameha Day

President Obama has proclaimed today, June 11, 2010, King Kamehameha Day.

The proclamation comes about two centuries after the Native Hawaiian king brought the Hawaiian Islands together under a unified government. In the proclamation, Obama said King Kamehameha’s courage and leadership earned him the legacy as the “Napoleon of the Pacific.”

Obama also paid tribute to the history and heritage of the Aloha State. He said: “The Hawaiian narrative is one of both profound triumph and, sadly, deep injustice. It is the story of Native Hawaiians oppressed by crippling disease, aborted treaties, and the eventual conquest of their sovereign kingdom. These grim milestones remind us of an unjust time in our history, as well as the many pitfalls in our Nation's long and difficult journey to perfect itself. Yet, through the peaks and valleys of our American story, Hawaii's steadfast sense of community and mutual support shows the progress that results when we are united in a spirit of limitless possibility. In the decades since their persecution, Native Hawaiians have remained resilient.”

Click here to read the full proclamation.

White House Tribal Nations Conference Videos

President Barack Obama's Opening Remarks

Economic Development, Natural Resources, Energy, Environment and Agriculture Panel

Education, Health Care and Labor Panel

Public Safety and Housing Panel

President Obama's Closing Remarks

White House Tribal Nations Conference

President Barack Obama, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Cabinet Members hosted the White House Tribal Nations Conference to ensure that American Indians and Alaska Natives have a hand in the development of the policies that affect Indian Country. The Conference was held today in the Sidney R. Yates Auditorium at the Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C.

More than 400 tribal leaders of the 564 federally recognized tribes attended the event, each looking forward to voicing concerns and also their thanks to the Conference hosts.

Secretary Salazar welcomed Conference attendees. Salazar stated:

We recognize that the federal government's history with Indian nations is long and troubled. We live with a legacy of injustice. But today, we also live in a moment of great opportunity." This historic gathering was meant to be the beginning of an ongoing discussion so that the "First Americans" can "decide the future" that they will build toward.

Introduced by the President of the National Congress of American Indians, Jefferson Keel, President Obama approached the podium to great applause. His speech in its entirety can be read here.

President Obama signed a memorandum that requires each Cabinet agency to compose a detailed plan within the next 90 days. Each plan will outline how the agency will implement President Clinton's executive order, issued many years ago, to establish collaboration between the federal government and the tribal nations. President Obama told attendees that as long as he is in the White House, "you will not be forgotten."

Following President Obama's speech, a Q&A session followed, during which Wilfred Cleveland of the Ho-Chunk Nation in Wisconsin referred to the President as "he who cares."

During three panel discussions (Economic Development, Natural Resources, Energy, Environment and Agriculture; Public Safety and Housing; Education, Health Care and Labor), all moderated by Secretary Salazar, attendees shared concerns and asked questions.

AIR spoke with Vice Chairperson of the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria, Shirley Laos. Trinidad Rancheria has concerns about Health Care as their tribal members are once again without insurance. Vice Chair Laos expressed that the Conference is a "great opportunity" as the Trinidad Rancheria met with Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, Larry EchoHawk a total of four times, but after today, has been able to meet with Secretary Salazar and others.

In his closing remarks, President Obama reaffirmed that this is the "beginning of a process" with which he and his team will follow up. He stated:

I want you to know that, as I said this morning, this is not something that we just give lip service to. And we are going to keep on working with you to make sure that the first Americans get the best possible chances in life in a way that's consistent with your extraordinary traditions and culture and values.

To view additional photos, please visit American Indian Report on Facebook.

Photos and blog post by Cerissa Hontiveros

President to Meet with Tribal Leaders

President Obama will meet with leaders from the 564 federally recognized tribes on November 5 at the White House Tribal Nations Conference. American Indian and Alaska Native leaders will be invited to interact directly with the President and representatives from the highest levels of his Administration. Each federally recognized tribe will be invited to send one representative to the conference.

"I look forward to hearing directly from the leaders in Indian Country about what my Administration can do to not only meet their needs, but help improve their lives and the lives of their peoples," the President said in the White House announcement. "This conference will serve as part of the ongoing and important consultation process that I value, and further strengthen the Nation-to-Nation relationship."

NCAI Seeks Infrastructure Funding for Tribal Governments in Economic Stimulus Package

The National Congress of American Indians is asking that President-elect Barrack Obama’s economic stimulus package include $5.4 billion specifically for infra-structure needs in Indian Country. NCAI is requesting that tribal governments be treated the same as state governments, in that money would be distributed directly to them and that they would be allowed access to capital. 

 “A tribal provision in the economic plan could mean funding for Indian health care programs, schools and job training projects,” said NCAI President Joe A. Garcia. “Indian Country needs a chance to develop the systems to grow their local economies and Indian people deserve the opportunity for a secure future.” 

Currently federal rules and regulations limit tribal government’s access to capital, expanding the use of tax-exempt bonds could leverage federal spending on infrastructure and economic development activities on reservations. A tribal economic recovery component could also expand loans and surety bonding for Indian businesses. 

Obama’s economic stimulus package, expected to be introduced soon, will include $300 billion in tax cuts and about $500 billion in spending. 

Don’t miss Falmouth Institute’s upcoming Indian Country Construction Conference for an up-to-date overview of how tribal governments can tap into the infrastructure funds available for Indian Country in the economic stimulus package. 

Six Native Americans On Obama Transition Team

With less than two months to go before his inauguration and a heap of issues to tackle once he takes his place in the Oval Office, President-elect Barack Obama has wasted no time putting together his transition team. As reported last week by the Missoulian, the team currently includes six Native Americans.

John Echohawk, Keith Harper and Robert Anderson were appointed to the Interior Department Review Team. Echohawk is executive director of the Native American Rights Fund (NARF), a non-profit organization that provides legal representation to tribes and Native American organizations and individuals. Harper is a former NARF attorney, as is Anderson.

The other three are Mary Smith, Mary McNeil and Yvette Robideaux, who were appointed to work on justice, agriculture and health issues.

To learn more about the Obama transition team, go to http://change.gov/.

Obama Rallies on the Crow Reservation

On Monday, Democratic presidential front-runner Barack Obama visited Montana, making the Crow Tribe’s reservation his first stop. It was the first time a high-profile candidate ever visited any of the state’s seven reservations.

At a rally attended by a couple of thousand Native Americans, according to the Flathead Beacon, he promised he would honor long-ignored treaty obligations and revamp health care and education on reservations across the United States, programs and services that have suffered due to a lack of funding.

"Few have been ignored by Washington for as long as Native Americans, the first Americans," Obama said at the rally. "That will change when I am president of the United States."

At a private ceremony before the rally, Obama was adopted into the Black Eagle family. His new Indian name: Awe Kooda Bilaxpak Kuuxshish ("One Who Helps People Throughout the Land”).