Native Business Magazine - June 2019 by Native Business

NATIVEBUSINESSMAG.COM | JUNE 2019 | $8.95

HOW THE MESCALERO APACHE TURNED A REMOTE RESERVATION IN THE ROCKIES INTO A TOURISM MECCA

LIVING THE NAVAJO DREAM: ENTREPRENEURS LEAD TOURS INTO ANTELOPE CANYON Swamp Buggys & Museums Fuel Seminole Tourism

MHA NATION CHAIRMAN

MARK N. FOX

THE MANDAN, HIDATSA AND ARIKARA (MHA) NATION WANTS TO FEED THE WORLD IN A FOOD SOVEREIGNTY REVOLUTION WHEN THE SNOW MELTS, THE HUNTS BEGIN WASHINGTON TRIBES LEVERAGE THE CANNABIS ECONOMY SÃ&#x2030;KA HILLS: ESTATE GROWN IN THE CAPAY VALLEY CHOCTAW FRESH PRODUCE BUILDS COMMUNITY AND ECONOMY

IN THIS ISSUE

on the cover

JUNE 2019 • Volume01 Number 7

Mark N. Fox

MHA Nation Wants to Feed the World in a Food Sovereignty Revolution See Page 8. BY ANDREW RICCI

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME “The Mescalero were the tip of the spear for Tribal sovereignty in the 20th century and their legacy lasts to this day.” — Mark Van Norman, Van Norman Consulting See page 26. BY SUZETTE BREWER

Finance/Agriculture

Profile

“We treat agribusinesses as investment opportunities.” — Zach Ducheneaux BY LYNN ARMITAGE

Agriculture

Native American Agriculture Fund Set to Shepherd $266 Million Portfolio for Indian Country Agriculture BY DEBRA UTACIA KROL

Séka Hills: Estate Grown in the Capay Valley

Santa Ana Diversifies Agricultural Investments With Wine Enterprise

BY NATIVE BUSINESS STAFF

BY MARY BELLE ZOOK

Yakama Nation Pursues Agricultural Expansion Plan to Replace its Dependency on Timber BY RODNEY HARWOOD

Cover Photo Courtesy: The Mandan, Hidatsa & Arikara Nation

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WASHINGTON TRIBES LEVERAGE THE CANNABIS ECONOMY “Following release of the Wilkinson Memo we went to work on negotiating a strong marijuana compact with the State of Washington and also opened our own regulatory agency (Tulalip Cannabis Agency). Sovereignty has driven our approach to cannabis retail just as it did with gaming.” —Tulalip Tribes Chairwoman Teri Gobin See page 28 BY NATIVE BUSINESS STAFF

Agriculture

Natural Resources

Tourism

Choctaw Fresh Produce Aims to Build Community and Economy

Spirit Lake Native Farms: Sustaining Tradition and the Wild Rice Economy

BY MARY BELLE ZOOK

BY NATIVE BUSINESS STAFF

Hunting & Wildlife

An Aquaponic Farming Dream Grows Green BY LYNN ARMITAGE

Native Business Summit

Breathtaking Views and One-of-a-Kind Adventures Await Visitors to the Makah Indian Reservation in Washington State BY MARY BELLE ZOOK

Adventure Tourism

Moose and Big Game Hunting on Penobscot Indian Lands

BY NATIVE BUSINESS STAFF

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When the Snow Melts, the Hunts Begin BY LEE ALLEN

Swamp Buggys and Museums Fuel Seminole Tourism BY SANDRA HALE SCHULMAN

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BY RENAE DITMER

The Future

BY THERESA BRAINE

Native Business Summit Empowered and Inspired Attendees to ‘Conquer & Keep Conquering’ Their Dreams

Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation: Stewards of ‘The Glittering World’

Cheyenne River Youth Project Promotes Food Security and Hands-On Learning With Outdoor Classrooms BY SUZETTE BREWER

FOUNDERS/PUBLISHERS

Gary (Cherokee) and Carmen (Makah/Chippewa-Cree/Yakama) Davis

EDITORIAL

Executive Editor Carmen Davis - carmen@nativebusinessmag.com Senior Editor Kristin Butler - kristin@nativebusinessmag.com

CREATIVE

Art Director Kym Tyler (Diné) Creative Consultant Vestalight Sevenly

WRITERS

Contributing Writers Andrew Ricci • Suzette Brewer (Cherokee) • Lynn Armitage (Oneida Nation) Renae Ditmer (Chippewa) • Clifton Cottrell (Cherokee) Debra Utacia Krol (Xolon Salinan Tribe) • Josh Robertson • Theresa Braine Mary Belle Zook (Citizen Potawatomi Nation) • Rodney Harwood • Lee Allen

ADVERTISING & EVENTS

Event Director Yvonne Schaaf (Salt River Pima/Mojave/Quechan) - yvonne@nativebusinessmag.com Advertising Director Janee' Doxtator-Andrews (Oneida) - advertising@nativebusinessmag.com

FO LLOW U S

@nativebusinessmagazine

@nativebizmag

@nativebusinessmagazine

NATIVE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

12819 SE 38th Street, #111, Bellevue, WA 98006 (425) 615-6400 | info@nativebusinessmag.com | www.nativebusinessmag.com ©2019 Native Business Magazine is published by Native Business, LLC, all rights reserved. Native Business is a monthly advertising magazine. All contents are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without written consent from the Publisher. The advertiser is solely responsible for ad content and holds Publisher harmless for its advertising content and any errors or omissions.

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PHOTOS BY WHITNEY PATTERSON PHOTOGRAPHY

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHERS

Our first “Tourism, Agriculture & Natural Resources” issue and seventh edition of Native Business Magazine is rooted in the very foundation of Tribal sovereignty and resiliency: harvesting food and natural resources to thrive, while conserving the ecosystem and respecting Indigenous lands. We also turn our sights to tourism, given many Tribal reservations are off-the-beaten path for destination travel, to showcase Tribes that have built entertainment meccas in remote regions and those that offer visitors the unique opportunity to witness nature’s pristine, untouched beauty. Our June issue is also ambitious, and our cover subject is a testament to that. Chairman Mark N. Fox not only recognized the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara (MHA) Nation’s potential to replicate the agricultural success of the Netherlands, he took it a step further, bridging a cross-continent, nation-to-nation alliance to facilitate critical knowledge share that will empower his Tribe to bring his vision for food sovereignty and self-reliance to fruition. Native Business debuted a short film titled “Food Sovereignty” at our recent Native Business Summit that features the highlights of the Tribal delegation’s trip in March to meet with the Dutch Ministry and greenhouse agriculturalists across the country. In our cover story, as well as in the film — available for streaming on Native Business Magazine’s YouTube channel — Chairman Fox shares his Tribe’s plans to grow a sustainable food system and economy modeled after the Netherlands’ cutting-edge solutions. In the film and in our June issue feature, he consistently emphasizes the core ethos behind the food sovereignty movement: that to be truly sovereign, we must feed ourselves. And why not set the bar as high as possible — following in the footsteps of a tiny country at the forefront of innovative agrifood technology, leading the world as one of the largest exporters of agricultural and food products? We approach agribusiness from a variety of angles in our June issue. In “The Future,” we shine a light on the revolutionary ways the Cheyenne River Youth Project is teaching food security and commerce to Native youth, who connect to the root of their food sources in outdoor classrooms, in the garden and at farmers’ markets. We also cover the Intertribal Agriculture Council’s (IAC) solution to counter rising farm debt and the lack of affordable capital for Native food producers. The IAC's alternative is called “sustainability finance,” and the IAC’s new executive director Zachary Ducheneaux shares with Native Business Magazine how the organization invests capital in Native farmers and ranchers. Many articles in our June issue intersect business sectors and disciplines. For instance, environmental stewardship is integral to agricultural initiatives in Indian Country, as we illustrate in an article about the harvest and sale of manoomin, or wild rice. And in the Capay Valley of California, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation is excelling through agritourism with two tasting rooms featuring Séka Hills’ estate-grown and -pressed extra virgin olive oil, wine and organic food products. It would be remiss to reflect on tourism in Indian Country without looking to the Mescalero Apache Tribe, whose reservation is situated in the southern Rockies of New Mexico. Native Business pays homage to former Tribal Chairman Wendell Chino’s (1923-1998) visionary leadership that

gave birth to Ski Apache and the infamous Inn of the Mountain Gods, which continues to reign as one of the most successful casino resorts today, with consistently sold-out entertainment. Our June issue releases on the heels of our inaugural Native Business Summit, hosted May 13-15th at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We take this opportunity to reflect on its value add to Tribal leaders, business executives and entrepreneurs from across Indian Country. We are grateful to the venerable cast of keynote speakers, presenters, panelists and forum participants who shared their wisdom and resources with the more than 300 attendees, each of whom left the Summit feeling more empowered, more inspired, more invigorated and more equipped with tactical knowledge to excel in business for the betterment of Indian Country. Overall, our “Tourism, Agriculture & Natural Resources” issue covers a wealth of topics related to growing healthy foods that empower community well-being and Tribal self-determination, and turning Tribal reservations into tourism destinations that bring in revenue and create jobs. Our June issue of Native Business Magazine is multi-faceted and cross-sector focused, inviting readers to connect the dots, like Chairman Fox: compressed natural gas can fuel greenhouses that will provide healthy food for future generations on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, while also feeding the world. A common thread runs throughout our June issue: that by asserting sovereignty over our lands through agricultural, natural resource and tourism development, we empower self-sufficiency and build thriving Native economies.

Onward, GARY DAVIS Publisher

CARMEN DAVIS

Publisher & Executive Editor

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MHA Nation Wants to

FEED THE WORLD

in a Food Sovereignty Revolution

By Andrew Ricci

n 2017, Mark N. Fox, Chairman of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara (MHA) Nation, stumbled across an article in National Geographic that he couldn’t stop thinking about. The headline read, “This Tiny Country Feeds the World,” followed by “The Netherlands has become an agricultural giant by showing what the future of farming could look like.” For a country that ranks 131st in the world in terms of area — slightly bigger than the state of Maryland — the Netherlands is using high-tech greenhouses and other technology-enabled farming practices to change agriculture around the world. “Lo and behold, I come across this article in National Geographic and learned that in the Netherlands, they’re utilizing greenhouses 24/7 to become the leading exporter of agricultural products in the world,” Fox told Native Business Magazine. “It just really moved me.” “There was just kind of a growing feeling in myself, an urge that said, ‘you can’t forget this,’” he said. “Despite all the hundreds of things I have

Greenhouses in Westland, Netherlands

to deal with on a daily basis, despite all these massive challenges I face every day, I said, ‘Do not let this go. You’ve got to do this.’” “It’s one of the keys to ensuring that we survive, to ensuring that our Nation will go into the future, growing our own crops, generating our own power, protecting our water sources, maximizing our water sources, creating products to export so that when times do get rough, we’ve got a system in place that can really survive any difficulties that might lie ahead,” he said. “Then, hope will really flow out to Indian Country.” This sparked a chain of events in Fox’s mind that culminated in him recently leading a delegation to the Netherlands. There, he met with government officials, saw these facilities for himself, and began planning how he could replicate their successes in an economic and food revolution for the MHA Nation. “The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara is a Nation that has always been an agricultural Tribe,” Fox said. “At one time, we were an Aboriginal trade

PHOTO BY FRANK BOSVELT FOR NATIVE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

COVER STORY

MHA Nation Chairman Mark N. Fox

center, because of the crops we raised, including corn, beans and squash. We’ve already had this tradition of gardening and raising crops and making them part of our economy.” “So when I read that article, it was just like putting a puzzle together,” he said. “Here’s somebody that’s doing something that’s in line with our history, in line with what we’ve done before, and with our opportunities now going from what we had in the past to the energy development that’s occurring today. It made a lot of sense to go over, see what they’re doing, learn, and get an opportunity to reestablish what we were [doing] at one time.” After the Pick-Sloan Program led to the construction of the Garrison Dam in the early 1950s, the MHA Nation’s agricultural economy was destroyed. The fertile bottom land where the Tribe planted crops was flooded, the Tribe was forced to high ground, and they became dependent on the federal government like other Tribes, Fox said. The Tribe has been working to recover from those events ever since. “So later in all this time, although we have some farmland that exists on Fort Berthold — less than 1,000 acres or so — that’s always been leased out primarily to non-Indians,” Fox said. “So after seeing that remarkable article, the first thing that popped into my mind is ‘Well, what one

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One of the other features of the Netherlands’ system outlined in the National Geographic article, which Fox now carries around with him as both a reference and reminder of his goal, is how the country is capturing, compressing, and utilizing gas from their energy and refinery development to grow food all year long. “These greenhouses are anywhere from a couple hectares all the way up to 40 acres,” Fox said. “Forty acres is a quarter of a section, and that’s not small, so there really are some massive greenhouses there, but they’re using technology, and that’s the thing that’s really amazing and inspiring.” It’s an incredibly efficient system. Growers use natural gas to power generators, creating electricity to power lighting for both facility visibility and growth. The byproducts of the generators — like heat and carbon dioxide — also serve a purpose. The heat, naturally, is used to keep the greenhouses warm, while the carbon dioxide — a key part of the plants’ photosynthesis process — is used to enhance growth.

This made the MHA Nation a perfect fit, as the Tribe is currently in the middle of an oil and gas boom due in part to their location on the Bakken shale formation. In December 2018, the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation produced nearly 294,000 barrels of oil per day — roughly one-fifth of the state’s overall production. Hydraulic fracturing (or “fracking”) — the process to get oil and gas out of shale formations like the Bakken — leads to three products coming out of the ground. The first is wastewater, or the water that’s used to break apart shale layers. The second is the highly-valued crude oil, which is what developers are interested in extracting and hauling away. And the third is gas. Fox says that because the gas market isn’t as lucrative as the crude is, it’s frequently burned off, or flared. That’s both a problem and an opportunity. “We’ve got a lot of flaring, which is a lot of waste,” he said. “What’s happening is nobody’s getting paid when they flare that. When it’s burned, it’s wasted. The land owner doesn’t get paid. The oil company doesn’t get paid. It doesn’t enter any form of value into the market.” “So you’ve got the regular captured gas that we can use off of the gas lines that exist near our greenhouses, and then there’s the flared gas, which is a second form,” he continued. “We can do remote gathering, compress that gas, and put it into usable

PHOTO BY FRANK BOSVELT FOR NATIVE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

PHOTO BY SEAN CAPSHAW FOR NATIVE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

man can do, so can another.’” “And we have such a wonderful history of growing food products,” he continued. “So why not this? Why not revitalize and revive our farming tradition and go to another level? And that’s how it began.”

Chairman Mark N. Fox and MHA Nation Councilman Cory Spotted Bear hold tomatoes in front of Tomatoworld in the Netherlands.

