THERE IS A RENAISSANCE among native communities throughout the world. In the United States, that resurgence has been powered by the energy and determination of the country’s more than 570 American Indian nations. And, since 1987, those efforts have been supported by the Harvard Kennedy School , a program housed at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation and founded and led by Joe Kalt, Ford Foundation Professor of International Political Economy, Emeritus. Through the work of its staff and advisory groups, a majority of them Indigenous, the project has helped develop, share, and honor best practices in Indigenous governance by way of its flagship national awards program, , which is celebrating its 25th year (and is generously supported by the Bush Foundation).
“It would be almost impossible to overstate the importance and impact of the Harvard Project and Honoring Nations. The program has changed the way Indian Country think about questions of governance and government performance.”
The project has found that success in Indigenous self-determinations rests on four core principles: sovereignty, institutions, culture, and leadership. Read about some of the program awardees below.
SOVEREIGNTY MATTERS
Self-determination through local self-government works. When Indigenous nations make their own decisions, they consistently outperform non-tribal decision-makers.
School-Based Health Centers, Fort Peck Tribes
Located in the unhealthiest county in Montana, the Fort Peck Tribes’ School-Based Health Centers bring quality health care into the schools, serving all youth, Native and non-Native. The centers are an outstanding example of self-determination and a powerful reminder that having healthy citizens is critical for building strong nations.
Air Quality Program, Gila River Indian Community
The Gila River Indian Community’s Air Quality Program reviews operating permits of Native- and non-Native-owned industrial facilities located on the reservation. It monitors compliance and issues fines when necessary. Not only do their efforts improve air quality for the tribe, but they also improve it for the entire Phoenix, Arizona, metropolitan area.
Child Welfare Program, Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe
The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe created its own Child Welfare Program and took control over federal funds for child welfare, a first among tribes in the United States. Governing guardianship assistance, foster care, and adoption assistance, Port Gamble has reclaimed control over the placement of children and changed Washington State law to redefine “family” as “tribe.”
INSTITUTIONS MATTER
Assertions of sovereignty must be backed by effective governance. Stable systems, independent dispute resolution, and sound management are key.
Wellness Programming, Yurok Tribe
Grounded in Yurok values of reciprocal responsibility, the Yurok tribal court’s Wellness Court Programming is reclaiming its people—and its future. The court practices concurrent jurisdiction with the state of California and infuses traditional tribal values into contemporary jurisprudence to serve tribal citizens in effective and culturally appropriate ways.
Ho-Chunk, Inc., Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska
Ho-Chunk, Inc. is a vehicle for self-sufficiency by diversifying the Winnebago Tribe’s economic landscape. It creates jobs through its business enterprises, joint ventures, and passive investments, reducing unemployment rates from 78% to 5% in just 10 years. The revenue funds key governmental services and supports the region’s infrastructure beyond the reservation boundaries.
Fisheries Department, Nez Perce Tribe
In an effort to restore salmon populations that were decimated by dams and habitat destruction, the Nez Perce Tribe built one of the largest and most successful fisheries departments in the United States. Working with federal, state, and tribal counterparts, the fisheries department reclaimed a leadership role in managing natural resources throughout the region. It was instrumental in restoring salmon to the Columbia River Basin.
Agricultural Programs, Quapaw Nation
The Quapaw Tribe Agricultural Programs are a farm-to-table initiative that houses the first USDA-certified meat processing plant in Indian Country. Promoting healthy diets and job creation, the programs focus on sustainable and humane methods of breeding, raising, and processing livestock as well as planting and harvesting crops for the community.
CULTURE MATTERS
Nation-building success requires culturally grounded institutions of self-government. The huge diversity of Indigenous cultures means that one size does not fit all, and effective governing solutions do not have to look “Western.”
Environmental Program, Native Village of Kotzebue
The Native Village of Kotzebue Environmental Program advances village research priorities that meld Iñupiat traditional knowledge with Western science, influences state and federal policy, and fully participates in the management of natural resources critical to protecting and sustaining their cultural, nutritional, and spiritual lifeways.
Myaamiaki Eemamwiciki Program, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma
The Miami Tribe of Oklahoma created the Myaamiaki Eemamwiciki Program to strengthen kinship ties and culture, reconnecting citizens with their Indigenous value system. The program is reviving a dormant language, restoring cultural traditions, overcoming centuries of displacement and assimilation, and demonstrating the resilience of the Myaamia people.
Archie Hendricks, Sr. Skilled Nursing Facility, Tohono O’odham Nation
For decades Tohono O’odham elders in need of skilled nursing had two choices: move far away from home to receive care, or forgo long-term care services. With the opening of the Archie Hendricks, Sr. Skilled Nursing Facility, O’odham elders can now remain in the community. Grounded in their traditional core value of Himdag, the facility fuses the latest technologies and world-class clinical care with traditional values. The nursing home is also a major employer in the area, creating good, stable jobs. It has become one of the finest elder care facilities anywhere in the country, receiving a five-star certification.
LEADERSHIP MATTERS
Self-determined success in nation building rests upon leaders who can both carry out community decisions and act as educators who inform and inspire their fellow citizens.
Walleye Recovery Project, Red Lake Nation
As one of the most successful fish population recoveries in North America, the Red Lake Walleye Recovery Project demonstrates how tribal governments can strengthen their sovereignty by preserving precious resources for future generations. This recovery effort restores the promise of cultural continuity, economic means, and pride to the community.
Health Aide Training Programs, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
Visiting a medical professional is rarely easy in rural Alaska. Communities are isolated, medical needs are significant, and patients’ cultural and linguistic backgrounds can affect diagnoses and treatments. As the backbone of the Alaska Native health care system, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium trains and certifies aides in community, dental, and behavioral health, serving over 170 communities in rural Alaska and cities across the state.
Prison Reintegration Program, Muscogee Nation
Working closely with Oklahoma corrections officials and district judges, the Muscogee Nation operates a prisoner reintegration program to rehabilitate Muscogee citizens who have gotten into trouble with the law. Ex-offenders come home to the Muscogee Nation and, once settled, begin to make their own contributions to strengthening the Nation and the state of Oklahoma.
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Photos courtesy of:
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Blue Lake Rancheria, Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Sarah Grucza, Megan Minoka Hill, Moana Palelei Iose, Amy Besaw Medford, John Rae/NYC, Martha Stewart, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, Sitka Tribe of Alaska, and Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation