On Fri, 6 May 1994 Glenn Welker <gwelker@mail.lmi.org> wrote
(on the NATCHAT list):
> ....Has anyone heard how the meeting in Albuqurque, N.M. between
> Sec. Babbit, Attorney General Reno and 240 Native American leaders
> went?....
I am an Albuquerque-based public radio news producer (among other things).
I've produced several reports (and will be producing several more) on
the conference for national broadcast agencies. Here are some
transcripts. Sorry about whatever spacing glitches turn up from
converting the files to ASCII.
Best,
Catalina Reyes
[ I've gone over the text and cleaned up the formatting a bit. --Gary ]
NNN: ADVANCE STORY, LISTENING CONFERENCE
DATE TO AIR: Thrs. 05 May 1994
By Catalina Reyes
INTRO TIME: :21
SCRIPT: 1:16
ANNOUNCER'S INTRO:
TODAY THE NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN LISTENING CONFERENCE GOT
UNDERWAY IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO. JUST OVER 200 OF THE NATION'S
546 FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES HAVE SENT REPRESENTATIVES, AND
THEY'RE SPEAKING FRANKLY ON A VARIETY OF ISSUES TO ATTORNEY GENERAL
JANET RENO AND INTERIOR SECRETARY BRUCE BABBIT.
FROM K-U-N-M, CATALINA REYES HAS MORE:
NNN: ADVANCE STORY, LISTENING CONFERENCE
DATE TO AIR: Thrs. 05 May
1994
By Catalina Reyes
TIME: 1:16
:20CATA 1: THE LISTENING CONFERENCE INCLUDES SESSIONS ON LAND
MANAGEMENT, TRIBAL COURTS, FREEDOM OF RELIGION, LAW ENFORCEMENT,
GAMING AND MORE. PRINCIPAL CHIEF OF THE CHEROKEE NATION WILMA
MANKILLER SAYS THAT 'TIL NOW, TRIBES HAVE STRUGGLED TO HAVE THEIR
PERSPECTIVES TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT BY THE FEDERAL INTERIOR AND JUSTICE
DEPARTMENTS:
ACT 1
:13 WILMA MANKILLER: We have a lot of unresolved issues, a lot of
times we're in adversarial issues with these agencies, and
this is an attempt for all of us to sit down, and tell them
what our issues are, and see if there's some ways that we can
resolve them.
:16CATA 2: NAVAJO NATION PRESIDENT PETERSON ZAH SAYS ISSUES
CONCERNING THE INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE IS BEING DISCUSSED, THOUGH THE
I-H-S DOESN'T HAVE ITS OWN SESSION. NATIVES ARE WORRIED ABOUT
BUDGET CUTS SLATED FOR THAT AGENCY. GENERALLY, ZAH IS OPTIMISTIC
THE CONFERENCE CAN MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES
TO ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO:
ACT 2
:14 PETERSON ZAH: She wants to listen, she wants to ask, she
wants to talk before she even does anything. And after you
learn, about certain issues then you try to do somethin' about
those problems with people.
:10CATA 3: HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT SECRETARY HENRY CISNEROS
WILL JOIN RENO AND INTERIOR SECRETARY BRUCE BABBIT AT THE
CONFERENCE TOMORROW. IN
ALBUQUERQUE, I'M CATALINA
REYES
###
NNN: LISTENING CONFERENCE II
DATE TO AIR: Fri. 6 May 1994
By Catalina Reyes
INTRO TIME: :
SCRIPT: :
ANNOUNCER'S INTRO:
OVER 800 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN
LISTENING CONFERENCE IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO YESTERDAY,
INCLUDING 240 TRIBAL LEADERS. THEY ADDRESSED ATTORNEY GENRAL JANET
RENO AND INTERIOR SECRETARY BRUCE BABBIT ON A NUMBER OF NATIVE
ISSUES. K-U-N-M'S CATALINA REYES WAS THERE, AND HAS THIS REPORT:
:CATA 1: THE FIRST TOPIC FOR THE DAY WAS TRIBAL AND FEDERAL
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE USE AND MANAGEMENT OF TRIBAL LAND, WATER,
AND NATURAL RESOURCES. SOME LEADERS, LIKE GOVERNOR LARRY NUCK-OLLS
OF THE ABSENTEE SHANEE TRIBES, SHARPLY CRIICIZED FEDERAL OFFICIALS.