PHOTO BY NATIVE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Above: The MHA Nation delegation visits a greenhouse where green peppers are grown. PHOTO BY FRANK BOSVELT FOR NATIVE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Left: The MHA Nation delegation at Tomatoworld in the Netherlands

form like NGL, or natural gas liquids. Then we bring that over, store it, and boom, we run our greenhouses off of that.” “So we’re going to end this waste,” he said. “We’re going to capture this gas, and by golly, while we’re doing it, we’re going to grow food, making it a major part of our economy and our own consumption.” This gives the greenhouse project four unique benefits to the MHA Nation. First, it strengthens the Tribe’s sovereignty and allows them to become more self-reliant. Second, it promotes healthy eating and healthy behaviors by getting food that comes out of the ground, which is health-

ier than others that are readily available. Third, it reduces waste and is a new use for an otherwise unused resource. And fourth, by demonstrating that it can be done, the MHA Nation’s efforts become a model that can be spread across Indian Country as another strong form of economic development.

Even though the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, at just under one million acres, is only about one-tenth the size of the Netherlands, the way that the small

northwestern European country is using technology to drive agricultural advancements offers a lot to learn. Hence, in April, Chairman Fox led a delegation there for several days of meetings with government officials, farmers, and others involved in the country’s farming breakthroughs. One of the groups that the delegation met with was the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality. From them, Chairman Fox says that he learned that in order to make the food revolution work, multiple stakeholders have to have a seat at the table. “For someone in my position, I saw that it can’t be total government control; it can’t be government doing 100 percent of what needs to be done,” he said. “You hear that over and over. It’s almost like a threepart partnership.” The first part, he says is education — educational entities and institutions. Then you have producers, the businesses who are in the fields and making money. And finally, there’s the government. “So they’re all coordinating together, not just the government saying, ‘This is what we’re going to do and this is how we’re going to do it,’” he said. “They’re reJUNE 2019

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PHOTOBY FRANK BOSVELT FOR NATIVE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

COVER STORY

lying on each other to make decisions on how to go about it. They have different perspectives, but at the same time, unity.”

The MHA Nation delegation listens to a presentation at a precision farming classroom in the Netherlands.

Nation’s greenhouses can get the proper training. With needs for growers to mind the plants as well as technology experts to

“We’re going to end this waste. We’re going to capture this gas, and by golly, while we’re doing it, we’re going to grow food, making it a major part of our economy and our own consumption.”

Chairman Mark N. Fox during the MHA Nation delegation’s tour of greenhouses in the Netherlands

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build, implement, or oversee the technology, job and training opportunities will be plentiful. “We need to work with our local colleges to create degree programs for these things,” he said. “There’s a big technology part, using computers to constantly analyze the air inside, remember temperature controls, make sure we know how much oxygen and how much CO2 there is. All of these have instrument panels, and it’s very high tech.” “This isn’t just like build a greenhouse, let the sun shine in, and water some plants and that’s it,” he said.

As of right now, the MHA Nation’s food sovereignty project is still in the planning stages. After the delegation’s visit to the Netherlands, they realized that there’s a lot of work that has to be done to bring it to fruition. Fox says that they’ve got sites located for the first set of greenhouses, and his team is working on finding center gas lines, water lines, and building out transportation on the land itself. “I’ve got a team, but we didn’t get really aggressive on it until about four or five months ago,” he said. “I hired engineers; I hired some people that are experienced in growing crops; I hired people that are experts in water; I hired staff and good organizers. So now I’ve got a dozen-plus people, so let’s focus on what we need to do here to make this a reality and do a prototype of maybe one to two hectares, or a three- to five-acre facility.” “Let’s make it small, but let’s make it successful,” he said. “Then, we’ll roll off from there.” He says his hope is that the first facility will be built and operational within about

PHOTO BY FRANK BOSVELT FOR NATIVE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

In addition to the way that the Dutch greenhouses are using natural gas — which Fort Berthold has an abundance of — Fox says that the hands-on approach taken by the growers was another eye-opening experience. “It is very sophisticated,” he said. “But one of the things that we learned going over and visiting in the Netherlands is that it’s a day to day thing. The people that we visited said that the most important person in all of this is what they call their growers. They go up and down and they watch rows and rows and rows of the plants in these huge greenhouses, and they literally know each plant and how it changes each and every day.” “That’s not something everybody automatically has,” Fox continued. “It’s a technology and skill that has to be acquired. The reality is those growers, those people who are going to be on hand, watching that plant day to day, are going to be so significant and important.” As a result, Fox sees the need to create partnerships with the Netherlands and other countries undertaking similar programs, in which people tending the MHA

15 months, with the actual products being ready to sell and utilize within two years. Once it’s up and running, he’d like to grow products that, because they’re difficult to get for most of the year, are not readily fresh and have to be imported from the east coast or other countries. “You know if it’s fruit, maybe it’s strawberries,” he said. “If it’s vegetables, then maybe it’s going to be cabbage — something that we can grow but that we have difficulty getting because it has to be transported up.” He says his long-term dream is that once everything is fully operational and the MHA Nation returns to its status as an agricultural powerhouse, the Tribe’s early days as an Aboriginal trade center will also be reestablished. One day, he’d like to walk into a Wal-Mart in Bismarck or Minot, North Dakota — or elsewhere. There, he’d like to walk through the produce section and see fruits and vegetables grown in Fort Berthold that people are grabbing off the shelves. Successful completion of this project, he says, will open doors for Indian Country and send a really strong message that cannot be ignored. First, it will show other Tribes that this is something they can do. Then, after realizing that this is something they can

The MHA Nation delegation at the Dutch Ministry

do, will make them decide it’s something they want to do. And finally, they’ll decide that this is something they absolutely must do. When other Tribes start experiencing this, he says it will only continue to open up more opportunities and will spread like fire. “There is some irony to all this,” Fox said. “A European group of people, Dutch

explorers, really very early, came into northern Canada, to the East coast, even coming in as far as where we live. All that happened, and then there were the radical changes that occurred.” “Now, suddenly it’s 2019, 150 to 200 years later, and now the same group of people that were impacted, Indigenous people, are going to Europe looking at what they have now and saying, ‘that’s similar to what we used to have.’ Scan the QR Code to watch the Native “Now we’re going to take that back to where we’re Business-produced documentary short from,” Fox said. “And that’s film “Food Sovereignty” highlighting the pretty darn amazing.”

MHA Nation delegation’s recent trip to the Netherlands to meet with the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, greenhouse operators and precision farmers.

The MHA Nation delegation samples tomatoes at Tomatoworld in the Netherlands.

PHOTO BY NATIVE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

COVER STORY

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“I won’t rest until I know that what we are doing is effectuating change that impacts Native farmers and ranchers as well as agricultural business owners.” -Janie Simms Hipp

Native American Agriculture Fund Set

TO SHEPHERD $266 MILLION PORTFOLIO for Indian Country Agriculture

he Native American Agriculture Fund is moving closer to delivering on its mandate to distribute a trust fund of some $266 million to eligible organizations for business assistance, agricultural education, technical support and advocacy services in support of Native American farmers and ranchers. The people placed in charge of stewarding these funds and ensuring that the grant process is as transparent, fair and complete as possible are already respected for their distinguished service to Indian Country. Janie Simms Hipp, president and CEO of the Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF) and citizen of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, says that her first pri-

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ority was to put an operation together in just a few years from the results of an 18-year-old lawsuit. “Porter Holder, one of our trustees, says this is like we ordered a tractor and were called that it was ready to be picked up, and we went to the tractor dealership, whereupon they brought out a box full of parts!” So, Hipp and her staff are using that “box of parts” provided by the establishment of NAAF in 2018 to construct a fund that will provide resources for business assistance, agricultural education, technical support, and advocacy services to support Native farmers and ranchers. (See sidebar.) To accomplish this mission, Hipp and the NAAF board are bringing on some stellar talent. For example, Vince Logan

Janie Simms Hipp (Chicksaw Nation), President and CEO of the Native American Agriculture Fund

(Osage), the recently appointed chief financial officer and chief information officer of NAAF, has also garnered much respect for his work. “We at NAAF are truly blessed to have Vince join us as CFO/CIO,” says Hipp. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in financial issues and investment management. In his prior roles throughout Indian Country he has made a difference and served us all well.” Logan, who served as the Special Trustee for American Indians at the U.S. Department of the Interior, used his financial and regulatory background to reaffirm the Office of the Special Trustee’s position as a leader in government accountability, Indian Trust reform, financial education and Interior oversight mandates. “His depth of

PHOTO COURTESY NATIVE AMERICAN AGRICULTURE FUND

By Debra Utacia Krol

PHOTO COURTESY NATIVE AMERICAN AGRICULTURE FUND

FINANCE / AGRICULTURE

knowledge and expertise will serve Native farmers and ranchers and the Native agriculture community more broadly as NAAF begins its work and delivers on the promise of NAAF,” says Hipp. And, NAAF’s director also has had a distinguished career in the field of Native agriculture and food sovereignty. Among other accomplishments to support Native American agriculture over the past 30 years, Hipp was the founder and first director of the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative (IFAI) at the University of Arkansas School of Law. The first of its kind nationally, IFAI focuses on governance, strategic and technical policy assistance, and Native youth and professional education, all to support and sustain Indigenous food systems. A growing movement across Indian Country is empowering food sovereignty, which as Hipp says isn’t just one-size-fitsall; various Tribes and communities have various foods, food systems and agricultural environments. “We fed ourselves for millennia before contact, and we need to unlock the potential of our communities through agriculture, food and fiber production, feeding ourselves and others, building strong community economies through agriculture, and protecting our lands, natural resources and our traditional foods,” she says. Then, there’s the matter of access to credit. “That is the core reason why this case was filed in the first place and which ultimately led to the creation of NAAF,” she says. For example, Hipp notes a recent General Accounting Office (GAO) report on agriculture credit in Indian Country. But, she says, “the report authors confessed they didn’t have a good handle on unmet need for agricultural credit.” Hipp says that she can identify “at least 10 Tribes right now who would love to build out new meat processing plants. The price tag on one of those operations can easily reach $8 million just to get it built, equipped and the doors open.” Installing just one production field with irrigation equipment can run more than $3 million — which is the fiscal value that the GAO report identified as unmet need throughout all of Indian Country. “The farmers and ranchers I have been talking to over the years who’ve told me about their equipment needs will tell you that a few of them aggregating their regional need can easily top more than $3 million of unmet need in a heartbeat,” Hipp said.

“None of these areas is simple; all are complex and have many moving parts.” That’s just one reason why NAAF has been reaching out to American Indian agriculturists, so the organization can identity where the fund can do the most good. In addition to conducting surveys and outreach, she says, “Anyone who knows me, knows that my door is open all the time and I love nothing better in life than talking to farmers and ranchers and ag business owners, and then finding every way I can possibly find to help solve their problems or challenges,” says Hipp. “That has been the essence of my work for over 30 years. If we don’t hear from Native farmers and ranchers and ag business owners continually and frequently, and they don’t tell us exactly what they need, then there is no way we can build toward success.” And, Hipp is optimistic that Indigenous agriculture is headed toward achieving that success. “By working inter-Tribally and in assisting each other in reaching mutually held goals, we can accomplish many things,” she says. “The NAAF funds cannot possibly solve every problem, but it does hold the promise for being a catalyst, and we can create momentum by leveraging with others to bring more positive movements to bear in our communities.” One point that Hipp stresses is who can access the grants: “The Trust Agreement says we must work through 501(c)3s, CDFIs (Community Development Financial Institutions), educational institutions and Tribal governments,” she says. “We are also allowed to work in business assistance, technical support, educational areas and advocacy. We are prohibited from providing a grant or a loan directly to an individual Native farmer or rancher, but we can work through others.” So, although Hipp says that it’s important for

Vince Logan (Osage), NAAF Chief Financial Officer and Chief Investment Officer

Indigenous agriculturists to understand the terms of the trust agreement, “I won’t rest until I know that what we are doing is effectuating change that impacts Native farmers and ranchers as well as agricultural business owners.” Most importantly, though, Hipp says, “Agriculture can and does create jobs — not just producing food but doing all those other things that help farmers and ranchers and food people do what they do well, whether that is getting food into our communities or into markets.” And, thanks to NAAF’s carefully chosen executive staff, the funds provided to support Native agriculture will be well protected and ready to serve Indian Country farmers, ranchers and agricultural business for the next two decades.

The Native American Agriculture Fund, the United States’ single largest philanthropic organization devoted solely to serving the Native American farming and ranching community, was established as part of the Keepseagle

vs. Vilsack lawsuit settlement. This case established that the U.S. Department of Agriculture had discriminated against Native agriculture interests in loan programs and servicing as far back as 1981. NAAF’s fund is the final piece of the settlement, and the organization has 20 years to distribute its funds. In 2018, the court directed that the remaining approximately $266 million be distributed through a newly created fund. Grants will be given to 501(c)3 organizations, educational organizations, CDFIs and Native CDFIs, and Tribal governments.

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A Beef With Ag Financing Leads to an Innovative Alternative

Zach Ducheneaux, the Intertribal Agriculture Council’s new executive director

By Lynn Armitage

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modity as opposed to owning it further into the value chain.” But will IAC’s new ag financing model work? “We are betting the farm on it,” says Ducheneaux. NBM: Tell us about your innovative financing model for agriculture. Ducheneaux: IAC’s solution is “sustainability finance” through our $2.9 million CDFI named Akiptan (Ah-Keep-Tahn), Lakota for “bringing together or sharing in a cooperative manner.” We treat agribusinesses as investment opportunities. Rather than making loans, we invest our capital in Native businesses for a return on investment. Our investment capital is deployed into these communities rather than lent at the expense of these food producers. Currently in ag finance, there is no alternative onramp. It is just one ramp that runs down ag finance’s interstate, and it's the only way to get to your destination. On our interstate, we are partners. We share in the journey. NBM: What types of Native food projects has IAC invested in? Ducheneaux: We’re working with Native agribusiness partners from Oregon and Washington to Montana and South Dakota. Projects are pending in Minnesota and North Dakota. Some investments include a greenhouse, a feed store, a livestock hauler and a cow herd. Pending projects include cattle loans and a butcher shop. Also, we’ve been very successful in helping food partners, such as Red Lake Nation Foods and Tanka Bars, sell their products overseas at a niche market price through our American Indian Foods program.

NBM: Why is the IAC important to Indian Country? Ducheneaux: When European settlers arrived, they brought agricultural practices that didn’t work in Europe. However, what we were doing here was working ― sustainable agriculture, local food systems, vibrant trade and economic pathways. Unsteady land-use policies that favor European-style agriculture have not included Native producers, so the IAC advocates for them. The IAC hopes to remind us that sustainable agriculture was practiced on this continent long before Columbus stumbled across the ocean blue. NBM: What do you think of the explosion of cannabis farming in Indian Country? Ducheneaux: I believe it is a tremendous distraction for Indian Country. Nearly all of our production leaves our communities without any value added in our economy. We suggest Tribes consider value-added agriculture with what is already growing on our lands — meaning we own the crop beyond just producing it. For instance, beef cattle. When a feeder calf left the reservation last year, it was worth $900. In the store this fall, that same animal would fetch around $2,500 and all of that value is added in other economies, not in Indian Country, due to the financing structure that has evolved to benefit those on the ag finance side. NBM: What is your long-term vision for the Intertribal Agriculture Council? Ducheneaux: By demonstrating our economic impact in Indian Country, we hope to grow an endowment to fund the IAC for generations to come, so services and resources are always available for Native food producers.

