오바마 대통령 주재566개 원주민 부족 대표 초청
미국의
첫 번째 주인들을 위한 전국적인 이벤트가 미연방 수도 워싱턴 DC에서 3일 펼쳐졌다.
버락 오바마 대통령이 주재하는 2014
백악관 원주민 부족대회가 국내 566개 부족 대표가 초청된 가운데 원주민 교육개혁과 복지처우, 기후변화 등 다양한 의제(議題)들을 다뤘다.
백악관
원주민 부족대회(White House Tribal Nations Conference)는 2009년 버락 오바마 대통령 집권 1기때 창설된 것으로
미국의 첫 번째 주인인 원주민(First American)들의 헌신과 고통의 역사를 돌이키고 오랫동안 무시된 원주민들을 대등한 관계로
회복(回復)시키자는 뜻에서 만들어진 것이다.
1997년 클린턴 대통령 시절 “11월에는 미국 원주민들을 생각해야 한다”는 뜻에서
11월을 ‘원주민의 달(National Native American Heritage Month)‘로 선포돼 기념행사가 열리다가 조지 W. 부시
정권때 중단된 것을 오바마 대통령이 전국적인 행사로 키워나갔다.
당시 오바마 대통령은 추수감사절인 11월 넷째 목요일 바로
다음날을 ‘원주민의 날(Native American Heritage Day)’로 축하해 줄 것을 미 국민에게 제안한 바 있다. 이날 행사장 무대
전면엔 다양한 원주민 부족들의 깃발이 자리해 시선을 끌었다.
이날
행사장에서 존 모리스 세네카 네이션 부족 대표(뉴욕)와 함께 자리한 빌 이오마스 원주민금융회 대표(워싱턴 DC)는 자신의 전통 이름을
마스쿠스루와스우(Masksluuwassxw)라고 소개하기도 했다.
이번
부족대회에서 백악관은 ‘Nation to Nation’이라는 용어사용을 통해 각 부족을 사실상 하나의 국가단위로 대우하는 모습을 볼 수 있었다.
각 부족 대표들은 부족정부와 미정부의 관계를 비롯, 법시행과 재해복구, 부족 경제와 자연, 문화, 차세대 등의 의제 토론에 참여했다.
오바마 대통령은 지난 6월엔 ‘스탠딩 락 수’ 원주민보호구역을 방문해 원주민 젊은이들의 교육과 경제문제를 도울 것을 약속했다.
현재 아메리카원주민의 42%는 24세 미만으로 이중 3분의1이 가난에 시달리고 있으며 원주민 청년층은 미국내 인종에서 가장 낮은 고교졸업률을
보이고 있다.
캘리포니아에서 온 코벨로 로우드 부족의 케네스 라이트 회장 등 부족대표들은 오바마 대통령의 남다른 관심에 감사를
표하고 원주민부족들이 직면한 문제들을 좀 더 적극적으로 다뤄줄 것을 희망했다.
이번
대회에서 백악관은 사상 처음 26명의 백악관 청년대사들을 임명한 가운데 패널디스커션과 리더십개발프로그램 등을 진행하는 모습이었다. 이와 함께
오바마 대통령은 원주민 청년들에 대한 기회보장을 위한 ‘원주민청년 이니셔티브(Gen I)’를 발표해 눈길을 끌었다.
새로운
원주민청년 네트워크(NNTY) 프로그램은 원주민 젊은이들의 그들의 커뮤니티 리더로 성장할 수 있도록 온라인을 통한 쌍방향 지원을 하게 된다.
백악관은 2015년 2월 원주민청년들을 위한 고위급 회의도 주최할 예정이다.
샐리 지웰 내무장관은 이와 관련 기존의
원주민교육부(BIE)를 개편함으로써 원주민 젊은이들을 교육시스템을 강화(强化)한다는 방침이다.
