Speaking with one voice
Natives have their day at legislature

Navajo Nation Vice President Ben Shelly waits outside the New Mexico State Legislature House Chambers Friday to be escorted in to a joint session of the state's House and Senate. Shelly delivered the State of the Navajo Nation in New Mexico speech before the legislature during Native American Day. [Photo by John A. Bowersmith/For The Independent]

By Kristen Davenport
For The Independent

Navajo Code Talker Jack Jones watches dancers from the Ice Mountain Dance Group, from the Pueblo of San Juan, perform the Buffalo Dance in the New Mexico State Capitol Rotunda Friday during Native American Day at the legislature. Tribes from throughout New Mexico were recognized and honored during a joint session of the House and Senate and dance groups performed in the rotunda to celebrate Native American Day at the legislature. [Photo by John A. Bowersmith/For The Independent]

SANTA FE — About a half century ago, it was actually considered illegal after an opinion from New Mexico attorney general for the state to give financial aid to American Indian tribes.

And, when New Mexico joined the Union and became a state, native people were not allowed to be citizens.

Tribal leaders told the New Mexico legislature Friday that things have come a long way since those times to a point where tribes now feel the state lawmakers take Indian Country's issues seriously.

"Perhaps nowhere else in the United States is the tribal/state relationship more honored," said Raymond Gachupin, governor of Jemez Pueblo, adding that tribal people feel more "openness and respect" coming from state government these days.

James Mountain, governor of San Ildefonso, said it s wonderful that "now we have tribal members working side-by-side with state legislators."

Friday was the 20th annual American Indian Day at the state legislature in Santa Fe. Dozens of leaders from New Mexico s 22 tribes plus one from Colorado, the Utes, spoke to ask for help with dire issues facing citizens on reservations: Water, health care and education for Indian children.

"It's time to settle the issues of Indian water rights," said Ben Shelly, Navajo Nation vice president who delivered the annual speech from the Navajo tribe. Some of the outstanding water cases tied up in courts and legal battles are more than 60 years old, he said.

It's the water
There is a proposal from Ray Begaye, a representative from Shiprock, to fully fund and settle all water disputes related to tribes for $75 million. Although Begaye said Friday he only gives that a "fifty/fifty" chance of passing, another initiative giving $15.3 million to the Eastern Navajo Regional Water Project appears more likely. That appropriation is in Gov. Richardson s budget, Begaye said.

Because Richardson has declared this "Year of the Water," there was a great deal of discussion of water issues at this year s American Indian Day water settlements and water rights.

"Water is life water is always a priority for our Indian people," Gachupin said. "In New Mexico, Indian water rights have seniority. It's imperative for the state to acknowledge the tribes paramount water rights."

Gachupin and others spoke of the need for the state to settle tribal water claims before those who hold water rights start selling them off which has already begun happening.

"We're worried big developers might take advantage of this and look to Indian communities to quench the big thirst," he said.

Other issues
The other two issues tribal leaders focused on during several hours of speeches in a joint session of the state House and Sente: Education and health care.

"I think the very top priority for tribes right now is health care," said Ray Begaye. "The federal government has failed to meet its treaty obligations in this area."

Begaye and Ben Lujan, Speaker of the House, are carrying a bill House Bill 784 which would create a group to address disparities in Indian health care and health care outside the reservation.

Sen. Lynda Lovejoy, who was at her second day on the job Friday during American Indian Day, agreed that health care is the utmost importance because the Indian Health Service is drastically underfunded. Along with state remedies for the health troubles of native people, she said, the state legislature needs to find ways to force the federal government to take its responsibility seriously, she said.

"I have seen a real decline in the Indian Health Service, which is a real concern for all tribal governments," Lovejoy said. One speaker Friday said the Indian Health Service is only funded at 37 percent of its need.

Education was also on the top of several speaker s agenda finding ways to better educate native kids, preferably inside their own culture and language, and testing them in a way that more accurately reflects their intelligence.

"We know our kids are smart because a lot of them speak two languages," Gachupin said. Still, American Indian kids often perform poorly on American standardized tests.

"We must find better ways to measure our kids success," he said.

Speakers also urged New Mexico lawmakers to pass proposed bills that would extend the state's lottery scholarship to students attending tribal colleges.

Lovejoy said American Indian Day at the Roundhouse "has really grown" since her days in the 1990s sitting in the House of Representatives. "I'm happy to see that," Lovejoy said. "It has really made ways for the inclusion of all tribal governments."

During speeches in the House chambers Friday, drumming could be heard coming from the Rotunda the nearby room at the center of the Roundhouse where dancers were performing. "I see the American Indian Day as a tool for tribal leaders to come to Santa Fe to tell us how to assist them , to help move some of the major issues forward," Lovejoy said.