Redstone’s Perspective on Tribal Sovereignty, Sustainability and Self-Sufficiency

Redstone’s Perspective on Tribal Sovereignty, Sustainability and Self-Sufficiency

Over time, and through various discussions with friends and colleagues in tribal government, my ideas about tribes and their sovereignty has evolved. Through this process my thinking has been shaped to focus more on the deeper issues behind tribal sovereignty; not as the standard throw-away term many of us have heard of. I began to think about its interaction, as a concept, with sustainability. Not the neo-clique definition of sustainability as a way of showing off your newest hemp clothing or some conversion to an organic-vegan diet as a political statement; but as a newly relevant tribal lifestyle irrevocably linked with self-sufficiency and independence. And as I thought about these things I saw how they were interconnected on a number of levels. Not all of them obvious, but nevertheless critical to each other.

As I think about tribes and tribal communities I think about how tribes are, and will be (in the not-too-distant future) increasingly facing more diverse and challenging times. This issue of sovereignty is obviously unusual and distinct to tribes, but it is also an issue which does have some spiritual ramifications. The debate surrounding sovereignty and what that truly means. The issue of sovereignty has a direct and substantial impact on what it means to be sustainable.

There is an unusual dichotomy that exists in many native people today and it is difficult to grasp even for many people that live with it. At the heart of the issue are many people who wish to reject many elements of the modern world and return to a simpler time.

This is a worthy and fulfilling vision and I feel it should be embraced, at least in part. We all must find our own way in the modern world, but we do not have to live as others do. This is a universal truth and I believe that tribal governments should do the best they can to help their tribes prepare for the future - to become as independent as possible – this is the heart of “sustainability”. Many tribes know that they cannot exist indefinitely on federal grant funds. It is highly probable that the federal government will become insolvent - as California, Greece, Spain, Italy and many other countries are currently discovering.  Many of these governments including our own federal government may go bankrupt altogether. But before that happens much of the financial aid to tribes and other communities may very well diminish greatly or even disappear altogether.

This reality formed a significant part of the reason behind why I formed my Non-Profit Corporation called the Corporation for Sustainable Communities or CSC and my consulting company Redstone Consulting. These were formed, in large part to actively help tribes and native communities become more self-sufficient and sustainable. In keeping with this vision, I define sustainability in more traditional terms.

A truly sustainable tribe, or community, is able to generate its own electricity, produce its own fuel, grow their own food, treat their own sick, and educate their own children. In short, to rely on themselves the way their ancestors did; and to rely on others (i.e., the federal government) to the least extent possible. We believe that this is the best way for a tribe, a community, or a person, to be sustainable and thereby, truly sovereign

Scott Ackert, Redstone President, 2009