PHOTO BY CHRIS DICKINSON

he Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) has been advocating for Native American food producers since 1987. “We serve Native American agriculture anywhere across the country in any portion of the food sector — from a soil scientist to a grocer. We help any Native looking to highlight locally sourced, Native-grown food to provide a livelihood for his or her family,” says Zach Ducheneaux, IAC’s new executive director and a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. A third-generation rancher whose family raises quarter horses and beef cattle, Ducheneaux knows first-hand that the greatest challenge to Native food producers “is the lack of affordable capital.” He says the current financing model for agriculture is not working. “Right now, we are using our great-grandfathers’ financial instruments, the same ones that created the farm crisis of the 80s and 90s, and rebranding them with the same terms. As a result, farm debt has increased 4 percent a year since 1994, and that’s not sustainable.” Under Ducheneaux’s leadership, the IAC has created an alternative to the current ag financing model that has shackled food growers with debt. It is called “sustainability finance.” As Ducheneaux explains, “We want food production in Indian Country to be by Indians as opposed to commodity production for the benefit of corporate agriculture.” He says while Indian Country grows enough food to feed its people, the food is lost in the commodity market when it leaves the reservation as a raw product. “The finance structures are set up to keep our producers in the cycle of selling a com-

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Agricultural Expansion Plan

TO REPLACE ITS DEPENDENCY ON TIMBER By Rodney Harwood

PHOTO BY ISTOCK.COM / IMAGINE GOLF

YAKAMA NATION PURSUES

PHOTO BY ISTOCK.COM / BEHIND THE LENS PHOTO COURTESY YAKAMA FOREST PRODUCTS

Left: The Yakama Nation is diversifying into the tree fruit market with apple orchards, as well as cherries, pears, peaches, nectarines and plums. Below: Yakama Nation representatives discuss forest products and diversification in a meadow on the Yakama reservation.

heir ancestral lands included more than 12 million acres, stretching from Mt. Rainer in the west, to the town of Twisp, Washington, near the Canadian border to the north, east to the Palouse region, and south to the Columbia River. In the skyline to the west is the majestic Pahto (Mount Adams), one of five Cascade volcanoes that dot the landscape from California to Washington. The Confederated Tribes & Bands of the Yakama Nation used the entire land base, from the lowlands around the Columbia River to the snow-peaked Cascade Mountains where the Yakima River flows southward to the Columbia River. In the spring, they would send hunting parties out onto the plains to the east as far as Montana to hunt buffalo. Like others that lived along the Columbia River Plateau, they were hunters and gathers, well known for trading salmon and steelhead harvested from the annual runs in the Columbia River. They were traders, shrewd in their dealings with other Tribes to subsidize their way of living. The land remains sacred to the Yakama Nation, one of the largest Tribes in the Pacific Northwest with 11,000 people, and they have continued to flourish through agricultural enterprises. They are in the process of putting a three-stage Agricultural Expansion Plan in place to ensure the people will continue to thrive. “I would say from the 1960s through 2000, we’ve been a timber Tribe, meaning our timber production has been our main source of support,” said Phil Rigdon, superintendent of the Yakama Nation's Natural Resources Department. “A lot of the mills across the Northwest closed in the 1990s, so we started our own mill that employs 250 people. It’s been a solid source of employment and revenue for a lot of people for many years. “Timber has been the backbone for our economy for a long, long time and continues to be an important part of our Tribe’s income, because we ship to markets all across the world,” Rigdon added.

The Tribe’s current reservation is 1.377 million acres in south central Washington, which includes 600,000 acres of timber lands. Because of the high quality of the pine products, most of the high-end wood is sold to Emerson Windows and Doors and other fine window makers, Rigdon said. They also sell a lot of their timber products to the Chinese market. The timber industry has been a strong component of the economic base for the Yakama, but because of concerns of fluctuation in the market, Tribal leaders have developed an agricultural expansion plan to replace the dependency on the industry. “Our intention is to expand our orchards and grow highly diversified crops,” said Brady Kent, program manager for the Land Enterprise Program. “We’re going into berries, corn and alfalfa. We’ll also be going into livestock, cattle and bison. We’ll be developing our packing house, so that we can control the process and better distribute our products.”

The expansion into more diversified production will allow the Tribe to supplement existing revenue and instead of capturing pennies on the dollar for its enterprises, the focus will be on its abilities to capture the whole dollar. The projects developed by the Yakama Nation Land Enterprise include fruit orchards and farm operations, a forest mill, casino and event center, wireless internet service called Yakama Nation Networks, a sports complex and industrial park, as well as regular and controlled atmosphere cold-storage facilities for fruit and produce. The main tree-fruit production includes apples, cherries, pears, peaches, nectarines and plums, which are sold on the international market. In partnership with the Intertribal Agricultural Council and the United States Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service, the Yakama Nation markets its fruit and produce to the world at the International Trade Shows in Hong Kong, Japan, France, Singapore, Cana-

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da, the United Kingdom, Germany, and to a select group in the Mexican market. “We’ll continue to sell our forest products, but because the timber industry goes up and down so much, we’re looking to stabilize that with diversity,” Rigdon said. “The biggest thing we want to do with our agricultural expansion plan is to have our own packing house for our orchards, so that we’ll have more control over the process (of going to market). The packing house will allow us to develop more jobs and avoid a step that ends up costing money.” Over the past 20 years, the Tribe has come to understand there is a considerable amount of economic value in the Yakima Valley when it comes to growing food. The development of processing plants and timber mills, along with the expansion of orchards and the development of the livestock industry will better allow the Tribe to tap its resources. Gary Pierce, Jr. is a Tribal member who was recently promoted to general manager of the Yakama Nation Land Enterprise Program. He is the newest Tribal manager, but he has witnessed the Tribe’s progress over the past couple of decades. “I believe that we have a better understanding of the land, and we need to put the land into production, so we can yield greater value,” Pierce said. “There are a lot of commodities here in the Yakima Valley. Some of those commodities have become saturated due to the number of competitors. We’re looking at products that are not heavily in production, and we’re looking at other revenue sources that we’re still developing.” As it was hundreds of years ago, each proposal must go before the General Council where it is discussed and voted on by the Tribal membership. It has been a long and arduous process at times, but integrating economic development to move forward in

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the 21st century with age-old Tribal customs is a delicate balance, Vice Chairman of the Tribal Council Virgil Lewis, Sr. said. “I’m very happy with where we’re at today,” Lewis said. “We’ve been granted approval and we’re moving forward. I’m very pleased with what the staff has been able to come up with so far. “Right now, with the processing house, we might not have to market our fruit products internationally. We can stay local and tap into Seattle and other markets on the

coast. But we’re still developing in that area.” With Washington State being one of 10 states where marijuana is legal for recreational purposes and one of 20 states that has authorized its use medicinally, Tribal leadership said there has been no discussion about adding a cannabis crop. “We don’t have vineyards or wineries. Even though the Yakama Nation Reservation is one of the biggest hops’ producers in the world, we don’t even have a hops yard, because treaty says we will not embark in creating spirits,” said Delano Saluskin, member of the Roads, Irrigation and Land Committee for the Yakama Nation Tribal Council. “Some of our elders took that to mean that we won’t even produce the ingredients. “The Yakama Reservation is not a dry rez. Non-Indians are allowed to own and operate establishments where liquor is sold. But we respect our elders and our people’s wishes on the matter, and that includes cannabis.” Respect for the elders, respect for the land and doing right by what is good for the people as a whole, the Yakama Nation is moving forward with traditional values as its guide.

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“I would say from the 1960s through 2000, we’ve been a timber Tribe, meaning our timber production has been our main source of support,” said Phil Rigdon, Superintendent of Department of Natural Resources.

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Above: Séka Hills Tasting Room in Brooks, California, is a must-see destination for locals and visitors to the Capay Valley, nestled between Napa and Sacramento valleys.

Estate Grown in the Capay Valley

The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation has put California’s rural Capay Valley on the agritourism map for tasting of estategrown extra-virgin olive oil, wine, flavored nuts and more. The premium oil is highly prized throughout the country and as far away as Japan.

By Native Business Staff

he Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation planted its first high-density olive groves in the Capay Valley of Northern California in 2008. Three years later, the Tribe harvested its first olives. Their quality was so exquisite, the Tribe quickly abandoned its plan to sell to third-party producers, and instead custom built a state-of-the-art olive mill from Florence, Italy. Olives are grown within a few miles of the 13,400-square-foot mill, which presses extra-virgin olive oil for the Tribe’s brand Séka Hills, named in honor of Tribal culture. “Séka,” meaning “blue” in the Tribe’s Patwin language, honors the blue hills that overlook the Capay Valley. About 20 regional growers also process their olives at the Tribe’s mill.

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Left: Olive groves span nearly 500 acres of the Yocha Dehe Valley, the ancestral homelands of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation.

While extra-virgin olive oil anchors the Séka Hills product line, the brand offers an entire line of premium agricultural products produced from the Tribe’s homeland, including Séka Hills Wildflower Honey, beef jerky, seasoned nuts, hummus and Today, the Tribe’s premium, extra-virgin pickled asparagus. olive oil is used in more than 300 restaurants “Our produce program is all organic. We across the West Coast and the Southwest, grow organic asparagus, tomatoes, squash including at the famed Chez Paand wheat,” said Jim Etters, dinisse in California, and the Séka rector of land management for Hills brand is sold in over 700 the Tribe. “Everything we do, exspecialty shops and retail stores cept for the balsamic vinegar, is throughout much of the United estate grown.” States and in Japan. Last year, the Tribe formed “We knew when we began the Séka Hills Club to market its building an agricultural operawide array of agricultural prodtion, it would take years of work, ucts under the Séka Hills brand commitment and investment,” to regional consumers. “For a Anthony Roberts, Tribal Chairsmall to mid-size specialty foods man of the Yocha Dehe Wintun producer, direct-to-consumer Nation, told Native Business. sales are vital,” explained Etters. Anthony Roberts, Tribal “And, now, a little more than 10 Wine also rounds out the Séka Chairman, Yocha Dehe years later, we are beginning to Hills line. The Tribe’s first wine, Wintun Nation see the results. Our crops are dothe 2010 Viognier wine, received ing well, with new plantings expanding our high accolades and continues to do so with capacity. Our Séka Hills products, with a foeach vintage. The Tribe recently expanded its cus on and commitment to premium quality, wine portfolio, adding a Syrah and a Tanat — have gained traction in the marketplace.” red grape varietals that thrive in the hot, MedIn 2015, the Tribe opened the doors to its iterranean-style climate of the Capay Valley. first multi-use tasting room inside the mill faWhile Séka Hills Arbequina Olive Oil, Wild cility. A satellite tasting room at the Old Sugar Flower Honey and wines are distributed to Mill in Clarksburg debuted in June 2017. The restaurants and specialty retail stores, other addition of the tasting rooms catalyzed Tribal Séka Hills products are exclusive to the Tastagritourism and offered the opportunity for ing Rooms and sold online at sekahills.com. the Tribe to share its unique story with visiAs the Séka Hills brand expands to new tors, including its rich history and deep roots markets, agriculture will not only empower in the sun-drenched rural valley, located about the Yocha Dehe people economically, it will an hour's drive northwest of Sacramento. benefit the Tribal homelands and generations “The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation has of Yocha Dehe members to come. a deep connection with the beautiful and “By working the land responsibly, as fertile land of the Capay Valley. It has progood stewards, we can simultaneously vided for our people for hundreds of years protect the land for future generations and the commitment to protect it has and diversify our business portfolio,” said been passed onto us over generations,” said Chairman Roberts. “It is a great fit for our Chairman Roberts. culture, our people and our future.”

PHOTOS COURTESY YOCHA DEHE WINTUN NATION

Séka Hills:

Santa Ana Diversifies

Agricultural Investments WITH WINE ENTERPRISE

PHOTOS BY JOSEPH BRONK, SANTA ANA PUEBLO DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE

By Mary Belle Zook

ust north of Albuquerque, New Mexico, the people of Santa Ana Pueblo continue to live in accordance with the Earth. There, among the high desert foothills, the Tribe participates in several agricultural enterprises as a means to honor tradition and provide economic opportunity. “We utilize all of our lands — whether through farming and agriculture or other ways — in order to preserve our longstanding traditions and to use our water rights,” said Santa Ana Pueblo Director of Agriculture Joseph Bronk. The Santa Ana Pueblo began its first agribusiness venture in 1987 and has since added a blue corn grain mill; garden center; nursery that supplies whole native, drought-tolerant plants; and most recently, a vineyard. The Santa Ana Pueblo leadership strives to diversify Tribal investments through agricultural practices to benefit its members. However, finding crops that will grow in the Tribe’s soil conditions can prove difficult. “The land above the valley has no nutrient quality that’s notable, but grapes can grow on relatively poor soil if it has good drainage,” Bronk said. Knowing a vineyard was a viable option, he approached the Tribal council with his new idea. “The other agricultural enterprises were doing well, but I wanted to see if we could get a

higher return on producing grapes,” he added. With the council’s support, Bronk began work to secure capital through the Administration for Native Americans (ANA). But first, he had to find a market for the Tribe’s grape harvest. Bronk approached Gruet, a New Mexico-based winery, and the company agreed to purchase the Tribe’s annual grape harvest. Gruet Winery is one of the largest producers of Champagne Method sparkling wine in the U.S. “It was very competitive and hard to get the funding,” he said. “You have to score a 95 percent or better to receive ANA funding.” The Santa Ana Pueblo received a 3-year Social & Economic Development Strategies (SEDS) grant from ANA in 2012, and then planted 30 acres of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier varietals. After the vines matured four years, the grapes were ready for winemaking. Gruet released the 2016 Yamaya Rosé in 2017, which became the first Native-American produced wine. Today, the company processes the Santa Ana Pueblo’s grapes, then bottles and ships the wine to customers worldwide. “We’re very thankful for the partnership,” Bronk said. “They’ve been a great company to do business with.” Bronk continued: “Agriculture is why the Santa Ana people have survived as a community. More than just the management of soils and crops, agriculture is an integral component of Santa Ana lifestyle and religion. The

Left: Workers harvest grapes on the Pueblo in August Above: Freshly harvested grapes at Santa Ana Pueblo in August 2018

cycle of religious ceremonies is a function of the agricultural seasons.” The Santa Ana Pueblo’s development strategies support their traditions to protect the land and provide for its people, and the vineyard continues the Tribe’s dedication to these efforts. Its vineyard has a full-time staff of two, one farm manager and employee, but when harvest season arrives late July and early August, the staff expands up to 60. “Our traditional feast day is at the end of July, and since our harvest usually comes right after it, it can get really tricky because this place closes down. We always pray that it doesn’t come earlier than that,” he said, then laughed. “But we’ve got about six other Pueblo communities around us. The people that are there in the adjacent Pueblo communities, they come in and help us harvest the grapes.” The vineyard has been so successful that Bronk and his team are looking to expand, which could provide even more opportunities to the Santa Ana Pueblo and the Native communities nearby. And as weather conditions change, the Santa Ana Pueblo must plant more to mitigate damages from late spring frosts. This, coupled with an increased market demand, could require the agricultural enterprise to hire more personnel. The grape enterprise embodies the Santa Ana Pueblo’s desire to develop opportunity for its members through traditional agriculture and honors the land in which they have called home for hundreds of years.