워싱턴DC=윌리엄 문 특파원
moonwilliam1@gmail.com
<꼬리뉴스>
오바마대통령 환영연설문
Well, welcome
to the 2014 White House Tribal Nations Conference. (Applause.) Five years ago,
when we held this meeting for the first time, it was historic -– the
largest-ever gathering of tribal leaders at the White House. And we got some
valuable work done. So we thought, hey, this is a pretty good idea, let’s do
this again. And now we’re meeting for the sixth time. This conference has become
an institution. (Applause.) And I want to thank every tribal leader here for
making that happen, especially those of you who come year after year, committed
to making our nation-to-nation relationship as strong as it can be. I also want
to thank the members of Congress who are here today. I want to thank Sally
Jewell, our outstanding Secretary of Interior. (Applause.) Sally is also the
Chair of the White House Council on Native American Affairs. And I’m proud to
have Native Americans serving with dedication and skill in my administration,
including somebody I love -- Jodi Gillette of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
(Applause.) Everybody here knows Jodi, my Special Assistant for Native American
Affairs -- as well as Raina Thiele -- (applause) -- who is Denaina and Yup’ik,
and works in the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. If I could,
I’d give a shout-out to every nation here today. Each is a unique and cherished
part of our American community. To all of my adopted Crow brothers and sisters
-- hine wabeh itchik. It is a good day. (Applause.) I hope you’ll allow me this
indulgence before I get started talking about what we have accomplished and what
we still have to accomplish -- because one of the things about being President
is news breaks, and it’s important for people to hear how I feel and how I’m
thinking about some important issue that we face in this nation. Some of you may
have heard there was a decision that came out today by a grand jury not to
indict police officers who had interacted with an individual with Eric Garner in
New York City, all of which was caught on videotape and speaks to the larger
issues that we’ve been talking about now for the last week, the last month, the
last year, and, sadly, for decades, and that is the concern on the part of too
many minority communities that law enforcement is not working with them and
dealing with them in a fair way. And there’s going to be, I’m sure, additional
statements by law enforcement. My tradition is not to remark on cases where
there may still be an investigation. But I want everybody to understand that
this week, in the wake of Ferguson, we initiated a task force whose job it is to
come back to me with specific recommendations about how we strengthen the
relationship between law enforcement and communities of color and minority
communities that feel that bias is taking place; that we are going to take
specific steps to improve the training and the work with state and local
governments when it comes to policing in communities of color; that we are going
to be scrupulous in investigating cases where we are concerned about the
impartiality and accountability that’s taking place. And as I said when I met
with folks both from Ferguson and law enforcement and clergy and civil rights
activists, I said this is an issue that we’ve been dealing with for too long and
it’s time for us to make more progress than we’ve made. And I’m not interested
in talk; I’m interested in action. And I am absolutely committed as President of
the United States to making sure that we have a country in which everybody
believes in the core principle that we are equal under the law. (Applause.) So I
just got off the phone with my Attorney General, Eric Holder. He will have more
specific comments about the case in New York. But I want everybody to know here,
as well as everybody who may be viewing my remarks here today, we are not going
to let up until we see a strengthening of the trust and a strengthening of the
accountability that exists between our communities and our law enforcement. And
I say that as somebody who believes that law enforcement has an incredibly
difficult job; that every man or woman in uniform are putting their lives at
risk to protect us; that they have the right to come home, just like we do from
our jobs; that there’s real crime out there that they’ve got to tackle day in
and day out -- but that they’re only going to be able to do their job
effectively if everybody has confidence in the system. And right now,
unfortunately, we are seeing too many instances where people just do not have
confidence that folks are being treated fairly. And in some cases, those may be
misperceptions; but in some cases, that’s a reality. And it is incumbent upon
all of us, as Americans, regardless of race, region, faith, that we recognize
this is an American problem, and not just a black problem or a brown problem or
a Native American problem. This is an American problem. When anybody in this
country is not being treated equally under the law, that’s a problem. And it’s
my job as President to help solve it. (Applause.) Now, when I visited the Crow
Nation in Montana, I was a candidate for this office, and I made it a point to
meet with tribal leaders on the campaign trail as often as I could, because I
wanted to make sure our country did better by our First Americans. Talk was
cheap and there had been too many promises that hadn’t been kept. And I tried to
make sure that I didn’t over-promise. I tried to make clear to the leaders that
I met with that I wasn’t going to be able single-handedly to reverse hundreds of
years of history, but what I could do is listen and learn and partner with you.
