"Diversity is a prime feature of Native America. This is evident in the impressive assemblage of Native nations that continue to exist, the many languages we speak, the stunning geographical variety that is North America, and the rich cultural mosaic that is in abundance. That said, as indigenous peoples, many would agree that historically we generally acted from a common set of values that transcended individual nations. These principles were derived broadly from an understanding of human nature that was focused on reciprocal kinship, not only with our human relatives but with the living earth and all the related species and natural elements of the lands and waters.

The notion of reciprocal kinship fundamentally and organically connected us to all of life’s forces. We were, in other words, who we were related to. And it was in the act of growing, maturing, and experiencing all these relational affairs that we learned how to live, how to love, how to play, how to fight, and how to die with dignity and grace.

If our admittedly oversimplified view of indigenous human nature and one of our foundational values is correct, and if, as it appears, we have become exponentially more diverse in the last two generations as a result of a series of powerful events that are pushing us in many directions—including technological developments; economic modifications via gambling operations and other revenue sources; and federal programmatic demands that turned many native political figures into a managerial class of elites who in some cases were more closely aligned with their federal funding partners than their native colleagues—then what is to be done?

As we see it, Native America has become so profoundly fragmented that it is no wonder we are not able to individually or comprehensively address our major needs in all the spheres that desperately need attention–environmental, political, youth issues, domestic violence, increasing class conflict, geographical tensions (rural/reservation vs. sub/urban), blood and identity topics, federal and state intrusions, among others."

Get the Story:
David E. Wilkins and Heidi Kiiwetinepinesiik Stark: Refocusing Our Values (Indian Country Today 7/10)