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Choctaw Fresh Produce Aims to Build

Tribal Public Information Department employee MeShay Jimmie tours Choctaw Fresh Produce's operation with Choctaw Fresh Produce Supervisor Jason Grisham.

By Mary Belle Zook

ood serves as more than just sustenance — it forms a cultural foundation. As Tribes across North America seek opportunities that increase sovereignty, agriculture has emerged as a viable investment. Started in 2012, Choctaw Fresh Produce aims to decrease the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians’ reliance on shipping food thousands of miles to reach its commercial kitchens. Today, the program provides fresh fruit and vegetables to the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians’ enterprises, Tribal citizens as well as the public through local farmers' markets, mobile markets and subscription services. “When we were growing up, we were very dependent upon what we grew in our own garden,” explained Choctaw Fresh Produce Supervisor Jason Grisham. “Produce that we grew out of our gardens was probably on our tables every night, and we don’t see that nowadays. Everyone’s gotten in a hurry.”

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As a citizen of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, Grisham does not take his role with the enterprise lightly. He oversees all Choctaw Fresh Produce operations, which includes five gardens and six employees. Through his work, he hopes to encourage fellow Tribal members to slow down and reconnect to their food systems. “We’re bringing it back, especially [for] our younger generations. [We’re] teaching them where a tomato comes from … that they can grow it on their own and eat from their own garden,” Grisham said. Tradition The enterprise, initially formed through the Nation’s economic development department, not only saves money and decreases the Tribe’s environmental impact, but Choctaw Fresh Produce has created a sense of community within the reservation, connecting Tribal citizens back to their roots. The rural nature of the Choctaw Indian Reservation, which includes eight communities and 35,000 acres of land covering a

10-county radius, can influence employment opportunities and food access. “It’s getting harder and harder for some of our Tribal members to find jobs, so the farming aspect has enabled us to hire some Tribal members, put them to work, and gives them an opportunity to gain income for their family,” Grisham said. Choctaw Fresh Produce utilizes nearly 20 high tunnels across the five gardens to grow its fruits and vegetables. High tunnels, or hoop houses, are similar to greenhouses and utilize solar heat to extend the growing season. The gardens located throughout the reservation also help reintroduce the Tribe’s values of family and caring for one another. “I can grow a ton of produce, which would be way more than what I would need at any time, but having that much more produce available means I can spread it out to other people that could use it,” Grisham explained. Grisham and his staff strive to increase the health and wellness of all Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indian citizens. Choctaw Fresh Produce shares its harvest with the Tribe’s diabetes program and delivers to the elderly center. Mobile markets, employee kiosks and weekly box subscriptions provide additional opportunities. “Our mission is to get it out to as many people as we can and go above and beyond the resorts and those that we already service, but overall, it’s just taking care of our Tribal members,” Grisham said. With the help of skilled nutritionists, staff create healthy meal preparation guidelines to instruct Tribal citizens on new ways to prepare dishes. They also lead tours, offering Choctaw youth the chance to try a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, often for the first time. Choctaw Fresh Produce plans include extending garden programming into the local schools and expanding community involvement with the growing process. “The social impact and cultural impact, that’s one of our biggest highlights,” Grisham shared. “Knowing that we’re doing this on our Tribal lands once again — growing here — it’s huge.”

PHOTO COURTESY MISSISSIPPI BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS

Community & Economy

AN AQUAPONIC FARMING DREAM

G ROW S GR EEN By Lynn Armitage

PHOTO COURTESY SYMBIOTIC AQUAPONIC

hile the business side of aquaponics is a new frontier, the agricultural system of growing fish and plants together in recirculated water dates way back to Tenochtitlan, the former Aztec empire (and modern-day Mexico City). Miles of intricate canals, known as chinampas, wove throughout the ancient city, built with layers of lake mud and dead plant matter that allowed for the cultivation of at least seven crops annually. Today the chinampas style of agriculture itself is experiencing a resurgence, and Choctaw brothers Kaben and Shelby Smallwood are leading the way. The enterprising brothers launched Symbiotic Aquaponic in 2012 with little more than a dream, and a $4,000 investment from the Choctaw Nation to test the waters. Those funds went toward building their first aquaponic system in a greenhouse at Kiowa Public Schools in Oklahoma. “It was a labor of love,” recalls 34-year-old Kaben, an economist by trade. “We worked without pay and without any guarantee of success.” Today Symbiotic Aquaponic designs and builds customized backyard and commercial aquaponic farming systems that can grow United States Department of Agriculture-certified organic food, while reducing water usage of traditional farming by up to 99 percent. Come 2013, the brothers earned a $40,000 Yoshiyama Young Entrepreneur Award from the Hitachi Foundation, which Kaben describes as “a very defining moment.” They immediately put that money to good work. Shelby, an expert designer and engineer, developed a new, proprietary, pat-

ent-pending aquaponic system, “and we became original equipment manufacturers,” says Kaben, proudly adding that all their equipment is manufactured in the United States, except for PVC components. “Now we have a fully developed supply chain to design and engineer scalable, modular aquaponics systems to fit almost any crop, topography, geography or location.” Symbiotic Aquaponic has designed and built nearly 100 aquaponic farming systems in seven states from small, 20-square-feet beds for $1,200 to their largest commercial project to date that cost $199,000. Clients include “hobbyists, gardeners, survivalists, environmentalists, educators, schools, nonprofit organizations, colleges, Future Farmers of America, 4-H organizations … commercial farmers and community groups.” The farming trailblazers have also partnered with several federally recognized Tribes, including the Seminole, Choctaw and Cherokee Nations of Oklahoma, the Cheyenne and Arapahoe Tribes, and the Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma. Two years ago, Symbiotic Aquaponic landed a $199,000 rural business development grant from the USDA to build a 30 foot x 96 foot commercial greenhouse and aquaponic facility with 4,500 gallons of water for the Seminole Nation to help spur economic growth for the Tribe. Construction is currently underway. Kaben considers this partnership one of their greatest successes. “Seeing this project with the Seminole Nation come to fruition is one of the most rewarding professional experiences I have had.” It is a full-circle moment, he says. “It’s incredible to use our aquaponic technology like we intended from the start to benefit other Tribes and underserved populations in our own backyard.”

Choctaw brothers and founders of Symbiotic Aquaponic Shelby (left) and Kaben Smallwood (right) stand beside their aquaponic systems.

USDA-Certified Organic: Those three words make Kaben’s heart sing. “We were one of the first companies to get our aquaponic systems certified as USDA-organic after the National Organic Standards Board ruled that aquaponics and hydroponics could be deemed organic if they met minimum requirements.” The brothers believe they have completely disrupted the organic marketplace, thanks to the proprietary process that creates their grow media ― pH-neutral shale baked in a kiln at an extremely high temperature ― that immediately meets requirements for organic growing. “We design and engineer systems that can achieve organic certification almost overnight, something we call ‘Express Organic.’” Kaben says most organic farmers must wait three years for their soil quality to meet organic standards. “Express Organic” service allows clients to rapidly scale their organic growing operations and speed-up profit-making. And while profit-making is critical to their customers’ and Symbiotic Aquaponic’s bottom lines, the brothers are primarily invested in empowering food sovereignty. In addition to designing and engineering USDA-certified organic systems for clients, the Smallwood brothers operate their own systems to raise organic herbs, tilapia, leafy greens and starter gardens, which they give away free to the community. Kaben shared: “We want to stay true to our mission of food production and food sovereignty by giving people access to fresh food in the rural areas we serve.”

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IF YOU BUILD IT,

From Ski Slopes to High-Flying Zip Lines to Sold-Out Entertainment: How the Mescalero Apache Turned a Remote Reservation in the Rockies Into a Tourism Mecca By Suzette Brewer

hen the legendary Tribal Chairman Wendell Chino (1923-1998) first proposed opening a ski resort on the Mescalero Apache Reservation in the early 1960s, no one took him seriously. The idea of a Tribal-owned and operated ski resort on an Indian reservation where the average income hovered well below the national poverty line seemed risky, at best. For starters, no one in the Tribe — including Chino — had ever skied. But the opening of Ski Apache (then called Sierra Blanca Ski Resort) in the southern Rockies of New Mexico was a smash hit. Soon after, Tribes across the country began adopting Chino’s “red capitalism” philosophy and started working to develop their own economies.

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Under Chino’s leadership, the Mescalero Apache subsequently added a 273-room Inn of the Mountain Gods, a 148-acre manmade lake, a 100-acre championship golf course, a hunting lodge, a casino and numerous other ancillary businesses to support the Tribe’s long-term economic vision. Described as a “small business empire,” the success of the Mescalero Apache has become a model for modern Tribal tourism, economic development and diversification across the country. “Wendell Chino was a visionary who saw that the Mescalero had vast natural resources on their lands that they could leverage and manage on their own for the benefit of their people,” says Mark Van Norman, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of South Dakota and former executive director for the

National Indian Gaming Association who is now in private practice. “He led the way in leasing Forest Service lands for the benefit of the Tribe, establishing the tax identity for Tribal corporations and the regulation of hunting and fishing on Tribal lands, which was a precursor that led to the Cabazon [California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians] decision. The Mescalero were the tip of the spear for Tribal sovereignty in the 20th century and their legacy lasts to this day.” Today, the Mescalero Apache Tribe of New Mexico have achieved near full-employment on their reservation and remain one of the most successful Tribal Nations in the country. With tourism and gaming as the centerpieces of their economic development, the Tribe is continually striving to develop

PHOTOS COURTESY MESCALERO APACHE TRIBE AND INN OF THE MOUNTAIN GODS RESORT & CASINO

THEY WILL COME

GAMING / TOURISM

PHOTO COURTESY MESCALERO APACHE TRIBE AND INN OF THE MOUNTAIN GODS RESORT & CASINO

new strategies and businesses to add to their portfolio, according to the Tribe’s leadership. “We’re providing jobs to our community and a great experience for our guests,” says Gabe Aguilar, vice president of the Mescalero Apache Tribe. “We want to be a one-stop shop, offering something for everyone who comes to visit our homelands.” Get Outside Located in the Sierra Blanca mountain range, Ski Apache is the southernmost major ski area in the United States with 11 lifts and 55 trails, ranging from beginner to advanced. The resort also includes the 273room Inn of the Mountain Gods (IMG), and a 100-acre Ted Robinson-designed championship golf course that has been ranked by Golf Digest as one of the top 25 casino golf courses in the country. “We’re pretty blessed with the natural beauty of the mountains and water and we operate year-round,” says Frizzell Frizzell, Jr., chief operating officer of Inn of the Mountain Gods. “We’ve worked hard to make Mescalero a place for the whole family to come, so the kids can stay busy while their parents can also enjoy themselves.” In addition to golf and skiing, IMG offers a panoply of bars, restaurants, entertainment and outdoor activities for every age group, including two ziplines: The Apache Eagle ZipRider, a 2,668-foot glide across Lake Mescalero, and the Apache Wind Rider ZipTour, a three-leg tour that begins at 11,489 feet above sea level in elevation and spans nearly 9,000 feet, reaching speeds of up to 65 miles per hour. The Wind Rider has the highest launchpoint and is the third longest zipline tour in the world. The 148-acre Mescalero Lake also offers a wide variety of options for every traveler, including fishing, boating, pedal boating, stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking. Guests can buy a fishing permit and can either buy or rent fishing equipment from the hotel or the boat house. The lake is stocked with trout and is open year-round. With 5.5 miles of trails, hikers can choose from trails ranging from .25 miles to all-day hikes to the summit of Ski Apache. Mountain biking enthusiasts can either bring their own or rent a bike and hitch a ride on New Mexico’s only gondola to the top of Ski Apache to take in the spectacular scenery under the summit of Sierra Blanca on the

“We’ve worked hard to make Mescalero a place for the whole family to come," says Frizzell Frizzell, Jr., COO of the Inn of the Mountain Gods.

way down to the base. Other outdoor activities include big game hunting packages for elk, bear and turkey. Bull elk packages include lodging at IMG Resort & Casino, choice of weapon, hunting permits, all meals, guides, horses, standard skinning and processing, and more. Additionally, Mountain Gods Stables offers hourlong trail rides for adults and children 8 and older. Reservations are recommended and are required for those wishing to ride longer than an hour. “You’re not going to be bored at Mescalero,” says Frizzell. “No matter your age or skill level in the outdoors, we have something for everyone.” Bring the Kids Both the Inn of the Mountain Gods and Ski Apache have plenty to keep the kids busy. From Memorial Day through Labor Day Weekend, IMG offers a supervised Kids’ Summer Program on Saturdays for kids 5-12 years old. Activities include arts and crafts, indoor and outdoor activities, games, movies, special themed activities, prizes and lunch or dinner. Ski Apache also offers a supervised Ad-

70, where people of all ages and experience levels can compete on four-players teams matched by computer. The tournament also raises funds for local charities. After Hours For the grownups, Mescalero Entertainment also attracts top musical and comedy talent from across the country, including rapper/singer Snoop Dogg, whose June show sold out in less than a week. Other upcoming acts include comedian Jeff Foxworthy and country artists Charlie Pride, Lee Brice and Chase Bryant. Additionally, in 2018 the Tribe added a full-service salon and spa at the Inn of the Mountain Gods, offering massages, skincare, body treatments, mani/pedis, make-up, hair design and waxing for individuals and couples. Frizzell said that the 5,000-square-foot spa was developed in-house and designed with a distinct Mescalero aesthetic. “We’re very proud of our new spa,” says Frizzell. “We did all of it ourselves, because we have talented people with great vision and taste who did a spectacular job, and it’s been a big success.” Frizzell, who has been COO for the Inn of the Mountain Gods for eight years, says that the economic opportunities provided by the Tribe’s businesses have impacted not only the quality of life for the Mescalero, but also their neighbors. “We are the biggest economic engine in the region, but for us, it’s about more than having a job. It’s about being part of something that is bigger than ourselves and something that benefits and protects our people,” he says. “The goal is to provide the economic means to sustain our community, including homes, education, fire protection, programs for our elders and children. All of our money goes right back into our Tribe, and that’s what drives our whole operation.”

