A Tribal Triumvirate: Communication, Collaboration, and Coordination

2008 Tribal Policy Forum creates a new vision for the future of New Mexico Indian Affairs

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Led by Indian Affairs Cabinet Secretary Alvin Warren, a historic meeting recently took place at the Route 66 Casino, which opened an important new chapter in the chronicle of New Mexico Indian Affairs. With leadership present from the Indian Pueblos, Nations, Tribes, the Indian Affairs Commission, state agencies, universities, non-profit organizations, and the private sector, the 2008 Tribal Policy Forum focused on four high-priority topics: Indian Health; Government-to-Government Relations; Infrastructure; and Economic Development.

These priority areas emerged as the culmination of an outreach effort that began earlier this year when Secretary Warren and Indian Affairs Department (IAD) staff visited each of the Pueblos, the Navajo Nation, the Mescalero Apache Tribe, and the Jicarilla Apache Nation to meet with Tribal leaders, as a first step in identifying their most pressing needs and concerns. Concurrently, Secretary Warren met with Governor Bill Richardson, other Cabinet secretaries, the Indian Affairs Commission and agency tribal liaisons to hear their perspectives on the current state of Indian Affairs in New Mexico.

Ron Shutiva, New Mexico Department of Transportation Tribal Liaison and former Governor of Acoma Pueblo, said, "By going out and visiting with each of the 22 Tribal entities, Secretary Warren and his staff have made great strides toward comprehensively evaluating the unmet needs that exist in Indian Country. As part of this important outreach process, there also needs to be a corresponding coordinated effort from tribal and state leadership to support enhanced capacity-building for the Indian Affairs Department. This unified effort will assist in the enhancement to achieve IAD's goals."

The objectives of the Tribal Policy Forum included ensuring a strong mutual understanding of legislative and policy-making processes among IAD and its partners and stakeholders, and collaboratively identifying goals in the four priority areas, along with strategies to accomplish those goals.

Charles Long, Legislative Staff Assistant to the Office of the Speaker of the Navajo Nation said, "This collaborative effort is something that we've been striving toward for a long time, and demonstrates that Native American tribes and Pueblos possess a wealth of knowledge, experience, and strength that emerges in a profoundly synergistic and productive way when we can all come together and address mutual concerns."

Dancy Simplicio, Lieutenant Governor of Zuni Pueblo reflected, "It is imperative that tribes participate and work with the state and its agencies. We have to make time for, and be involved in, a lot of the things our people need."

Secretary Warren emphasized that it is a remarkable time for Indian Affairs in New Mexico, "Building on decades of diligent efforts to set a strong foundation for state-tribal relations, in recent years we have seen significant increases in state funding to tribes and Indian programs, passage of important Indian-related legislation, the elevation of the Office of Indian Affairs to the first cabinet level Indian Affairs Department in the United States, and a growing number of successful State-Tribal agreements and cooperative efforts."

Butch Blazer, New Mexico State Forester from the Mescalero Apache Tribe commented, "I was deeply honored by Secretary Warren's invitation to participate in the forum as the first-ever Native American State Forester. Having worked in federal and state government for a combined 30 years, I realize the importance of partnership and teamwork ... This strategic planning forum has been one of the most important and beneficial exercises I've ever gone through."

Regis Pecos, Chief of Staff for House Speaker Ben Lujan, former Executive Director of the Office of Indian Affairs, and former Governor of Cochiti Pueblo reviewed the history of the Indian Affairs in New Mexico, offering a big-picture retrospective. He spoke of milestones, including paving the way for tribes to be made eligible to receive state appropriations for programs and capital needs; amending the Joint Powers Act to include tribes to effectuate the government-to-government relations framework necessary in the development of State/Tribal agreements; creation of the Office of Indian Education, the Office of Indian Affairs, and the Indian Area Agency on Aging; establishing Indian Day at the legislature; and, expanding the Joint Session to include tribal leaders to formerly present the "State of the State of Indian Nations" before the House and Senate.

Governor Pecos acknowledged the achievements of renowned tribal leaders such as Mescalero President Wendell Chino, Zuni Governor Robert E. Lewis, and Senator John Pinto and thanked them for their sacrifices, wisdom, and vision in laying the foundation and framework for progress and inspiring present day leaders.

"Indian Nations have a major role and an unprecedented opportunity to help define and institutionalize policy and legislation that will serve the Indian communities into the future," Pecos stated. "We all need to work together to fully document the history of state tribal government, to honor those leaders that have preceded us, and commit to passing on our experiences and the evolution of Indian Affairs in the past 100 years to our future generations. In doing so, we can reflect upon where we've been, where we are, and what we need to do to move forward."

Secretary Warren echoed these sentiments in his closing comments, saying, "In jointly developing bold, new initiatives, we have also strengthened the relationships that will ensure our common success. By working together, we will better fulfill the unmet needs and aspirations of our Indian citizens, and build lasting Tribal-State relations that will benefit everyone in New Mexico."