By Patricia Wade
Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell's Senate Bill 519 defines ANCSA Corporations as tribes.
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The Chickaloon Elders, along with Traditional Peoples from throughout Alaska (most of whom were never allowed to vote on ANCSA) recognized the act as termination legislation pushed through Congress by the U.S. military, oil companies and other corporations interested in exploiting the rich resources formerly under the protection of traditional tribal governments.
What is a corporation? Legal fiction with no brains or morals, I've been told. The dictionary says it's "assumption of a body" and assumption means "taking for granted."
What is a tribe? The dictionary describes it as a unit of social organization consisting of a number of families, clans or other groups who share a common ancestry, culture and leadership. Chickaloon Village is a tribe. We have a chief. And here's a little bit of history about him.
For many years I watched as my cousin, Gary Harrison, plodded along, working for the rights of Indigenous People and our family, the people of Chickaloon Village. He was passionate and dedicated to his work. He spent lots of time with Natives, elders, and at villages.
In 1995 when I finally grasped a small portion of what he and other leaders were striving for, I got involved. I saw the overall picture of freedom and sovereignty. I developed the courage to stand up alongside my nonconformist, rebel warrior relatives and speak our truths.
Athabascan Chief Gary Harrison was chosen by a group of elders in Nenana to become a traditional chief. His is not an easy task. I don't know of any corporate leader who could do what he does. He has sacrificed his personal life for the betterment of his people. He does the jobs of many and is available to hear complaints and give his best advice and encouragement.
When I get in touch with him to see how he's doing or ask a question, I can hear through his voice that he carries a heavy burden. He doesn't complain, but throughout the conversation I get the gist of what he has to deal with on a daily basis.
He's been a leader for the village of Chickaloon in the truest sense during the past eight years of my involvement. I cannot imagine him sitting at a big fancy desk, wearing a corporate suit and tie and sporting a fancy gold watch. The decisions he has to make are just as, or probably more important than the decisions those suits have to make. How could he go from a fancy desk dressed in finery to helping build a house for one of our elders? Or help dig a grave to assist a grieving family? Or travel across the world, speaking on behalf of not only Chickaloon Village tribal members, or Indigenous Peoples, but working toward the betterment of all peoples everywhere.
The list of qualities he has to possess as a leader includes honesty, compassion, helpfulness, humility and leadership.
I wrote in 1996, "I have a sneaking hunch that they (ANCSA rulers) are entrenched with political powerfuls who are still intent on pillaging and plundering the land, and their greed has become an addiction. Probably it's easier for government officials to deal with the leaders of native corporations than with traditional chiefs. Why? Because the traditional chiefs have had to become familiar with the laws and the truth. In our tribe we have no hidden agendas. We try to follow the laws as written in the U.S. and state constitutions ... the big picture as I see it is that it is time for the tribes, not the corporations, to be treated with respect and openness. Further, any attempt by the corporations to be recognized as tribes must be exposed for what that attempt is -- pure selfishness and greed."
Corporations can never take the place of a tribe. I see no similarities between a Tribe and an ANCSA corporation.
Patricia Wade is editor of The Chickaloon News.
Comments
12 comment(s)nexQuimimip wrote on Feb 14, 2009 3:07 PM:
Donna wrote on Feb 6, 2009 7:14 AM:
I would like to contact him if anyone can get him my e-mail address it would be greatly appreciated.
Donna J. Hoover (formerly Donna J. Groleau) "
Halcrow wrote on Nov 8, 2008 2:27 PM:
Alas, even if it should make its way over to corporate Diebold, it'll be dismissed as the irrelevent raving of an unrecognized voter (unrecognized, courtesy of Diebold). Only in America. "
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