“The Mescalero were the tip of the spear for Tribal sovereignty in the 20th century and their legacy lasts to this day.” - Mark Van Norman, Van Norman Consulting venture Camp for kids ages 4-10 that includes the trainer zipline, hiking, tee ball, scavenger hunts, disk golf, arts and crafts, and more. On Sunday evenings, IMG has Sunday Under the Stars offering free family-friendly movies on the lawn after dark. In June, IMG will host the Gus Macker 3-on-3 basketball tournament for ages 7 to

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Washington Tribes Leverage the

Cannabis Economy

PHOTO BY GENNA MARTIN, COURTESY REMEDY TULALIP

By Native Business Staff

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cannabis is packaged and branded with the Agate Dreams or Tokém Cannabis labels. “We have our own house brands where we sell ounces, pre-rolled joints [and more],” Windy Anderson, a Suquamish Tribal member and General Manager of Agate Dreams and Tokém Cannabis, explained to Native Business. The house brands are the most popular products at Agate Dreams. “We offer an ounce every day at $120 for an indoor premium cannabis ounce,” Anderson said. Whereas other retailers in Washington aren’t allowed to sell house-branded products, Suquamish Evergreen Corporation secured an exception. “Under our Tribal-state compact we can,” Anderson explained, “so we own a pretty large market in our own apparel, shirts, vape carts, batteries, and those type of things.” Situated in Suquamish, Washington, on the Port Madison Indian Reservation, about

Remedy Tulalip is based in Quil Ceda Village, the Tulalip Tribes’ shopping/entertainment district, located off the I-5 corridor just north of Seattle.

45 minutes from Seattle by ferry ride, Agate Dreams is relatively close to the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe’s retail operation, High Point, which opened in March 2018 in Kingston, Washington, near Gliding Eagle Market, the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe’s convenience store and gas station. Collaborating Like Cheech & Chong Suquamish Evergreen Corporation maintains close relationships with its neighbor High Point, as well as with other Tribes in the cannabis industry, including utilizing the Puyallup Tribe’s testing facility, Medicine Creek Analytics, to measure cannabis safety and purity. The Washington State Liquor and The Muckleshootowned Joint Rivers was the first cannabis dispensary in Washington to offer a drivethru window.

PHOTO COURTESY JOINT RIVER

ashington state lead the nation in 2015 in developing a legal framework for cannabis sales on Tribal lands. Home to 29 federally recognized Tribes, at least six Tribes in Washington currently run seven cannabis retail operations, including the Squaxin Island Tribe, Suquamish Tribe, Puyallup Tribe, Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, Muckleshoot Tribe and Tulalip Tribes. The Suquamish Tribe became the first Tribe to legalize cannabis in the United States, signing the first-ever cannabis compact with Washington state in September 2015. The Tribe debuted Agate Dreams in December 2015 — the second marijuana store to open on a reservation in the state of Washington. The Squaxin Island Tribe beat the Suquamish to the punch, opening Elevation in November 2015. Located on the Port Madison Indian Reservation in Kitsap County, Agate Dreams offers a large selection of recreational marijuana and a variety of cannabis-infused goods including flowers, concentrates, edibles and lotions. The following year, in 2016, the Suquamish Tribe chartered Suquamish Evergreen Corporation to open Tokém Cannabis, its cannabis processing plant. Tokém Cannabis purchases cannabis in bulk from growers, processes it, and sells it at Agate Dreams, as well as at multiple state-licensed retail stores across Washington through the state system. The house

PHOTO COURTESY SUQUAMISH EVERGREEN CORPORATION PHOTO COURTESY JAMESTOWN S’KLALLAM TRIBE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

Suquamish-owned Agate Dreams sells its own house-branded cannabis.

Cannabis Board-licensed nonprofit lab detects cannabis potency and moisture, in addition to monitoring for microbes, contaminants, pesticides and heavy metals. In addition to Medicine Creek Analytics, the Puyallup Tribe operates two cannabis retail outfits. Its first, Commencement Bay Cannabis, opened in Fife in February 2017, and its second retail outlet of the same name debuted in the Tacoma area on 4/20 — the unofficial celebratory day of cannabis use — complete with a grand opening featuring Comedy Grammy-award winners Richard “Cheech” Marin and Tommy Chong, co-stars of popular ’70s and ’80s stoner flicks. Both Commencement Bay Cannabis retailers are operated under Puyallup Tribal Cannabis Enterprises, formed to create jobs and career paths, while contributing to the local economy. “This store means a lot,” said Puyallup Tribal Council Chairman Bill Sterud at the Tacoma store’s launch in April. “It’s economic development at its best. It’s medicine at its best. It’s people getting together at its best.” Washington’s First Cannabis Drive-Thru Each Tribal cannabis retailer boasts its unique competitive advantage. In June 2018, the Muckleshoot Tribe became the first cannabis dispensary in the state to offer a drive-thru window — “a hit because it allows customers to pull right up, peruse our menu, order, and drive away with their purchases all while remaining discreet,” Audria Jaggers, General Manager at Joint Rivers, told Native Business. Located in Auburn, Washington, Joint Rivers also touts the largest sales floor in the state with 86 linear feet of cabinet space dedicated to flower alone. Joint Rivers’ other distinguishing features include online ordering and extended hours of operation, beginning at 7 a.m. “Every morning we are greeted with a rush of customers that are ready to make their cannabis purchases along with their

daily a.m. caffeine run to one of the local coffee shops,” Jaggers said. Cannabis Central While several Tribal cannabis retailers operate in remote areas, Remedy Tulalip, the Tulalip Tribe’s cannabis dispensary, opened its doors in August 2018 in the highly trafficked Quil Ceda Village. The Tribe’s shopping/entertainment district, off the I-5 corridor just north of Seattle, sees approximately 39,000 visitors daily, and even more on weekends. An estimated 15 million people step foot in Quil Ceda Village each year. Tulalip may not have been one of the first Tribes to enter the cannabis marketplace in Washington, but it has approached it strategically. Following the U.S. Department of

CEDAR GREENS

The Jamestown S’Klallam Reservation is situated on the North Olympic coast, across from Canada on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, where the Olympic Mountains meet the Salish Sea's outlet to the Pacific Ocean. The beautiful scenery will serve as the backdrop to the Tribe’s forthcoming cannabis retail shop, Cedar Greens, set to open September 30 in Blyn, Washington. Complete with cedar columns and cedar siding, the store will be framed by big boulders and plants in concert with the surrounding environ-

Justice’s (DOJ) release of its infamous 2014 “Wilkinson Memo,” containing DOJ policy guidance to U.S. District Attorneys regarding marijuana on Tribal lands, Tulalip created the first Tribal regulatory arm in the state. Tulalip Tribal Cannabis Agency coordinates with the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board on policies and enforcement. “Following release of the Wilkinson Memo we went to work on negotiating a strong marijuana compact with the state of Washington and also opened our own regulatory agency (Tulalip Cannabis Agency),” Tulalip Tribes Chairwoman Teri Gobin told Native Business. “Sovereignty has driven our approach to cannabis retail just as it did with gaming. Our experience with a highly regulated industry like gaming has been critical in how we approach cannabis." The Tulalip Tribes’ long-term vision for cannabis doesn’t stop with Remedy Tulalip or retail. It includes medical cannabis, and a multi-pronged, vertically integrated business approach — growing, processing, testing and selling cannabis. “We are currently sponsoring two research studies at Stanford University that are studying how cannabis extracts could be successful in treating addiction and Alzheimers. The opioid crisis has required us to think outside the box and find solutions that will help members struggling in addiction,” said Chairwoman Gobin, underscoring that cannabis offers a more holistic approach to medically assisted treatment. She added, “We plan to eventually grow, process, and test cannabis.”

ment. The 3,500-square-foot standalone building will feature Tribal history and art. An in-store water feature will set the acoustics, while natural light will filter in through a skylight, and an array of plants will invite nature’s serenity indoors. The holistic ambiance, interweaving Native culture, will compliment the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s unique approach to cannabis. The Tribe intends to create a naturopathic retail environment with a focus on healing and well-being that provides clients with information and education about the medicinal benefits of cannabis. “We are hiring people trained as clinical cannabis consultants. We will have a consult room and medicinal products, both cannabis and non-cannabis, and we will be able to fill prescriptions from physicians at our site through an agreement that we have with the state of Washington. Our cannabis consultants can’t prescribe or diagnosis, but they can fill prescriptions and inform,” Kyle E. Johnson, Executive Director of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s Economic Development Authority, told Native Business.

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The Native Business

s Summit Empowered & Inspired Attendees to ‘CONQUER & KEEP THEIR CONQUERING’ DREAMS By Native Business Staff

PHOTO BY SEAN CAPSHAW FOR NATIVE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

he impact of the Native Business Summit was nothing short of profound. Hosted May 13-15th at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Summit inspired, motivated and informed — while channeling that energy into tactical business and economic development advice to achieve long-term success. “I’ve been to a lot of conferences but #NativeBusinessSummit2019 by far had the best vibes, educators & presenters I’ve encountered so far. There was a lot of love & support and it was an excellent first experience for my girls. We all left feeling inspired & ready to conquer & keep conquering our dreams & making a difference and that is PRICELESS,” Nicole Seneca shared on social media of the value that the Native Business Summit provided her entire family, including her daughters. Nicole’s husband JC Seneca founded Six Nations Manufacturing, a tobacco manufacturing plant located on sovereign Seneca Nation territory in upstate New York. The Summit delivered a slate of the highest-caliber keynote speakers, quality production with meaningfully infused culture and traditional values, unparalleled networking, and forums, panels and breakout sessions that dug deep into issues and topics of relevance to economic development and entrepreneurship across Indian Country, right now and for future generations to come. As Gary Davis, Founder, Publisher and CEO of Native Business Magazine, impressed upon the audience in his Opening General Session speech: Native people need look no further than our ancestors for inspiration and motivation to achieve self-sufficiency and prosperity. “What we need to remember is that those before us practiced these ways every single day of their life. It’s what kept us sustainable, it’s what kept us vibrant, it’s what kept us thriving as communities. Today, we don’t need to look at entrepreneurship as something new, we need to remember that we were and have always been entrepreneurs from Cahokia to Tenochtitlan to places throughout South America,” Gary said. “We have always been who we’ve been look-

ing for, and that self-sovereignty, before there was even the term sovereignty, has been what has sustained us, and kept us thriving as a people. It is why we are here today.” Keynote Presenters More than 300 Native Business Summit attendees heard dynamic speeches from a top-tier slate of keynote presenters, including Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker; Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum; Bridget Gonzales, Chief for the Office of Legislative, Education & Intergovernmental Affairs at the Minority Business Development Agency at the U.S. Department of Commerce; Mike Sommers, President and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute; Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara (MHA) Nation Chairman Mark N. Fox; Navajo Nation Vice-President Myron Lizer; Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Governor Reggie Wassana; and Cherokee Nation Treasurer Lacey Horn. To highlight a few particularly moving speeches: Principal Chief Baker expounded on the Cherokee Nation’s $2 billion impact on the state of Oklahoma and its establishment of the first Tribally owned medical school. “We are going to grow our own doctors right here in Tahlequah,” Principal Chief Baker said. Before Chairman Fox took the stage, the Native Business-produced documentary short film “Food Sovereignty” debuted, highlighting the MHA Nation delegation’s recent trip to the Netherlands to meet with the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, greenhouse operators and precision farmers. The Netherlands is one of the world’s leaders in innovative agricultural technology. (Read our cover story on page 8 about the MHA Nation’s plans to grow a sustainable food system and economy modeled after the Netherlands’ cutting-edge solutions.) An accomplished entrepreneur, Navajo Nation Vice President Myron Lizer capitalized on the notion that entrepreneurship is innate within indigenous people and “Indianpreneurship” or the private sector is necessary to grow thriving reservation economies. His administration is committed to fostering financial

Triana Browne (Chickasaw), Miss Oklahoma USA 2019, served as Master of Ceremonies at the Native Business Summit and hosted Native Business TV.

Native Business Podcast Dozens of more notable representatives of Indian Country and subject matter ex-

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“We are going to grow our own doctors right here in Tahlequah,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker.

perts took the stage at the Native Business Summit as panelists of sessions that doubled as podcasts. The Native Business Summit served as the launching grounds for the Native Business Podcast, hosted as a live panel and recorded for future broadcast. “I’m not sure that I’ve seen multiple live podcasts done as part of the agenda at any event or conference that I’ve attended Listen to our Native in Indian Country,” Business Podcast Gary said. “It’s one which keeps you more way that we informed on the want to innovate through the Native latest regarding Business Summit, to business across drive the conversaIndian Country. tion forward, making it more interactive, more engaging and so that we ensure the content lives on after the event has concluded.” While a variety of notable Native people will host the Native Business Podcast, including Gary and Carmen Davis, the Podcast debuted with host Mika Leonard, a member of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, who facilitated and moderated six panels/

podcasts at the Summit. “Mika is vibrant, she is spontaneous, and she has a strong grasp of the magnitude of business opportunity that exists for Indian Country,” Carmen said. The Native Business Podcasts, recorded in front of a live audience at the Native Business Summit, covered a variety of topics including industrial hemp, professional development, small business marketing, entrepreneurship through the lens of Native cuisine and brewers, e-commerce, and the importance of building the private sector in Indian Country. “These six sessions are especially exciting in their diversity of subject matter,” Leonard said. “I had the opportunity to dig deep with professionals across an array of sectors, who not only had a chance to tell their own unique story, but to offer advice to new and emerging business owners.” One Native Business Podcast focused on industrial hemp as a profitable agricultural

PHOTOS BY SEAN CAPSHAW FOR NATIVE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

literacy and entrepreneurship across the Navajo Nation reservation through initiatives such as “Buy Navajo, Buy Local.” When Mike Sommers, President and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute, addressed the crowd, he praised the achievements of Oklahoma-based Big Elk Energy Systems, named in honor of CEO Geoff Hager’s Osage heritage. The manufacturer of pipeline equipment opened in 2014, “and a few months ago, it was named the fastest-growing manufacturer in the United States,” Sommers stated. Sommers also offered perspective on the American Petroleum Institute’s commitment to increasing communication and building stronger relations across Indian Country. “I know that in Tribal communities, the concerns are much more fundamental. They’re about preserving hard-won sovereignty, and protecting sacred lands, artifacts, traditions and resources,” Sommers said. “For my industry’s part, we’re committed to listening, to respect, and to transparency. We seek to be reliable partners to Tribes, Alaska Native and First Nations communities as they pursue economic development opportunities.” In another incredibly poignant and moving keynote speech, Cherokee Nation Treasurer Lacey Horn invited the crowd to meditate on what the concept of legacy invokes for them. “If you are in this room, you are committed to giving your best self, and contributing your talents for the benefit of your family, your community and Indian Country. What are your own personal and business goals?” Horn asked. “And how far into the future will your legacy take us all? We are all called to be leaders, to meaningfully contribute to the greater good. We are the ones our ancestors prayed for.”

Native Business Podcast host Mika Leonard moderates a panel discussion on industrial hemp.

Cherokee Nation Tribal Council Speaker Joe Byrd welcomes attendees to the Native Business Golf Classic.