HE SAID THEY OFTEN DON'T BOTHER TO FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH A
TRIBE'S TREATY, AS IF ALL NATIVES WERE THE SAME:
ACT 1
: LARRY NUCKOLLS: We are all unique in who we are. Please
review the treaties when you're dealing with us for that is
the emphasis where we should be coming from.
:CATA 2: TRIBAL LEADES SAID RENO AND BABBIT SEEMED RECEPTIVE TO
THEIR COMMENTS, AND MOST REPORTED THEY WERE PLEASED WITH THE
DISCUSSIONS SO FAR, WHICH WENT ON TO JUDICIAL AND GOVERNMENT ISSUES
AND FREEDOM OF RELIGION LATER IN THE DAY. BUT FERRELL SECAKUKU,
CHAIRMAN OF THE HOPI TRIBE, SAID THE LISTENING CONFERENCE WILL ONLY
BE MEANINGFUL IF DIALOGUE CONTINUES:
ACT 2
: FERELL SEKAKUKU: Not everything is gonna be heard in two
days, or in five minutes. It's gonna have to be extended into
several days, maybe a whole year, of consultation -- more
aggressively, consistently. So I don't think this should be
the end. But I think our next attempt in getting together it
should last at least two weeks.
:CATA 3: THE LISTENING CONFERENCE CONTINUES TODAY WITH DISCUSSIONS
OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND GAMING. IN ABQ, I'M CATALINA REYES
###
MONITOR: LISTENING CONFERENCE
DATE TO AIR: Fri. 06 May 1994
By Catalina Reyes
INTRO TIME: :23
SCRIPT: 2:59
ANNOUNCER'S INTRO:
YESTERDAY THE NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN LISTENING CONFERENCE
GOT UNDERWAY IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO. ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET
RENO AND SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBIT ARE ON HAND TO
LISTEN TO THE SOME 240 TRIBAL LEADERS TALK ABOUT A VARIETY OF
ISSUES -- IN AN EFFORT TO BREAK COMMUNICATION BARRIERS THAT HAVE
CONTINUED FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS BETWEEN TRIBES AND THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT. CATALINA REYES WAS THERE, AND HAS THIS REPORT:
MONITOR: LISTENING CONFERENCE
DATE TO AIR: Fri. 06 May 1994
By Catalina Reyes
TIME: 2:59
[AMBIANCE OF TRIBAL MUSIC & PEOPLE PRECEDING THE MEETING]
:34CATA 1: THE IDEA FOR THE CONFERENCE CAME OUT OF A MEETING LAST
SEPTEMBER BETWEEN ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO AND TWO OF THE MOST
PROMINENT LEADERS AMONG THE NATION'S 546 FEDERALLY REGISTERED
TRIBES: NAVAJO NATION PRESIDENT PETERSON ZAH, AND WILMA MANKILLER,
PRINCIPAL CHIEF OF THE CHEROKEE NATION. AS THEY DISCUSSED HOW THE
CLINTON ADMINISTRATION COULD EASE HISTORICALLY SOUR RELATIONS
BETWEEN INDIANS AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS, THE LEADERS SAID DO IT THE
INDIAN WAY: LISTEN TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. IN HER OPENING
REMARKS AT THE CONFERENCE, ATTORNEY GENERAL RENO MENTIONED
SKEPTICISM SOME OBSERVERS EXPRESSED TO HER ABOUT THE MEETING:
[AMBIANCE OUT]
ACT 1
:28 JANET RENO: Is this just another empty gesture? What
evidence do you have, what can you show to prove that you will
carry through? I said: My best proof will be in listening,
then formulating action, ideas, with american indians, and
then working together with them to do it. And I pledge to you
with all my heart and soul, that effort.
