First-Ever Summit Between Utah, Native American Tribal Councils

None by KCPW

Chief Goal: Listening

(KCPW News) A first-ever gathering of government-to-government leaders representing the State of Utah and Utah's eight Native American tribal councils begins today in Wellsville, Utah. Lt. Governor Gary Herbert says it's an effort to build and foster relationships and increase communication, which can be difficult when it comes to the bureaucracies of sovereign nations within sovereign states:

"We will be talking about jurisdictional challenges between the Navajo Nation, for example, and other governmental leaders - the Paiutes, the Utes, the Goshutes, etc. - and local government, state government and federal government."

Beyond jurisdictional issues, economic development, infrastructure building, education, health care, and homeland security and law enforcement will be discussed. Primarily, this summit, says Herbert, is about listening to the delegates of the eight tribal councils in attendance - rather than telling them what to do:

"It shouldn't just be the White Man's education, [but] what can we do to help you be successful as you define success as a Native American?," Herbert explains. "Some of this is a matter of us just listening and learning what their situation is, and that may be one of the first things that we're going to be doing that hasn't happened in the past."

Governor Huntsman's 2006 Native American Summit is being held at the Sherwood Hills Conference Center. Larry Echohawk, former Attorney General of Idaho, J. Reuben Clark School of Law at Brigham Young University professor and member of the Pawnee tribe, will address attendees tomorrow, as will Governor Huntsman.

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