Brian Decorah, CEO of Snoqualmie Casino, leads a step-by-step guide to active shooter preparedness.

Brandi Douglas, Founder of Bella & Belle, speaks with a representative of Minokaw Technologies at the Native Business Summit Tradeshow.

Gary and Carmen Davis delivered welcoming remarks at the Opening Welcome Reception on May 13th at the Hard Rock Resort Pool.

Lacey Horn speaks during the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Empowerment: Native Women in Businessâ&#x20AC;? forum.

Above: Lacey Horn, Cherokee Nation Treasurer

Alison Meyer, Supplier Diversity Manager for Ongweoweh Corp, and her Ongweoweh associates led a session on corporate diversity at the Na ve Business Summit.

commodity. An attorney who presented on the panel noted: “I’ve attended hundreds of conferences over the past 25 years, and the Native Business Summit set a new standard for excellence in organization, presentation and substance.” The podcasts recorded live at the Summit will be distributed at a later date through Stitcher, iTunes, Spotify and Google Play — on essentially all platforms where people access their podcasts. Beyond the Summit, Native Business will continue to interview new and incredible voices from Indian Country, delivering an ongoing roster of enlightening and engaging episodes. This audible library will serve as a great asset for building and growing business in Indian Country. Native Business TV The inaugural Summit served as the launching pad for yet another media platform. Native Business introduced Native Business TV from a production set built in the foyer of the Native Business Summit. The first host of Native Business TV, Triana Browne (Chickasaw), Miss Oklahoma USA 2019, conducted interviews with Tribal leaders, business executives and Native entrepreneurs, who shared critical business insights and impressions of the Summit. “Native Business Summit attendees had the opportunity to listen to the interviews as the conversations happened in the heart of the Native Business Summit,” Gary said. A former D1 track and field Heptathlete, Browne made history as the first Chickasaw woman to win the Miss Oklahoma USA 2019 title, and again as the second runner-up at the 2019 Miss USA competition, which ran from April 21 through May 2 , 2019, in Reno, Nevada. “We want to shine a light on other great

Watch the great Native Business Summit daily wrap-ups on Native Business Magazine’s YouTube channel!

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Navajo Nation Vice President Myron Lizer said a private sector is necessary to grow reservation economies.

Native people out there who are talented and have so much skill and potential, and really showcase them,” said Carmen, adding that Native Business not only advocates for Tribally and Native-owned businesses to hire from within Indian Country, Native Business walks its talk, hiring Native professionals at every chance possible. Moving the Needle Forward Beyond powerful speeches, top-notch entertainment, and the launch of two new media platforms at the Native Business Summit, more than 300 attendees benefited from a variety of breakout sessions and forums on topics including small business, agriculture, corporate diversity, energy, professional development, gaming, cybersecurity, food sovereignty, finance, government contracting, Native cuisine and brewing, broadband, enterprise, infrastructure, e-commerce, economic development, banking, empowering Native women in business, entrepreneurship and human resources. In addition to one-on-one interviews, Native Business TV filmed every keynote speech, panel, forum and breakout session, and will soon deliver this valuable video content via the Native Business Magazine website (www.nativebusinessmag.com). “We’re taking the information and knowledge, that wisdom and those insights provided by the amazing presenters during our panels, our training sessions, our keynotes and our networking, and we’re sharing it with people across the world who weren’t able to attend the Summit to help them with their professional growth and development. It’s also a benefit to those who did attend the Summit but weren't able to attend all of the sessions. This way, they get to benefit from all of the content that was provided,” Gary said.

When planning the Native Business Summit, the summit organizers asked themselves: “How can we drive value, maximize impact, affect legacy, infuse culture and empower folks across Indian Country to endeavor to do better each and every day?” It’s necessary to unite Indian Country together to engage in vital business and economic development conversations to move the needle forward. The even more important aspect of such an initiative is sustaining that energy after the event is over. All the great energy that was generated at the summit will be able to continue and grow each month through our other media platforms like Native Business Magazine, NativeBusinessMag.com, the Native Business Podcast and Native Business TV. “We had some of the most amazing Native people from across Indian Country who are doing great things in business in attendance at the Native Business Summit. In years to come, we feel the Native Business Summit is only going to grow and expand in reach and impact,” Gary said. As Summit attendee and Small Business podcast panelist Brandi Douglas, Founder of Bella & Belle, a creative design studio, shared: “I really like the community. As a small business entrepreneur, to have community you can lean on is really crucial to maintaining and growing your business.” The inaugural Native Business Summit was a tremendous success and planning is already underway for the next event. “We are very grateful for all of the positive feedback we have received regarding the entire production. From the value of all of the panels and sessions to the incredible networking,” Carmen said. “However, this wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the Cherokee Nation and our presenting sponsor Cherokee Nation Businesses, as well as the many other sponsors from across the country who demonstrated their support for the Native Business Summit, and our commitment to driving economic growth and success across Indian Country.”

PHOTOS BY SEAN CAPSHAW FOR NATIVE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

“At Native Business, we are committed to driving value and innovation, and building bridges to solidarity and greater prosperity across Indian Country,” said Carmen Davis.

James Trosper, Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho, delivered an invocation and prayer at the Opening General Session for the Native Business Summit.

Shinnecock Council of Trustees Vice Chairman Lance Gumbs fist bumps a representative of Native Energy Solutions.

Attendees of the Native Business Summit enjoyed the opportunity to grow their network and share some laughs during the eventâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s luncheons.

Bill McClure, Muscogee (Creek), Founder and CEO of Native American Coffee

The energy, agriculture and food sovereignty panel at the Summit featuring Mark N. Fox, Chairman of the MHA Nation.

Reggie Wassana, Governor of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, delivered special remarks during the Wednesday, May 15th General Session.

MHA Nation Chairman Mark N. Fox shared his vision for food sovereignty, modeled after cuttingedge solutions forged in the Netherlands. JUNE 2019

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SPIRIT LAKE NATIVE FARMS: Sustaining Tradition and the Wild Rice Economy By Native Business Staff

“You will know the chosen ground has been reached when you come to a land where food grows out of the water,” states the Seven Fires Prophecy.

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“I like a product of very high quality, so I have to do all the purchasing and processing myself,” says Bruce Savage (right), founder of Spirit Lake Native Farms, located on the Fond du Lac Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota.

Savage and his wife Tawny Savage, an enrolled member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe who also serves as a health therapist in Indian Country for the Great Lakes Region, invested their time and money to build their own processing plant at Spirit Lake Native Farms on the Fond du Lac Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota. “Very few people have the luxury to build a plant to process their own rice — let alone go out and contract with the harvesters to make sure that they get a quality product,” says Savage, adding that harvest season only lasts six weeks — typically mid-August through late September. “I could make a decent living out of it, if I processed wild rice all year long, but with only six weeks, all that money you invested just sits there.” Much like ricers pray at harvest, Savage processes wild rice with reverence and respect. “All of our fires are started every morning with a tobacco offering,” Savage says. The process begins with drying, called scorching the rice, to remove the moisture from the grain to preserve it. Next it goes

through a continuous hulling machine — ”some people call them thrashers,” Savage shares. Then an aspirator removes the hulls and dust from the grain, and a series of screens sift out the fines. Last but not least, the rice is filtered through a “gravity seed separator, so that you end up with a very clean product,” Savage says. Spirit Lake Native Farms’ products boast the Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) “Made by American Indians” trademark. “That seal of authenticity is one of the greatest contributions for Native producers,” Savage says. Because Savage’s family has been producing wild rice for generations, “I don’t even really need to advertise,” he says. “So many people have been buying from us for so many years.” Spirit Lake Native Farms sells to individuals, Native restaurants including Tocabe, and Tribes. Visit spiritlakenativefarms.com to purchase Spirit Lake Native Farms’ wild rice and pure maple syrup.

PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH HOOVER

or many Natives who reside near the fresh water lakes and rivers of the Great Lakes region, harvesting manoomin, or wild rice, is much more than a past time and vital food source. It’s a cultural touchstone, a seasonal ceremony and a way of life. It’s a tradition passed on to younger generations to protect and support the resilient cultural and spiritual practice that connects them to their ancestors and identity. Ricers are deeply committed to the harvest. “We migrated to where the food grows on the water, so if we don’t utilize that, we will lose it,” says Bruce Savage, founder of Spirit Lake Native Farms. “Those people who go out onto those lakes, it isn’t like they get a phone call or a text that says ‘the rice is ready, let’s go.’ There are people who travel hundreds of miles, spending every penny they have left just to see the conditions of those lakes, checking on them all year long. Our harvesters — those are the people who we need to honor. Those are the people who deserve recognition for continuing that belief system of ours.” Savage, who newly serves on the Fond du lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Tribal Council, is intimately aware of the barriers to harvesting and processing wild rice. His family has been harvesting, processing, eating, sharing, selling and gifting manoomin for generations. Wild rice processing plants are hard to come by. A veteran of the construction industry and an auto repair person by trade,

PENOBSCOT INDIAN LANDS M By Theresa Braine

oose and other big game hunting provide some economic return for the Penobscot Indian Nation, but perhaps the biggest boon comes from outside the balance sheet. Granted, there is the $20,000 to $30,000 that the annual permits for non-Native hunters generates. But there are also the 300-400 pounds of meat that a bull moose can furnish; the interplay between human and nature; and the relationships that develop between hunters and their Penobscot guides. Hunting moose and other big game form a key component of the longstanding sustenance (as opposed to subsistence) practice on Penobscot lands in Maine. “Sustenance hunting includes a lot more than just going out and getting the protein to subsist,” said John Banks, head of the Tribe’s Department of Natural Resources. “Sustenance hunting has more to do with carrying out a cultural tradition that recognizes a relationship between humans and nature. So it’s much more than just going out and killing a moose.” The Penobscot auction five moose-hunting permits per year to non-members. Applicants send in sealed bids during May, and during the first week of June, Banks and his staff grant the highest five bidders a permit, mainly to big game hunters. Those hunters are allowed to take one moose each during a two-week period in early fall. Bids start at $3,000. The revenue is enough to employ one full-time game warden, out of 25 overall Tribal staff, Banks said. About 20 to 25 bids come in every year,

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Banks said, though it varies, with 14 last year. The permits are good for one week during two weeks at the end of September through the beginning of October — the peak rutting, or mating, season. More permits are available for the eight-week-long spring bear hunt, which spans much of May and June. Those cost $500 each and are not subject to lottery. The Penobscot are one of two Northeastern Tribes that offer this hunt. Both bear and moose hunting permits require hunters to hire Penobscot guides. For moose they have a choice of 10 or 12 Penobscot experts. “We have a long, long history and tradition of our Tribal people being guides — hunting guides, fishing guides, tourism guides, paddling guides — guides for Henry David Thorough, and Mark Twain,” Banks noted. The 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act goal gave the Penobscot and other recognized Tribes the opportunity to develop economically in culturally appropriate ways, Banks explained. Besides providing some income from the permit sale, it’s also a “culturally relevant activity that our Tribal members have been carrying out for thousands of years,” he said. “We have archeology sites in this watershed that go back 10,000 years,” Banks said, adding wryly, “For most of that time there wasn’t a Shop & Save grocery store down the road, or a U.S. Route 1, or a U.S. 95, or a drugstore, a pharmacy.” Guides are trained in woodsmanship, first aid, fire safety, firearm safety and boating safety. And, of course, they know

Left: Penobscot hunting guide Scott Phillips, left, and hunter Jeff More search for moose in a birchbark canoe. Right: Penobscot hunting guide Scott Phillips, left, and hunter Jeff More search for moose in a birchbark canoe.

how to speak moose. “They come to you, you don’t have to go chasing them all over the woods,” Banks said. “It’s pretty exciting to call one in and have a big bull moose come in like he’s wanting to fight you. You can call them pretty close to your canoe and truck.” Taking one down close to your conveyance means less hauling, “less work in getting them to the butcher,” said Banks. The guides are like independent contractors in that they are licensed rather than being Tribal employees. Sometimes they do formal educational presentations, but more often guides like Scott Phillips, who spends most of his time selling canoes to retailers and outfitters, will let the experience speak for itself. Phillips melds his two passions when he goes out hunting with Jeff More, 55, and Ralph More, 90, a father-son team who he has been guiding for the past 10 years. They hunt by canoe. “One thing I really enjoy doing is just calling moose to show people how it’s done. It’s how our ancestors did it, is to call,” Phillips said. “Some people just drive around until they see one, and then they just shoot it. So many hunters now rely on just gadgets, and that takes some of the simplicity out of it.” “It’s like going back in time,” said More. “You’re going through the fog. When you’re there at night you don’t see any city lights, you don’t hear any vehicles. You hear coyote, you hear moose. You hear beavers splashing their tails.”

PHOTOS BY JAMES KAISER

MOOSE & BIG GAME HUNTING ON

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When the Snow Melts,

THE HUNTS BEGIN F

By Lee Allen

or any angler, hunter or outdoorsman, The Lodge and Ranch at Chama Land and Cattle Company is legendary. Owned by the Jicarilla Apache Nation, the award-winning destination is found in an area of northern New Mexico, known for its “sublime scenery and spectacular sporting.” By day, visitors can rough it on 36,000 acres in the Rocky Mountains as part of a general hunt for deer, elk, bear, bison and turkey, or meander through more than 12 miles of mountain trout streams. Come dark, they return to the Lodge and find Belgian chocolates nestled on their pillows at bedtime — part of the resort’s nightly turndown service. Located just 7 miles from the New Mexico-Colorado border, the 3,000-member Jicarilla Apache Nation extends a welcome to their magnificent world of nature, renowned for hunting, fishing, boating, camping and hiking opportunities. The land includes Horse Lake Mesa Game Park; at nearly 15,000 acres, it’s the largest single elk enclosure in the country. General ranch hunts are available over a massive 30,000 acres, while private hunts get narrowed down to 6,000 acres.