:34CATA 2: SO RENO AND INTERIOR SECRETARY BRUCE BABBIT LISTENED
ALL DAY THURSDAY TO TRIBAL CONCERNS IN THREE AREAS, STARTING WITH
TRIBAL AND FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITY OVER NATIVE LAND, WATER, AND
NATURAL RESOURCES. LATER IN THE DAY THEY MOVED ON TO FREEDOM OF
RELIGION AND THE STATUS OF TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS AND TRIBAL COURTS.
WITH SOME 90 FEDERAL OFFICIALS IN ATTENDANCE, AND OVER 450 LARGELY
NATIVE OBSERVERS IN THE AUDIENCE, LEADERS LIKE GOVERNOR LARRY NUCK-
OLS OF THE ABSENTEE SHAWNEE TRIBE WERE OFTEN SHARPLY CRITICAL OF
THE GOVERNMENT. HE SAID OFFICIALS OFTEN DON'T BOTHER TO
FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH A TRIBE'S TREATY, AS IF ALL NATIVES
WERE THE SAME:
ACT 2
:08 LARRY NUCKOLLS: We are all unique in who we are. Please
review the treaties when you're dealing with us for that is
the emphasis where we should be coming from.
:22CATA 3: NATIVE LEADERS SAID RENO AND BABBIT SEEMED RECEPTIVE TO
THEIR COMMENTS, AND MOST REPORTED THEY'RE PLEASED WITH THE
DISCUSSIONS SO FAR. BUT REFERRING TO INTERIOR SECRETARY BRUCE
BABBIT, WHO'S DEPARTMENT INCLUDES THE BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS AS
WELL AS PUBLIC LANDS, HOPI TRIBAL CHAIRMAN FERRELL SEKAKUKU SAID
FOR THE DIALOGUE TO BE MEANINGFUL, THERE MUST BE CONTINUED
MEETINGS, AND MORE MONEY FOR INDIAN COUNTRY:
ACT 3
:19 FERRELL SEKAKUKU: By the time he leaves this place, it's not
only gonna be talking, it's not gonna be the moral support,
it's gonna have to take money to support that he's saying.
That's gonna mean three times more than what we have now.
That's what we want.
:14CATA 4: THE LISTENING CONFERENCE CONTINUES THROUGH TODAY, WHEN
HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT SECRETARY HENRY CISNEROS WILL JOIN
THE GATHERING FOR DISCUSSIONS ON LAW ENFORCEMENT AND GAMING.
FOR THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, THIS IS CATALINA REYES IN
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO
###
KUNM: LISTENING CONFERENCE
DATE TO AIR: Fri. 06 May 1994
By Catalina Reyes
ANNOUNCER'S INTRO:
THE NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN LISTENING CONFERENCE JUST
CONCLUDED AT THE ALBUQUERQUE CONVENTION CENTER. THE EVENT ATRACTED
OVER 800 PEOPLE, INCLUDING 240 NATIVE LEADERS. TODAY THREE CLINTON
ADMINISTRATION CABINET OFFICERS WERE ON HAND TO HEAR THEIR CONERNS
ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT AND GAMING. CATALINA REYES HAS MORE:
:CATA 1: TODAY HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT SECRETARY HENRY
CISNEROS JOINED ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO AND INTERIOR SECRETARY
BRUCE BABBIT FOR THE SECOND DAY OF THE CONFERENCE. LAW
ENFORCEMENT, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, AND YOUTH AND FAMILY JUSTICE AND
INTERVENTION WERE DISCUSSED ALL MORNING. THOUGH LEADERS MENTIONED
DIVERSE NEEDS, LIKE LACK OF TRIBAL COURTS, AND JUVENILE DETENTION
CENTERS AND INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, NEARLY EVERY ONE MENTIONED THE
SAME BASIC NEED: MONEY:
ACT 1
: TRUMAN CARTER: We need more funding for personnel matters,
for judges, police, any child welfare workers, as well as probation
officers.
