Tribal Governance in the Midst of the “Storm” — Joshua Richardson ’20

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 HaliwaSaponi 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.

As time passed, I noticed the dramatic increase of the impact of COVID-19 within my tribal community. Tribal citizens, especially elders, began to lose their lives to struggles connected to contracting COVID-19. Many were left lacking without necessary daily resources due to many tribal citizens depending upon the close-knit relationship of our tribal community. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought certain legal issues before our tribal government due to suspended business functions and other impacted areas. I made the decision early on that as soon as I became a licensed attorney, that I would begin to combat the legal challenges and offer pro bono assistance to my tribal community. In the interim, I was able to continue working toward our federal recognition efforts by reviewing and organizing documents we would use in a later petition, and through my due diligence and partnership with our tribal government and staff, we continued to identify areas of support for our tribal citizens.

Finally, November arrived—Native American History Month—and while the end to the COVID-19 pandemic was nowhere in sight, I had graduated from law school, successfully passed the North Carolina bar examination, and was able to be officially sworn in as a practicing attorney. My chief, vice chief, and the tribal council expressed their excitement and breathed a sigh of relief that I could finally help combat any legal issues facing my tribe as I became the third licensed attorney within my tribal community. My work toward our status of federal recognition continued, but as I began to address other legal concerns, the tribal council voted unanimously to name me as the first official legal counsel for the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe. It was as if I heard the cries of my ancestors in this moment, knowing that I found purpose in my work to serve my tribe on a pro bono basis in this capacity.

After many meetings, I was able to assist with the ongoing legal issues and address concerns that were facing our tribal citizens. I worked closely with my tribe’s leadership to identify areas of concern, to discuss and find solutions for legal issues, and to begin moving forward in our federal recognition efforts. Our tribal administrator successfully brought the first COVID-19 vaccination clinic to our tribal community. This accomplishment led to vaccinations for over 300 tribal citizens and offered a glimmer of hope for those who wondered if there would ever be any sense of normalcy again in our tribal community. While our legal issues are ongoing, as a result of continued teamwork, we have begun to find grants and resources to assist with supplying daily materials needed for our tribal citizens and to establish a functioning community environment despite the pandemic. Challenges still exist and the COVID-19 pandemic continues to loom over our tribal community, but we now see a light at the end of the tunnel. As the pandemic continues, we have effectively begun online programming to assist with our tribal school, to host meetings, and to communicate effectively, which has greatly increased the sense of hope in our tight-knit tribal community.

When COVID-19 first presented itself to our tribe, the devastating shock crippled our day-to-day function—but thankfully we now have a glimmer of hope as we move forward. We continue to work toward finding creative ways to supply necessary resources to our tribal citizens, and as legal counsel for my tribe, I am addressing the ongoing legal issues while progressing toward our goal of reaching federal recognition. My chief often says, “We are closer now than we have ever been before.” It may seem odd to say this in the midst of a pandemic, but COVID has made a close-knit tribal community band together safely in creative ways to continue to thrive and survive. The road ahead may still be filled with many twists and turns, but we say, “Pi: lahuk,” which translates to “Thank you.” We give thanks to the creator for allowing our tribe to continue weathering this storm because, like many other tribes throughout the country, we are sending a strong message to let others know that we are still here. And we will conquer this pandemic. Pi: lahuk (thank you).