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“This is much more than just a hunting lodge nestled among the aspens and oaks at 9,000 feet,” says Yvonne Sandoval, general manager of the operation for 25 years. “We are a hunting and fishing lodge that uses mounts of all the animals we hunt as decoration, like antler chandeliers found in our Great Room, but we’re an elegant facility that presents clients with a unique experience. Once you’re a guest, you’re likely to return. I’ve had clients come back yearafter-year for the past quarter century.” While there are year-round opportunities to immerse oneself in nature in its purest form, it has to be in cooperation with the weather. “This year we had an abundance of snowfall — defined as in excess of

167 inches — so activity levels don’t pick up traditionally until about mid-June, when snowmelt offers accessibility to the higher lakes, about the time turkey hunts end. High season begins in the fall about the time the leaves start to turn color ushering in the big game hunting season that typically runs from September to November.” Most visitors arrive here willing to give up their normal business trappings of suit, tie and briefcase, and trade them for a hunting vest and a rifle or a creel and a fishpole. All hunting and fishing packages include lodging, meals, guide service and transportation on ranch property. Trophy Bull Elk, Antlerless Elk, Trophy Bull Buffalo, Spring Turkey, and a Fall Cast-and-Blast combo of fish and grouse are all full-day bookings. Fly fishing is no-limit-catch-and-release. “We’re talking about stocking the once-endangered Apache trout and are already in the planning stage of an area where anglers will fish specifically for cutthroat trout, because not many places have them available,” says Sandoval. For those with extended families or for corporate bookings, the entire lodge with its 21 rooms and 4 suites can be rented at the day rate of $12,180. For smaller parties, per person per day (double occupancy) lodging only runs $290 and includes meals and complimentary bar along with use of the spa. “The Nation purchased the property in 1995 as one of their business ventures,” adds Sandoval. “They own it; we manage it as a separate enterprise. Revenue that is generated here, stays here. It gets returned to us [Chama Land & Cattle Company] as caretakers of the property to be reinvested for renovation and operating expenses.” Advance deposits are required to confirm reservations made at reservations@ lodgeatchama.com. Further information can be found on a very detailed web page at www.lodgeatchama.com or by calling (575) 756 2133. The Jicarilla Apache Nation’s hunting grounds include Horse Lake Mesa Game Park, the largest single elk enclosure in the country.

PHOTOS COURTESY THE LODGE AND RANCH AT CHAMA

The Lodge mounts animals as decoration, and antler chandeliers preside over the Great Room.

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By Mary Belle Zook

PRESERVES CULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES While Providing Tribal Economic Development

PHOTO BY ISTOCK PHOTO

MAKAH TRIBE

Fishing The Makah Tribe fishing traditions span

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Four lookouts along the Cape Flattery trails reveal dramatic views of Washington’s coastline.

its existence, and the rich waters off the Reservation’s coast hold the reputation as Washington State’s best halibut fishing spot. The sport holds cultural significance, provides a source of sustenance and fuels Tribal economic development. In fact, according to DePoe, the summer fishing industry accounts for 60 to 80 percent of the Makah Tribe’s total revenue.

“Fishing is a part of our culture, and this is a part of our nutritional need,” he explained. Providing education and access to the foods that have always sustained the Tribe aids efforts to decrease negative health disparities, both mentally and physically, across the Nation. It spurs opportunity while continuing the Makah Tribe’s cultur-

PHOTO BY ISTOCK PHOTO BY DAVE MANTEL

ituated on the northwestern-most corner of the contingent United States, the Makah people’s homeland provides breathtaking views of the Pacific Northwest, and the area’s rich history and excellent fishing draw worldwide attention. The Makah have called the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State home since the Tribe’s inception. Neah Bay, the largest community located on the Makah Reservation, is about a four-hour drive from Seattle. Its small-town charm and dedication to conservation serve as economic driving forces for the Tribe. Most Native Nations rely on gaming as a main source of income; however, the Makah do not own any gaming establishments. Rather, the Nation relies on natural resources that surround the reservation to provide a majority of its revenue. “We take the money that we generate from tourism, our timber, or whatever we can, into our social services and education,” said Makah Tribal Councilman Patrick DePoe. “We try to be as self-sustaining as we can be.”

PHOTO BY ISTOCK PHOTO BY LAYTON JEFF

TOURISM

al bond to the land and sea. “You can go across the nation and talk about the impacts of high blood pressure, diabetes, and so on and so forth in Native communities, and there is almost a direct correlation between that and their diet,” explained DePoe. “The fact that we have more access to our traditional diet is huge.” History Before European contact, research indicates the Makah people lived across five villages near Washington’s coastline. At the time, the Tribe boasted around 2,000 to 4,000 people, and today, its population sits at approximately 1,500. “We are in the most important part of our traditional homeland, and the ocean that surrounds us has not only sustained us but made us wealthy,” said Makah Tribal citizen and Executive Director of the Makah Cultural and Research Center Janine Ledford. “It’s a special place.” The Makah Cultural and Research Center offers the community and visitors an opportunity to view rare, one-of-a-kind artifacts safely stored and on display within the museum. “It actually gives us an opportunity to share accurate information with the public about primarily our pre-contact life,” Ledford said. “Our Tribe is very unique, and having the museum gives us an opportunity to tell our own story that is really unique and very interesting.” Around 1750, a mudslide covered the Makah’s southernmost village along the coast known today as the Ozette Indian Village Archeological Site. Waves from a large storm uncovered the community in 1989 and early 1970. The excavation took 11 years, revealing more than 55,000 artifacts in total. The Makah Cultural and Research Center curated the findings in its museum, offering a glimpse into the life and culture of the Makah people before European arrival. “We have beautifully preserved tools that include whale hunting gear and seal hunting gear and all sorts of fishing tackle and beautifully preserved baskets that look like they were made several decades ago rather than several centuries ago,” she said. The museum also houses a full-sized

replica of a traditional cedar-planked longhouse canoes and other items that spotlight the Tribe’s long-standing connection to the ocean and land. “There’s no other collection of this type in this region, so it is very rare,” she added. The large whale saddle on display highlights the exceptional pieces of Makah history housed at the museum. “It is modeled after a dorsal fin of a killer white, inlaid with over 700 sea otter teeth, primarily molars, and it depicts a Thunderbird and double-headed lightening snake,” Ledford said. “It’s an amazing piece, and there’s really no other type in North America.” All Makah Cultural and Research Center employees are Tribal citizens, so those visiting the community can learn from its members. Staff look forward to sharing their history and culture and welcome visitors to ask questions. “It gives them an opportunity to not only learn specifics about the Makah Tribe but it helps them understand the Pacific Northwest that much better,” she said. Cooperative Breakthrough Just like the Makah Cultural and Research Center helps provide connections and builds a greater understanding amongst various cultures and backgrounds, the Makah Tribe recently extended these efforts into the federal and nearby state governments to overcome mutual challenges surrounding halibut harvest limits. Numbers fluctuated greatly year to year, causing strain on all halibut fishing across the West Coast. The Makah Tribe called a meeting with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad-

ministration, the International Pacific Halibut Commission and state officials from Washington, Oregon and California. After thorough research and evaluation, the Tribe brought all parties together to discuss changing the halibut quota methodology. “Once they were all in a room, we could start talking about the science and how the science supports this,” DePoe said. “We’re not trying to do anything that would harm the resource. We’re just trying to make what is there available. “They understood, and they supported it and signed on with us, which was awesome that we had that amount of backing when we were going with our proposal.” Through the partnership, the group establishes a quota that safely conserves the halibut populations while also providing plentiful Tribal opportunities. Rather than setting quotas every year, the new system updates in four-year intervals. “We look at different quotas for salmon on a year to year basis and different quotas for ground fish on a year to year basis, but halibut is treated a little bit differently because of their migration patterns,” DePoe explained. Instead of prior methods, which were not always scientifically founded, strong data and trend analysis now determine the halibut limits. DePoe has witnessed the positive impact the new updates have made, and the current quota sits at one of the highest on record. “Because we were able to get a higher quota, it allowed us to manipulate our fisheries’ management plan in a way that allowed our fishermen more time on the water to catch these halibut. More time on the water allowed people to be successful,” DePoe said. The additional harvest availability has also trickled down into the community through its enterprises. Visiting anglers purchase tackle, goods, food and more from Tribal entities, as well as fill up their boats and vehicles at the Makah Tribal gas station. The Makah Tribe is proud of its fishing traditions, and the Tribe looks to continue honoring its customs while supporting cultural and economic opportunity benefitting Makah Tribal citizens for generations to come.

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SWAMP BUGGYS & MUSEUMS FUEL

Chickee huts

Seminole

By Sandra Hale Schulman

Tourism

Historical figures in Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum

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PHOTO BY SANDRA HALE SCHULMAN

Swamp Buggy

PHOTOS COURTESY BILLIE SWAMP SAFARI

here is a unique sense of peace that washes over you when one drives out into the Florida Everglades. The Everglades is a virtual river of grass, an eco-system that has long been a sanctuary and now a big business for the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The undefeated Tribe took refuge deep in these heat, mosquito and alligator infested swamps and survived to become one of the most successful Tribes in North America thanks to their association with the Hard Rock Café, Casino and Resort chain that now stretches around the world. But the heart of the Tribe is in these warm flowing waters that filter down from Lake Okeechobee into the Atlantic Ocean. Rich with wildlife and plant life, they have built a thriving museum and safari tours that ground the $2 billion glitzy casino business with roots and underlying purpose. The Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation, about an hour’s drive in from both coasts, was established in 1938, the largest of several government reservations where the Seminoles were given land. They initially developed cattle ranches and orange groves before moving into tourism. Now Big Cypress offers the Billie Swamp Safari and Ah-TahThi-Ki Museum on 2,200 acres of untamed Florida Everglades, rigorously preserved in its pristine state by the Seminole Tribe. Here is where many Seminoles live, running the tours and attractions that include exotic animal exhibits, airboat rides, swamp buggy eco-tours, critter shows, snake shows and the Swamp Water Café where fry bread and gator tail are both on the menu. “This area started as tourist camp in the early 20th century,” says Carrie Dilley, Visitor Services and Development Manager for the Ah-TahThi-Ki Museum. “People could come and see how the Seminoles lived here in the open chickee hut villages, how they cooked, made crafts, hunted alligators and performed ceremonies. Those are still here, living villages where we share the history and culture. In 1997, we opened the Museum as a repository for key pieces of our history. We now have over 180,000 items including photos, baskets, weapons and the oldest piece, a letter from the 1700s. In our Seminole language, Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki means a place to learn, and a place to remember. Thanks to our Seminole Indian Library and Archives, displays, films and dioramas with life-size

Right: Gators on display Below:Miss Seminole and Jr. Miss Seminole at American Indian Arts Festival

PHOTOS BY SANDRA HALE SCHULMAN

figures in vintage costumes, we were designated a Smithsonian Institution Affiliate and have accreditation from the American Association of Museums in 2005, which is a big deal to us as they have very stringent requirements.” Other key pieces of the museum’s holdings include government documents dating from the early 1800s to mid 1900s covering 60 Native American Tribes; The Ethel Cutler Freeman Collection (photography); The Boehmer Photographs Collection; The Brown Family Letters Collection; and various Tribal memorabilia, all of which is available for use by scholars and the public. An Oral History Program contains Seminole history, memory, and culture in spoken word recordings in the Miccosukee and Creek language. While the Seminole population is under 1,000 people on Big Cypress, the largest of the five Seminole reservations in the state, visitors to the museum topped 17,000 last year. The Museums events, in November during National Native American Indian Heritage Month, particularly their annual American Indian Arts Celebration, brings in thousands of visitors to see crafts such as the unique patchwork and rickrack-trimmed clothing, pre-contact food cooking demonstrations (heart of palm, turtle and deer), canoe carving demonstrations with Pedro Zepeda and weaponry demos in archery with Jake Osceola. Hunting traditions are demoed by Daniel Tommie in the hunting camp. “We’ve been bringing in more contempo-

rary aspects such as films on racism in sports and modern clothing designs, even yoga on the boardwalk,” Dilley says. ‘We brought in 1,000 school kids from coastal school systems and had our largest attendance ever last year thanks to social media and running more ads.” The entertainment complex stretches beyond the museum and its grounds to include the surrounding 350 acres for outdoor events including a newly renovated rodeo arena with seating for 3,000 people that holds concerts with country and rock artists along with the rodeos. A few miles down the road from the Museum is the Billie Swamp Safari where pop ash and pond apple, tall cypress trees and strands of moonvine welcome visitors to a labyrinth of flora, fauna, shows and cuisine. The animals found deep in the Everglades are here is roomy displays. A huge bear named Noogie climbs on rocks and drinks from his waterfall pond, while a guard nearby warns viewers that he can “take your guts out with one swipe.” A well-fed Florida panther stalks his pen’s perimeter then settles in for a nap in the midday heat. Javelinas, Capybaras, two enormous warthogs, a bobcat munching on a snake, tortoises and rainbow plumed parrots squawk in the trees. Black vultures circle overhead. But the main attraction is the alligators, the fearsome pre-historic reptile that is a major source of food; clothing using the teeth, hides, and bones; and tourist cashcow for the Tribe. There are several types of gators and crocodiles here in large brackish ponds. A daily show finds brave Seminole men straddling the creatures and prying open the jaws to show off the surprisingly white mouth and teeth. The largest gator in residence is named Trump, after the real-estate mogul visited the reservation in 1996 in his limousine. Back beyond the animal attractions is the airboat ($20) and swamp buggy rides ($25) that last about an hour. The Glades here are

stunning, different than the flat sea of grass toward the coast; this paradise has groves of cypress trees dripping with Spanish Moss, purple flowers spring up from lilypads, the sun and clouds reflect in still, clear waters. The noisy airboats zoom through greenery openings, stopping in occasional clearings as guides point out bird nesting areas or gator gatherings. The Swamp Buggy is a bumpy messy ride, with mud flinging and bugs swarming, but the payoff is a seemingly impossible drive into this hidden world, a place that the Seminoles somehow managed to make home. The sheer abundance of the place belies its fragility. One can even spend the night, in a chickee hut outfitted with cypress pole beds and colorful Seminole blankets right on the water’s edge. There is no electricity, but in the summer the sun doesn’t set until 8 p.m. “The Museum is currently under renovation over the next two years to update the lobby and interior,” Dilley says. “As the Tribe grows we need to have space to display our archives, focusing on the 1890s to today and include more of our archeology artifacts. There will be new films on the history and space for the library.” While the tourism sector at Big Cypress accounts for less than 10 percent of the Tribe’s income, it is perhaps the most important, as it ties in their roots, ecology and harmonious efforts at preserving the glades. The health of the Everglades determines the health of the state and its surrounding oceans, as last year’s toxic red and green algae epidemics demonstrated. Poisoning the waters and stopping the Everglades natural filtration process creates a disaster. The Seminoles history and way of living hold the key to the sustainability and economic viability of the future. Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation 34725 West Boundary Road Clewiston, Florida 33440 Open 7 days a week – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 877-902-1113

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STEWARDS OF ‘THE GLITTERING WORLD’

By Renae Ditmer

pectacular. Beautiful. Mystical. Inadequate words to capture the unmatched artistry the Creator chiseled in sandstone using wind and water over the arrow of time in a remote corner of the 27,000 square miles that comprise Diné Bikéyah, or Navajoland.