:CATA 2: TRUMAN CARTER, TREASURER OF THE SAC AND FOX NATION:
ACT 2
: TRUMAN CARTER: Tribal police and the B-I-A police and the FBI
are experiencing tremendous increases in the number of calls
for assistance and investigations of incidents in indian
country. The cases range from alcohol and substance abuse to
domestic violence, to juvenile emotional and sexual abuse,
juvenile delinquency, rape and homocide. Yet the BIA proposes to
decrease funding for F-Y '95 for these areas, as if such law
and order issues had been corrected, as if by magic.
:CATA 3: WHEN THE SUBJECT MOVED TO GAMING IN THE AFTERNOON, NEARLY
EVERY LEADER EMPHASIZED THE NEED FOR THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT, WITH
ITS TRUST RESPONSIBILITY FOR INDIAN TRIBES, TO PROTECT WHAT LEADERS
DESCRIBE AS THEIR SOVERIGN RIGHT TO PURSUE GAMBLING VENTURES ON
THEIR LAND. HOPI TRIBAL CHAIRMAN FERRELL SEKAKUKU SAID EVEN TRIBES
THAT DON'T HAVE GAMING SHOULD BACK IT TO PROTECT NATIVE SOVREIGNTY.
BUT THE LAST PERSON TO ADDRESS ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS FOR THE
DAY, RICHARD MALANAWICH FROM A PALM SPRINGS TRIBE, OFFERED A WORD
OF CAUTION WHEN HE REPORTED THE COMMENTS OF TWO LEADERS AT HIS
TABLE:
ACT 3
: MALANOWICH: The member with no casino says they didn't want
one on their reservation because of what it could do to 'em
socially. How it could affect the tribe, and its members.
The other participant, the one that has a casino, said that --
[there's] one road into the reservation, and the casino sits off
to the side by itself, and when he went up to it one time he
walked by one of the cars. And inside the car were a couple kids
eatin' potato chips. While they waited for their parents.
:CATA 4: ALL THREE ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS OFFERED CONCRETE
ACTIONS THEY'LL PURSUE BASED ON WHAT THEY HEARD. HENRY CISNEROS
PROMISED TO SET UP A NATIVE AMERICAN FINANCE AUTHORITY SO THAT
NATIVES CAN GET HOUSING. SECRETARY BABBIT SAID HE AND ATTORNEY
GENERAL RENO WOULD MEET IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS TO WORK IN
PARTNERSHIP ON AREAS WHERE THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES INTERSECT IN
INDIAN COUNTRY. AND JANET RENO PROMISED TO SET UP A TASK FORCE TO
MAKE SURE THE ISSUES LEADERS RAISED WOULD BE DEALTH WITH. IN HER
CLOSING REMARKS, SHE ALSO SAID THERE WILL DEFINITELY BE MORE
MEETINGS:
ACT 4
: RENO: We would like to plan with you over the next year,
regional conferences to begin addressing the specific concerns
of tribes throughout this nation. Thank you for an experience
that I will treasure forever. [APPLAUSE]
:CATA 5: AS A UTE MOUNTAIN WOMAN SPOKE A CLOSING PRAYER, RENO,
BABBIT, CISNEROS, B-I-A DIRECTOR ADA DEER, AND PRINCIPAL CHIEF OF
THE CHEROKEE NATION WILMA MANKILLER STOOD SHOULDER TO SHOULDER
BEFORE THE GATHERING, HEADS BOWED, HANDS HELD QUIETLY TOGETHER. IT
WAS A SIGHT THAT SEEMED TO CONTAIN A REFLECTION OF THE HOPE THAT
MANY LEADERS NOW TAKE AWAY WITH THEM, LOOKING FORWARD TO A NEW ERA
IN TRIBAL RELATIONS WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
FOR K-U-N-M, THIS IS CATALINA REYES
###
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|Catalina Reyes | Onate Hall | bitnet: CATREY@unmb |
| Public Radio Producer | University of New Mexico | |
|KUNM 89.9 FM | Albuquerque, NM 87131 | internet: |
|(505) 277-8016 | USA | CATREY@unm.edu |
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