Running Strong for American Indian Youth CI Report – Interim

What has been most instrumental to your progress?

The Tribal Governance Training Curriculum was firmly developed and delivered onsite, despite the pandemic challenge to tribal partners. This was crucial since it is based on a teaching model that tribal leaders must possess certain skillsets in order to manage the proposed water codes and Ahokipa Najin (Tribal Water Board). This training has also led to the development of a draft water code that is in review for year two of the grant cycle. This type of training also solidifies our partnership with the key stakeholders of the Yankton Sioux Tribal Government entities in this Data Sovereignty work.

Three ethnobotanical surveys (one in 2018, 2020, and 2021) were conducted on the Missouri River encompassing approximately 90 miles, including both sides of the river. This is key to incorporating Indigenous Shared Governance & Management principles, conservation and practical medicine protections for tribal peoples and others; thereby creating a template for preservation, conservation and restoration. Each ethnobotany survey has allowed for continued development of not only plant inventories, but advanced GIS mapping of the survey paths and site evaluation as well as drone mapping of the specific survey sites. This work has also has been integrated into webGIS and we currently have one story map completed and another in development for year two.

The productivity of the organizational partnership with Tufts University Interns who completed professional upper level GIS tasks of ethnobotanical story maps and affiliated information is key to our progress. This was important for the development of plant identification algorithms for river management and sets a model for the development of other surveys, such as cultural resources and water testing. Tufts continues to assist the Mni Wizipan Wakan project with drone training, intern support and backend GIS support and data storage.

Key lessons learned

A key lesson was that stakeholders are genuinely appreciative of learning old new knowledge regarding our Sacred Water Bundle (Mni Wakan Wizipan) Project. There is literally no place that tribal leaders, program personnel, youth and grassroots could learn the important role of water for the survival of our tribal people and all people. As we have continued to build a body of information related to Federal Indian Law with regard to case law in Winter’s Doctrine Rights, surface use, and hunting, fishing & gathering rights; many are becoming aware that in order to protect our water and land requires shared governance and management plans. In addition, it has become clear that getting arrested to stop intrusive parties stealing our water or building pipelines is not the only way to protect tribal interests and in fact may only be a last resort as we truly become managers of our own interests.

The realization that the federal government possesses so much information about citizens and tribal members is a major concern, and unless we have access to that information tribes will continue to be at a disadvantage in self-determination. It is paramount we create data systems that provide mechanisms to assert data sovereignty over the whole umbrella of tribal interests. We became aware of how important it is to sustain this “Water Back” movement by building internal tribal capacity of future youth stakeholders and to advocate for the development of an Environmental Institute to create a space for STEM students to manage the Data Sovereignty issues seven generations ahead, a tribal concept goal. For now we are building an important component of “citizen science and education” which we began by training ground level water testers under the supervision of experienced water scientist and program specialist. This is achieved by our Yuwita Mani Wawokiya Circle (Knowledge Helpers) the spiritual, cultural, scientific, and specialized consultants who continue to support advanced scientific and policy based decision making.

Reflections on inclusive, collaborative or resourceful problem-solving

The collaborative focus is entirely necessary for our work with the Yankton Sioux Tribe. Without the tribe’s involvement we would not exist. A starting point for us was involving the Tribal EPA or Environmental Protection Program and their staff, the Tribal Historic Preservation Office and bringing them on board. The first steps we took were to create the “Yuwita Mani” (The Big 5) Circle of decision-makers: the elders, the treaty committee, the elected Business and Claim Committee, the Constitution Committee and the THPO or the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer. The “Yuwita Mani Wawokiya” Circle or collaborative body of the Mni Wakan Wizipan project team of: scientists, spiritual, and cultural, and specialized consultants working and training with the other decision makers within the tribal structures. These regulatory entities scope of responsibilities overlap and create a powerful working relationship of protection for the tribe in land, water and peoples. Focusing on the collective well-being is driving cultural force behind the Oceti Sakowin cultural beliefs and community values.

Other key elements of Community Innovation

We believe that the stability of the grassroots foundation of Brave Heart Society and its credibility developed over the last 26 years has contributed to the confidence of the community in our work. We have proven ourselves through the application of our 50-year Strategic Plan called the Winter Count. The original Mni Wizipan Wakan grant funding created a preliminary plan that was fused into the long term goal of protecting tribal and cultural water and has merged nicely into the Bush funded work, which is generational work, based on the 7th Generation concept.

Understanding the problem

This Bush funded work has given us the comfort and room through financial resources to expand our “water wings” in order to obtain the high level expertise that we need in developing the traditional ecological knowledge that we possess with the merging of science and culture. This work is not cheap and is quite intricate in weaving together the traditional knowledge that has existed for millennium and the postcolonial western way of scientific thinking. Like most intricate processes, the science and culture bridge has to be identified and researched for applicability and cultural appropriateness. It is a model template for all the Missouri River Tribes that could set the foundational framework to restore the state of the river for over 17 million users, which is crucial in a time of a climate driven water war.

If you could do it all over again…

There are many, many pieces of advice that we could compile. Since we have to choose one, it would be to bring in immediately an expert in hydro-engineering who thoroughly understands wetlands, potholes, water systems and the technology connected to it. It is a large need that exists for us now and water engineers are not cheap, they are specialists in water, engineering and Eco-system development. Now we know.

One last thought

Accompanying our extreme gratefulness to Bush for understanding our vision, we are thankful for the spiritual leaders and elders who live along these waterways and understood the life way of these waterways just as in depth as scientists and we continue to be thankful for them and their wisdom. Without measuring instruments and technology they have a deep knowledge of how the water lives in these bodies and that the water has a “spirit” that we must respect and learn from. We recently lost one of our advisors when we launched our first water ceremony, 101 year-old esteemed grandmother Marie Elder just this past fall to Covid. She left us original instructions. We will carry on those instructions.