PHOTO COURTESY ANTELOPE CANYON NAVAJO TOURS, DALVIN ETSITTY

NAVAJO NATION PARKS & RECREATION:

ADVENTURE TOURISM

Left: Mystical Antelope Canyon Tours

PHOTOS COURTESY LESTER AND ROSE ANN LITTLEMAN

Below: Arrowhead Campground

Sacred to the Diné, or Navajo, people, and a window on eternity for them, the forms of Antelope Canyon inspire curiosity and awe in the thousands of tourists who make their way to this destination. So, unlike the other parks in Navajoland — the Little Colorado River, Monument Valley, Four Corners, Canyon de Chelly, Bowl Canyon and the Navajo Veterans Memorial Park — visitors to either the Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon must have a Navajo tour guide to enter these sites. Though Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation, the 61-year-old Navajo Nation Government program tasked with the management of all of the Navajo park sites states that this is due to concerns about personal safety and the need to prevent vandalism to the delicate sandstone, Navajo tour guides say that’s a minor part of the story. These two canyons are central to Navajo beliefs, especially to their creation story. Consequently, the ground is sacred and must be kept ritualistically pure for worship. The sanctity of Antelope Canyon is embedded in the Navajo account of Creation. Essentially, the Navajo have to journey through Five Worlds to be able to inhabit the land between the four sacred mountains — the East, South, West, and North. The Navajo now inhabit the Fourth World — the Glittering World — and can only progress to the Fifth World by staying on the hózhjǫ́ǫ́ í, the “blessing way.” Doing so allows the Navajo to inhabit the four elements — wind, water, earth and sun — in which they now abide. That includes appealing to the spirits via prayer and offering at the center of these elements in what is now Antelope Canyon. Any purposeful or incidental encroachment by a non-Navajo on any part of any worship site desecrates the site and renders it useless for worship until it is consecrated again. Given that, tourists to the area have been both a blessing and a curse. The blessing comes from funds brought into the Navajo Nation. This is collected via a surcharge on all of the tours conducted on the Nava-

jo reservation. The impact that income has for the more than 350,000 Navajo people living on the reservation as well as those living in the surrounding communities has been substantial. The curse comes from tourists’ lack of understanding of Navajo Nation Laws, including prohibitions on littering, climbing on monuments, camping without a permit, and flying drones in Tribal park land, to name a few. But, according to Louise Tsinijinnie, Media Representative for Navajo Parks and Recreation, the biggest problem in Antelope Canyon currently is visitors spreading cremains — cremated human remains — in the canyons. If discovered, Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation is compelled to call the U.S. National Park Service to clean them up since the Navajo can’t touch them — literally. Once collected, the U.S. National Park Service then places the cremains in a dumpster and disposes of them with the trash. That is probably not the romanticized outcome that mourners desire. Still a Paradise Lost for Entrepreneurs Nevertheless, Antelope Canyon remains a popular destination for tourists from all over the globe and a business that an increasing number of Navajo, and non-Navajo, seek entry. With tour operator permits restricted to Navajo with customary rights, the seven tour operators now licensed to conduct visits in Antelope Canyon — five in Upper Antelope Canyon and two in Lower Antelope Canyon — remain largely limited to families that are related to each other. Dalvin Etsitty, owner of Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours, believes that Navajoland has great potential for increasing tourist revenue, but there are barriers — both natural and political. Customary rights act as the gatekeeper to becoming a tour operator in Antelope Canyon and are now being challenged by ambitious young Navajos. It was “one of the biggest issues raised at a recent Navajo Tourism conference,” Etsitty stated. Not everyone can homestead or raise livestock on Tribal land, the basis

ADVENTURE TOURISM

An Opportunity for Entrepreneurs? In brief, maybe not. At least not yet, unless you have money to fund a project and partner with a current tour operator. To be an entrepreneur in Antelope Canyon as the Littlemans have after long careers in other fields, requires that the stars align a bit. The first hurdle is either having customary right to the land you want to operate from or to convince customary rights holders to allow Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation to issue you a permit. Thus far, only customary landholders have been issued permits to operate as tour guides, so the next best thing would be to be a relative of one of the customary rights holders. Also, as one would expect, current tour operators are generally already related, and instead of proliferating the number of operations by lobbying for more permits for entrepreneurs because they have all the tourists they can handle, they have simply hired more family to increase the number of tours they offer per day. Whatever the case, they operate nearly sun up to sun down six to seven days a week to maximize revenue and employment for family and other Navajo. But time and space are limiting factors, too, since the number of people that tour guides can move through the canyon during prime

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Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours

LIVING THE NAVAJO DREAM:

DALVIN ETSITTY OF ANTELOPE CANYON NAVAJO TOURS

By Renae Ditmer Dalvin Etsitty figured he was onto something – either that or the lady from church had a lot of church friends. “Come to find out, she was showing them the canyon,” and giving his grandparents a cut to access their land. Now it’s been 27 years since he took some business classes, got a permit to do guided tours, and started sharing the canyon’s natural treasures with visitors through Navajo spiritual eyes. Dalvin grew up on this land, and though he has been wildly successful with some 500 visitors a day at $50 a pop, he is clear about his feelings for it. “I don’t want it to own me. I just want to take care of Mother Earth.” And teach others what that means. “The canyon symbolizes our Navajo way of life. Each rock, each shape has stories connected to them,” Etsitty elaborates. “The canyon breathes there and speaks to us.” All the elements of nature — wind, water, earth, sun — meet there and can be experienced by everyone. But it is also a sacred place, an experience limited to Navajos. Adherents take little stones — white shell, turquoise, red coral and black onyx – plus corn, and offer them to the winds, waiting to witness nature speaking. He shares this experience with those visiting the canyon. “It’s eye opening for them,” according to Etsitty. “They come seeking something spiritual and go home with something to think about.” That’s important to him. For now, Etsitty provides tours exclusively, without access to plumbing to offer overnight stays. “We want to do more wonderful things on the reservation, especially lodging and tourist centers, but we are limited by our access to water and other infrastructure. We’re really pushing legislation and asking for assistance to achieve that. It is a great opportunity to create tax dollars for Navajo, but we’re missing out,” Etsitty explains. Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours promises a glimpse of the “soul of the Navajo Nation.” Learn more at navajotours.com.

PHOTO COURTESY ANTELOPE CANYON NAVAJO TOURS, DALVIN ETSITTY

for laying claim to customary rights. To get beyond that will require a serious look at whether customary rights should be the gatekeeper for entry into the tourism market in Antelope Canyon. Etsitty believes that both the Navajo people and its government are increasingly open to that discussion. Another issue impeding the Navajo from increasing tourism revenue is the number of non-Navajos profiting off sales of faux Navajo goods such as jewelry and rugs to Antelope Canyon clients. Navajo haven’t been able to capture that market share with genuine Navajo-made goods yet because they cannot control off-reservation competition. Worse, visitors are unable to recognize genuine Navajo-made goods, too willing to purchase imitations, or unwilling to pay the price for genuine Navajo goods. Consequently, the Navajo market share in that sector remains static or even losing ground. In addition, Navajos haven’t been able to expand their service offerings easily on reservation land either. Lester and Rose Ann Littleman and their daughter Celesta are realizing success in providing several levels of lodging at their Arrowhead Campground, but it comes with its challenges, especially access to water. Navajoland has very little access to water from the Colorado River, so all potable water has to be trucked in nearly daily to their campground. Navajos even have to bring in water for livestock since the natural water table is deep and the water from those wells is contaminated from arsenic. This is a serious problem for tour operators in Antelope Canyon seeking to build out amenities such as lodging and visitors’ centers. The consequence has been that the city of Page, Arizona, has been able to capture the lion’s share of the lodging market, expanding from 300 to 900 rooms over the past couple of years. This is business that could have gone to the Navajo, Etsitty pointed out. The Navajo have tried to negotiate water rights with the city of Page, but since they now buy their trucked-in water from Page, the city has little incentive to cooperate on extending the necessary infrastructure to help the Navajo support expanding into lodging. This lack of infrastructure extends to a lack of roads and electricity on the reservation, too. In spite of this, tour operators in the canyon already accommodate up to 500 tourists per day. But they can’t expand into adjacent markets to offer other on reservation services without these critical elements. Meanwhile, the surrounding cities are taking in dollars that could go to — and stay in — Navajoland.

ADVENTURE TOURISM

tourist season (summer and holidays) is nearly saturated at this point. Some days, according to Etsitty, there are lines of people waiting to walk through the canyons because a generous tip to a tour guide paid for extra time taking pictures at the expense of hundreds of others waiting to get in. This means, as both Etsitty and the Littlemans have realized, that tour companies in Antelope Canyon have to develop adjacent markets like lodging or highly focused — and much more expensive — individual or small group tours to increase revenue by increasing tour value added. Etsitty focuses on the spiritual aspects of Navajo beliefs, something that has effectively attracted great numbers to his operation. The Littlemans developed unique lodging options for those seeking a longer stay experience. Then there’s money. You can attract cash flow and operating revenue through high-end media promotion and social media, or your can borrow it to start up. Most of the tour companies in Antelope Canyon have been in business for many years and have the cash flow to expand operations. Entrepreneurs in Antelope Canyon have robust media campaigns with excellent photography run by professional firms to generate cash flow. The Littlemans learned that lesson the hard way when they had to leverage referrals from Airbnb, which put them in competition with hoteliers in Page, Arizona, their first year in business. Once they had their own media campaign up and running, revenues and profits increased dramatically. But the Littlemans also had to borrow $50,000 to create the beautiful lodging they have on site, and

Mystical Antelope Canyon Tours

the lack of traffic the first year put them at personal risk financially. So, while Dalvin Etsitty is, in his words, “living the Navajo dream,” it may not be a dream for the entrepreneur. At least not yet. Addressing the political barriers to entry and the infrastructure problems should go a long way toward opening up opportunities for ambitious Navajo and potentially their entrepreneurial partners, but that day is perhaps a few years away. In the meantime, visit Antelope Canyon and bask in what has been called The Eighth Wonder of the World. It never hurts to dream.

Left: Lester and Rose Ann Littleman

BREAKING AWAY FROM THE PACK:

MYSTICAL ANTELOPE CANYON TOURS AND ARROWHEAD CAMPGROUND

PHOTOS COURTESY LESTER AND ROSE ANN LITTLEMAN

By Renae Ditmer After decades of working for a major utility and a local government, respectively, Lester and Rose Ann Littleman decided to share with tourists their southwest oasis on the Navajo reservation, located at mile marker 306.9 on State Route 98. Twelve miles southeast of Page, Arizona, this “hidden gem” known as Mystical Antelope Canyon Tours and Arrowhead Campground is worth the trip. Two years from start up, the campground entrance is newly flanked by an enormous hogan complete with “glamper-style modern amenities” and two minimally but comfortably furnished tipis nearby. Adjacent sits a well-maintained dry camp where visitors can

tent-camp while having access to modern sanitation. From its perch at 5,000 feet, guests can see Lake Powell to the north, Navajo Mountain and the Sheep Rock formations to the east, Antelope Canyon to the west, and “the whole universe” at night. Most people come up to catch the tractor-pulled covered wagon ride to Upper Antelope Canyon, where a short half-mile hike leads them into the series of magnificent sandstone keyhole canyons their international clientele has come to experience. This is the Littlemans’ first year leading tours, their second in lodging. After 30 years

Above: Lester and Rose Ann Littleman standing next to their 20-person tour wagon. spent in the surface coals mines for Lester and 15 years in the National Park Service for Rose Ann, they took the leap and borrowed $50,000 to develop the infrastructure necessary to “showcase Mother Earth’s bounty.” “What sets us apart is that we’re more connected with nature, far away enough to relax,” according to Rose Ann. “We recount the Navajo stories behind the astounding natural landscape and do things in our traditional way.” Since then, they’ve gone from relying on Airbnb to attract traffic to a full-blown multi-media campaign at camptourantelope.com that took them from 20 guests per month to nearly full bookings this year. They, obviously, plan to expand their lodging next year.

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Cheyenne River Youth Project Promotes Food Security & Hands-On Learning With Outdoor Classrooms ong before the phrase “food sovereignty” came into the popular lexicon, the Cheyenne River Youth Project (CRYP) was busy establishing itself as a national leader on the issue of food security in Indian Country. For over two decades, the grassroots non-profit based on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, has taught generations of Lakota children about the importance of building self-sustaining food systems through hands-on learning and outdoor classrooms. “My mother, Lyonne Garreau, was really the one who began this garden as an elderly nutrition program in 1975,” says CRYP founder and executive director Julie Garreau. “She was such a visionary because she believed that if Native people had gardens in every home and every community that we could feed our own communities with healthy, traditional foods.” Over time, says Garreau, responsibility for the community garden, named “Winyan Toka Win,” (which means “leading lady” in the Lakota language) was given to CRYP as an teaching opportunity for the Tribe’s youth. In 1994, Garreau took the original plot of 2.5 acres and turned it into an outdoor classroom that has since produced approximately 120,000 pounds of fresh produce for the community. Today, the plot has been expanded to 3.5 acres and produces anywhere from four to six tons of food every growing season, says Garreau. Additionally, the organization cans and sells a wide variety of food products which are sold at its farmer’s market and online. “It’s taken a long time for the idea of ‘food sovereignty’ to catch on, but we were one of the first in the country to really implement this garden in a way that is not only about food security, but also economic development and supporting the local economy,” says

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Garreau. “We have our own café where all of our produce is farm-to-table, we buy produce from people in our community, we teach indigenous cooking classes and we are getting ready to open up our own food truck.” But CRYP’s commitment to food sovereignty extends beyond the Winyan Toka Win garden: Garreau and her team are also committed to sustainably gathering and harvesting traditional foods upon which the Lakota have depended for thousands of years. Each year, CRYP gathers or buys a wide variety of local plants, including chokecherries, wild grapes, wild plums, wild turnips, onions, sand cherries, wild potatoes, buffalo berries and wild mint (known as “cheyaka” in Lakota) which are then turned into jams, jellies, syrups, teas and other products which are sold along with produce from the garden, all of which are produced in-house. “Listen, there’s really no such thing as a ‘food desert,’” says Garreau. “If you have traditional knowledge and know where to look you begin to realize that food is everywhere — we’re walking all over it all the time, but because of our history, we’ve lost that knowledge along the way. But we’re bringing it back because we know that food security is one of the biggest issues in Indian Country.” Garreau says that part of the impetus for starting the Winyan Toka Win classroom project grew out of not only the need to combat the deleterious effects of fast food and government commodities, but as a way of teaching Lakota children about the hardwork, patience and, ultimately, the rewards of growing and harvesting food they planted with their own hands. “We have long winters and short growing seasons here in South Dakota, and sometimes, this work can be hard, hot and miserable, and every year there’s a new challenge,” says Garreau, who says they’ve had to re-plant seeds on more than one occasion after a late

Top Left: South Dakota has long winters and short growing seasons, which means intense work and long hours in the 3.5 acre garden, which has produced approximately 60 tons of food for the local community. Top Right: As a part of CRYP's food sovereignty initiative, participants in the Outdoor Classroom gather local herbs, foods and other items that are packaged and sold in the organization's gift store and online. Lakota youth harvest vegetables as a part of the Garden Club, in which they can either use them in a meal as a part of CRYP's lunch program or take them home. A Lakota youth harvesting fresh raspberries from the Winyan Toka Win Garden as a part of the organization's Garden Club.

frost. “But it’s worth it, because the kids need to learn and understand their connection to Mother Earth and what she does for us and for them.”

PHOTOS COURTESY CHEYENNE RIVER YOUTH PROJECT

By Suzette Brewer

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