Sovereignty: Core Values #5

Using the NACA CVs-- the values that were supported today are Responsibility, Community and Perseverance.  Today was an eye opener in many cases-- especially on the subject of sovereignty.  Sovereignty has a story all of its own and it has changed so much over the years.  As tribal people we need to learn about our relations with the federal government.  We don't have to know everything that took place, but get a basic understanding of where we stand as a tribal nation.  If people have this knowledge I feel it would motivate them to become more involved with the voting process; tribal, state, and federal.  "Who is trying to make a difference in our communities?"
How the core values come into play:
*Responsibility:  it is our responsibility to educate our youth and people about our relationship with the federal government.  Mainstream US history classes leave out the true story of what happened in this country-- and when the "Indian portion" is taught they lump all the tribes together.  In high school I was the only Native in the class and I was asked questions that had nothing to do with my tribe.  Being singled out and asked to be the spokes person for all the tribal nations made me angry.  Working at a Native charter school it is vital that we teach our students about our tribal/federal relations.
*Community/Perseverance:  Teaching our students and people is part of giving back to the tribal communities, no matter which tribe we are affiliated with.  Listening to all of the acts and laws that were put into place for tribal nations-- the core value of Perseverance stood out.  Tribal people have been through a lot but we are still moving forward to make a better future for our people.  With this in place, the students will hopefully walk away with a sense of empowerment about being part of their tribal heritage.

Relating the information to the core values will reinforce the importance of their existence.  If we do not utilize and practice the values, they are going to be seen as just words on the wall.  Using the core values in our lessons will keep the flow going-- for example, When the students see the word RESPECT in a lesson, they should automatically start thinking... "how is respect going to be reflected in the lesson?"  If every teacher incorporates the CVs into their lessons, it will make the culture of the school a lot stronger, because it will become second nature to the students.