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Tribal Governance in the Midst of the “Storm” BY JOSHUA RICHARDSON ’20
“Mecoure’me:chen Kihoe,” which translates to “You are welcome here.” These are the words one usually hears when stepping foot onto the tribal grounds of the HaliwaSaponi Indian tribe. Each year, in rural Halifax and Warren Counties in northeastern North Carolina, as the frozen grounds of Mother Earth thaw from a long winter and the dogwood trees begin to bloom, my tribe prepares for our annual gathering known as a powwow. January of 2020 started much like each year before as my tribe began preparing to host our annual powwow on the third weekend in April. It is a time of healing, a time of laughter, a time of spiritual peace, and a time to share our traditions with younger generations and all of those who wish to learn more about our culture and heritage. However, unbeknownst to my fellow tribal citizens and the world, 2020 would prove to be vastly different. Not only would the dogwood tree bloom without the warm welcome of our annual powwow, but it would ensure that our powwow would not happen and force us all to adjust to an unfamiliar mode of survival due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognized by the state of North Carolina in 1965, the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe is one of eight American Indian tribes in the state. The tribe consists of 4,300 enrolled tribal citizens and approximately 2,700 tribal citizens live in a very tightknit tribal community on the rural Warren and Halifax County border while others live in the adjoining counties of Nash and Franklin County, maintaining strong ties to tribal citizens and family. This tight-knit sense of community and rural geography is one of the main reasons that our tribal community continues to face unique challenges. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chief B. Ogletree Richardson, Ph.D Ed., Vice Chief Jeff Anstead, and the Tribal Council were forced to issue an executive order for the Haliwa14
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Saponi to halt all in-person activities, including our annual powwow for safety reasons. As one might imagine, this was no different than the global response; however, this change in the normal function of our tribal community was nothing less than devastating, presenting unique challenges for my fellow tribal citizens. Functioning as a tribal government, resources that were regularly provided locally, including, but not limited to, employment activities, daycare, school, nutritional classes, elder care, tribal events, and access to other necessary services were immediately halted. A rural tribal community uniquely positioned in what some would term as the “middle of nowhere,” would now require those who never had reason to leave the familiar and safe tribal community, to travel out of the safety of their homes to find food, health care, water, and other necessary resources to survive. This magnified the need for stronger infrastructure within our tribal governance. Prior to the issuance of the executive order halting all tribal activities, I discussed how I could assist my chief, vice chief, and our tribal council with tribal governance and our continued efforts for federal recognition. It was decided that as an aspiring attorney that I would be enlisted to review important documentation pertaining to our federal recognition efforts and to determine if I could offer further assistance in other areas. It was an honor to be able to give back to my ancestors and tribal community in this manner, so I gladly accepted the calling to assist in these continued efforts. Since the pandemic, it has become even more apparent that not being a federally recognized tribe is a major concern. Becoming federally recognized would allow our tribe to receive equal access to additional federal resources. The additional resources would assist in expanding our tribal infrastructure to build much needed facilities and offer necessary resources to our tribal community. However, this is not an easy process, and unfortunately many state recognized tribes never reach this goal. We are determined that nothing will stop us from reaching our goal, even the COVID-19 pandemic.