I wanted to change the relationship between our governments -- to elevate your
voices in Washington and give your tribes greater say over the decisions that
affect the lives of your people every day. And I wanted to turn the page on a
history that is riddled with too many broken promises, write a new chapter with
a spirit of respect and trust. And today, more than six years later, I’m proud
of everything that we’ve done to make that happen. (Applause.) Together, we’ve
strengthened your sovereignty -- giving more power to tribal courts and police,
restoring hundreds of thousands of acres of tribal trust lands. We’ve expanded
opportunity -- permanently reauthorizing the Indian Health Care Improvement Act
-- (applause) -- speeding up the process for businesses signing leases in Indian
Country, building roads, expanding high-speed Internet access, and moving
forward on renewable energy projects. We’ve delivered justice -– resolving legal
disputes that have dragged on for decades, untying your hands when it comes to
dealing with domestic violence. (Applause.) So as I said earlier, as I said on
the campaign trail, we haven’t solved every problem, but I’ve been able to keep
a promise to all of you that I would learn and I would listen, and I’d treat you
with the respect that you deserve. (Applause.) And we have more work to do. But
when we step back, we see there’s virtually no area in which we haven’t made
significant progress together. We can take pride in that. And I made another
promise that I’d visit Indian Country as President. And this June, I kept that
promise. I know that the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is here. Where are you all?
(Applause.) So Michelle and I traveled to their reservation in North Dakota. It
was a day I’ll never forget. We attended the annual Cannonball Flag Day Powwow.
(Laughter.)
Students
were singing the Lakota National Anthem. There was a drum group that performed a
veterans’ song as American flags flew in the breeze -- and it was breezy. It did
make me think about I’m glad I was there during the summer. (Laughter.) But this
drum group was honoring a tribal citizen who served -- each was honoring a
tribal member who had served in our military. People of all ages wore the
traditional regalia with pride. And it was clear how deeply this nation values
its culture and its history. And it was clear how deeply they cared for each
other, especially their young people. And so it was arranged for me to meet with
some of these young people. Michelle and I, before the powwow, sat down with a
group of Lakota young adults. There was no press, no teachers, no parents -- it
was just us. And folks were invited to say whatever was on their minds. And
these young people could not have been more poised and they could not have been
more thoughtful. And they talked about their families, and their friends, and
their dreams for the future. But they also talked about the pain in their
hearts, and the obstacles they had had to overcome, and the problems they had
seen with loved ones who had been brought down by drugs or alcohol or violence
or poverty. One young man was raising his four little brothers by himself. All
of them knew somebody that they loved who had attempted suicide, committed
suicide, died in a car accident before their time. Some of them had spent time
living in a bus. And there were tears in that room pretty much the entire
conversation, and the sense that schools weren’t always preparing them properly
and that they weren’t sure about the possibilities of a better future. And
Michelle and I were honored that these young people opened up to us. But more
importantly, we were moved because they were like Malia and Sasha -- just as
smart, just as hopeful, just as beautiful. But at their core, there was a
nagging doubt that they would have the opportunities that my daughters had. And
nothing gets me more frustrated than when I hear that. Nothing gets me angrier
than when I get a sense that our young people early in life are already feeling
like opportunities are foreclosed to them -- because that's not who we are. And
so Michelle and I ended up staying longer than we had planned, and we got a lot
of hugs in, and we walked away shaken because some of these kids were carrying
burdens no young person should ever have to carry. And it was heartbreaking. And
we told them, because they were such extraordinary young people –- strong and
talented and courageous -- we said, you've got to believe in yourselves because
we believe in you. We want to give those young people and young Native Americans
like them the support they deserve. We have to invest in them, and believe in
them, and love them. And if we do, there’s no question of the great things they
can achieve -- not just for their own families, but for their nation and for the
United States. (Applause.) And the truth is those young people were
representative of young people in every tribe, in every reservation in America.
