Dr. Gary Morishima: Working for Tribal Sovereignty at Quinault Nation

It may seem commonplace today to talk about the co-management of natural resources by tribal communities and different state and federal agencies but rewind 50 years, and the notion was unheard of. 

Native tribes had little control over their ancestral lands. For Indigenous tribes in the Pacific Northwest and across the United States, gaining control of their historical territories was vital to the nationhood they sought and continue to fight for. With this clarity of vision, they fought for the impossible and won, advancing the struggle for future generations that would pick up the fight for true tribal sovereignty. 

Among those who have led this visionary struggle for 50 years are Gary Morishima, PhD., and Rudolph Ryser, PhD. Their stories, and many others, make up the film series Pathfinder: The Untold Story of the “Indian Business,” which is now in production.  

We should not forget the dreams and struggles of the past, for they tell us who we are and guide us into the future. 

This week we bring behind-the-scenes insights from one who was there and continues to shepherd the struggle.

Gary Morishima, the Natural Resource Advisor for the Quinault Nation for the past 50 years,  provides a historical overview of natural resource management in the Quinault Nation and their choice to coordinate with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, academia, private industry, and other tribes to solve common problems by working together.

In the second clip, Dr. Morishima discusses how his personal history of being born in a Japanese concentration camp during World War Two informs his work for self-determination in Indigenous Forestry Management and helps him empathize with the experience of indigenous peoples in the United States.

Stay tuned for more stories from behind-the-scenes, and if you like what we are doing, please support our work by making a tax-deductible donation.