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Box 2574 :: :: Olympia, Wa Fido Net 1:352/333 :: :: 98507-2574 206-786-9629 :: :: USA The Quarto Mundista BBS :: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 1 9 7 7 C O N F E R E N C E O F T R I B A L G O V E R N M E N T S Doubletree Inn, Tukwila February 12-15, 1977 INTRODUCTION "Tribal governments have come of age." This was the statement used to describe the Conference of Tribal Governments as it concluded its business February 12-15, 1977. The four-day session of the Conference of Tribal Governments represented a landmark event in the history of Tribal Government/Washington State Government relations. For the first time in recorded history, tribal governments took the initiative to open formal talks with a State Government to begin the process of defining the legal and political relationships which should or actually exist between the two political entities. The first Conference of Tribal Governments also represented the beginnings of discussions on tribal and State Government authorities and responsibilities in the areas of natural and human resource development and protection; and, legal and political jurisdiction. Various methods for tribal governments and Washington State Government to resolve pending and future conflicts were proposed. The four-day session of the Conference of Tribal Governments was devoted to three general goals: 1. Provide a forum for tribal government officials to discuss and debate tribal policies on existing and future relations between tribal governments and the Washington State Government; and, 2. Provide a forum for individual Indian citizens to voice their views and opinions to tribal governments; and, 3. Provide a forum for formal initial talks to be conducted between tribal government representatives and the Governor of the State of Washington on matters affecting the rights and property of Indian Nations and tribes and individual Indian citizens. Representatives of twenty-four tribal governments deliberated on a wide range of issues in six hearings and five general assemblies. In the body of this report, it can be seen that the tribal government representatives developed 20 proposals directed at State Government and tribal governments. Throughout six Major Policy Statements, these themes are consistently stated: 1. Serious talks must commence between tribal governments and the Washington State Government on a wide range of issues on a "government to government" basis. 2. Both governments must clearly understand their authority and define their responsibilities in the areas of legal and political jurisdiction as natural resources and Indian citizens are concerned. 3. Tribal governments and State Government must clearly define their responsibilities to serve and protect Indian citizens no matter where they physically reside. 4. Tribal governments are not political sub-divisions of the State Government, but separate and politically distinct units of government which must be dealt with through a separate framework defined and agreed to by tribal governments and the State Government. 5. The State Government has limited authority to act on matters related to Indian affairs and must, therefore, secure the consent of affected tribal governments before any State actions can commence. 6. Formal mechanisms should be created between tribal governments and the State Government to facilitate negotiations on disputes and an effective flow of information. These themes clearly argue for the need to encourage responsible and intelligent dialogue between officials of both tribal and State Governments so that an atmosphere of respect and mutual co-existence can emerge. The climate of confrontation which has existed for so long can be replaced by serious and responsible actions of government aimed at fulfilling the obligation of governments to protect and serve both Indian and non-Indian citizens. A new climate of tribal and State Government relations can preserve and protect the vital natural resources and insure that the authorities of tribal governments are preserved and, indeed, elevated to their proper status. Contained in this report are the final documents produced by the first Conference of Tribal Governments. Rudolph C. Ryser Conference Staff Coordinator March 3, 1977 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- To have a current Center For World Indigenous Studies Publication Catalogue sent to you via e-mail, send a request to jburrows@halcyon.com FTP ftp.halcyon.com /pub/FWDP/CWIS Center For World Indigenous Studies P.O. Box 2574 Olympia, WA U.S.A. 98507-2574 BBS: 206-786-9629 OCR Provided by Caere Corporation's PageKeeper