And too many face the same struggles that those Lakota teenagers face. They’re
not sure that this country has a place for them. Every single one of them
deserves better than they're getting right now. They are our children, and they
deserve the chance to achieve their dreams. So when Michelle and I got back to
the White House after our visit to Standing Rock, I told my staff -- I brought
Sally in, and I brought Arne Duncan in, and I brought whoever else was involved
in youth and education and opportunity and job training, and I said, you will
find new avenues of opportunity for our Native youth. You will make sure that
this happens on my watch. (Applause.) And as I spoke, they knew I was serious
because it’s not very often where I tear up in the Oval Office. I deal with a
lot of bad stuff in this job. It is not very often where I get choked up, so
they knew I was serious about this. And so here is what I want you to know that
we’re working on as a consequence of these conversations. Number one, today,
we’re releasing a report on the unique challenges that Native youth face --
because we cannot solve these challenges without a comprehensive picture of the
problem. Number two, I’m instructing every member of my Cabinet to experience
what Michelle and I did at Standing Rock -- to sit down with Native young people
and hear firsthand about their lives. Sally Jewell has already done it. Arne
Duncan has already started. I want everybody to do it. (Applause.) And the
Department of Education has launched a new initiative with a handful of tribes
called the Native Youth Community Projects. The idea is, we’re working with
tribes to give schools and students intensive support across a range of areas --
from nutrition, to mental health, to culturally relevant curriculum. We know
that learning about the history and language and traditions of one’s people can
make a huge difference in a child’s education. And in the long run, if it’s done
right, it can help more of them be prepared for college and careers. We want to
help make that happen. Number three, to cultivate the next generation of Native
leaders, we’re creating a national network called Generation Indigenous, to
remove the barriers that stand between young people and opportunity. And the
first class of “Gen-I” Youth Ambassadors are here today. We are launching a new
National Tribal Youth Network to connect and support talented young people in
your nations. And next year, we will hold the first White House Tribal Youth
Gathering. (Applause.) It will look a lot like this conference -- only younger.
(Laughter.) That’s all right, you see my gray hair. I can’t say nothing about
that. (Laughter.) Number four, the budget I submit to Congress in February will
include smarter, stronger investments in several areas that are really important
to Native youth, especially education. We’re going to invest in connecting
tribal schools to high-speed Internet. We’re going to fill them with the best
teachers and principals. We’re going to make sure that children and families get
the support they need to stay secure and healthy. And we are going to keep
fighting to meet our obligations to your nations. (Applause.) We’re going to
fight to reauthorize the Native American Housing Assistance and
Self-Determination Act, because every young person deserves a safe place to
live. (Applause.) We’re going to keep promoting economic growth in Indian
Country, because every young person deserves the chance to work and get ahead.
We’re going to keep working with your communities to deal with the very real
impacts of climate change. And I want to thank the tribal leaders who have
advised me on how to do that as members of my Task Force on Climate Preparedness
and Resilience. I also want to recognize those tribes that have done exceptional
work in their response to climate change, including two that we named Climate
Action Champions this morning -- the Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe and the Sault
Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. (Applause.) And we’re going to keep
working with all of you to protect your natural resources, and restore tribal
homelands, resolve disputes over water rights, to make sure your sacred lands
are protected for future generations. (Applause.) The United States shares a
sacred bond with our Native nations. We have a sacred responsibility to all our
young people, including Native youth. Every day that I have the honor to serve
as your President, I will do everything I can to meet that responsibility, and
honor that trust, and to do right by your nations, and your children and future
generations. (Applause.) Which brings me back to what I said at the beginning --
because too many promises haven’t been kept, I’ve tried not to over-promise. But
when I’ve made a promise, I’ve tried to make sure that I meet that commitment.
So when Michelle and I said goodbye to those teenagers in Standing Rock, we told
them we wanted to return their hospitality and we asked them to come visit us at
the White House. And a bunch of them told us later they didn’t think they were
ever going to hear from us again. (Laughter.) Because, they said, you know what,
we’ve had a lot of adults make promises to us that didn’t get kept. Well, two
weeks ago, they came by and we took them out for pizza. (Laughter.) And they got
a tour of the White House. And they met with officials from across my
administration. And everybody here who had a chance to meet them said how
terrific they were. And I understand that on their last night in Washington,
their hotel had a blackout, and sitting together in their pajamas in the dark,
they did what I understand was a very Lakota thing to do -- they wrote a song
about their trip. And so I’m going to just go over what the song says -- here’s
how it went. I’m not going to sing it, though. (Laughter.) And I’m sure it
sounds better in Lakota. (Laughter.) It says: “We returned from the White House.
We knew without a doubt we were the first of many voices of Indian Country. So
if you hear this song, listen and learn it to sing along. We are all one family.
Let’s not make this just a dream.” (Applause.) We’re all one family. We're all
one family. Your nations have made extraordinary contributions to this country.
Your children represent the best of this country and its future. Together, we
can make sure that every Native young person is treated like a valuable member
not only of your nation, but of the American family -- (applause) -- that every
Native young person gets an equal shot at the American Dream. That’s what I’m
working for. That’s what you’re working for. I’m proud every single day to be
your partner. “We are all one family. Let’s not make this just a dream.” Thank
you. God bless you. God bless the United States of America.
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