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The Invasion of Indian Country in the Twentieth Century 236 the commercial disposal well in Vian, although I-MAC Petroleum Services said it would file an appeal in the following months.35 HEALInG THE EARTH In the face of global warming and other human-generated environmental problems, how do we begin the healing process? In spite of the warnings and inspiration of Sweet Medicine, Chief Seattle, Black Elk, and the four Hopi prophets, clearly Indian country cannot heal the earth by itself, nor is it at all clear—as shown by the examples provided in this chapter—that Indian country would chose any differently than the outside world when faced with a choice between economic gain and ecological preservation. One hopeful sign for all—given the close link between tribal economic development and policy set by the Bureau of Indian Affairs—is the presidential appointment of Larry Echo Hawk as the Assistant Secretary of Interior Affairs in 2009. In January 2010, Echo Hawk effectively introduced a new Department of the Interior policy of tribal consultation by scheduling a series of meetings throughout Indian country to work collaboratively—as opposed to unilaterally or paternalistically—to meet the needs of tribal communities .36 Although early BIA commissioners and Interior officials exploited tribes by allowing mining leases with little or no input from tribes, Echo Hawk is the latest in a series of native appointments to the Assistant Secretary of the Interior position first introduced in the Jimmy Carter administration. These Indian BIA officials have made a significant difference in federal-Indian relations. It is hoped that this political influence will increase with additional empowerment of tribes as they work in tandem with the federal government. Indians appointed as Assistant Secretaries of the Interior are fully cognizant of the tribal emphasis on respecting natural resources, and they will need to lobby hard to convince tribal leaders and non-Indians that everyone must work together to heal the earth. This uphill battle will have to take place within a context of tribes needing funding for programs to help their people. native leaders within and outside of the government will need to take up the cause, as well as all individuals holding influential positions. As seen with some of the alternative energy initiatives supported by the administration of President Barack Obama, in recent times clean energy initiatives and other green economic developments have begun to influence the agendas of industry. This intersection of technological and scientific advances and attempts to create new business models for developing resources have reached Indian coun- 237 Healing the Earth in the Twenty-first Century try as energy tribes are also developing alternative energy projects. Such innovation stems from the intuitive and sophisticated management of modern tribal leaders as they form business partnerships with non-Indians. As great diplomats of past alliances throughout history , native leaders utilize “old and new ways” to negotiate in the best interests of their people. They have learned from the recent past that they cannot do it alone in the changing business landscape of today’s globalized economy. Ultimately, the healing process in Indian country will be stimulated not by bureaucratic negotiations or legislative measures like Superfund laws but by renewing and utilizing tribal philosophies around the application of centuries-old earth knowledge. This knowledge , kept by medicine makers of various tribes, suggests that the process of healing requires power from the earth itself. As traditional navajo singer Annie Kahn notes regarding medicine people, “we really don’t have any power at all to heal anybody. It’s the natural power that the earth has that heals.”37 The earth gives power to certain people to do good things. Yet people often misuse power when much more could be done in a positive way. That we are reaching a turning point, when the earth will no longer be able to heal itself, is becoming increasingly evident as adequate food supplies and sufficient quantities of drinking water are increasingly difficult to sustain. Another time-tested Indian concept is the connection among all living—and non-living—things. In the twenty-first century, energy tribes and their leaders have found a powerful if unexpected demonstration of this concept in their regular connections with outsiders. This largely positive modern collaboration of Indians and non-Indians is somewhat extraordinary, considering the long history of wars, land disputes, and mutual distrust. The conflicts, however, probably will not go away, particularly as the politics swirling around tribal natural resources become even...

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