By ROBERT JUMPER
Tutiyi (Snowbird) and Clyde, N.C.
We often joke (sometimes it isn’t a joke) that our politicians on the Qualla Boundary are in perpetual campaign mode. After all, with a 24-month election cycle, long-term planning and execution can be challenging to say the least. Sometimes the long-term benefit requires short-term pain. It is a long-established philosophy, but next to no one wants to hear it, whether it comes from a doctor or an elected official.
We, as a tribal citizenry, have watched as viable economic development opportunities fell by the wayside because of the cycling of officials through our political system: Walmart, Boundary Tree, and the long-discussed but never implemented water park. Year after year, the water park would be put on the tribe’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), which was a three to five-year plan, structured after the North Carolina strategic planning model (and was grant-funded as long as we followed the guidelines for development). From one Dinilawigi (Tribal Council) to the next, the water park would be put on hold. I am sure that the reasoning was much more complex than I can know (that would be one of those things “they” might somehow find a way to use against us), but at least part of the kicking of the water park can down the road until it’s extinction had to be, at least in part, the cycling of leadership every two years.
Well, it is that time again. The cycling. It is the election year in earnest, with the primary looming just roughly a month away. In case you missed it in the June 4 edition and are boycotting the internet, we’ll revisit the names of those who are “throwing their hat in the ring”.
Aniwodihi (Painttown) candidates: Bill Taylor, Sean “Michael” Stamper (incumbent), Jeff Thompson, and Shannon Swimmer. Elawodi (Yellowhill) candidates: David Wolfe (incumbent), Tom Wahnehtah (incumbent), Chris Reed, Shennelle Feather, and T.W. (Price) Saunooke. Tsisqwohi (Birdtown) candidates: Boyd Owle (incumbent), Jim Owle (incumbent), Travis K. Smith, and Joi Owle. Tutiyi/Tsalagi Gadugi (Cherokee County/Snowbird) candidates: Janell Rattler, Adam Wachacha (incumbent), Buck Brown (incumbent), Erik Oswalt, and Michael Smoker. Kolanvyi (Big Cove) candidates: Richard French (incumbent), Karen Holiday, Simon Montelongo, Perry Shell (incumbent), Venita K. Wolfe, Lavita “Muffin” Hill, and Mary Welch Thompson. Wayohi/Widagalinidisgv (Wolftown/Big Y) candidates: Bo Crowe (incumbent), Joey Owle, Mike Parker (incumbent), and Glenn Bradley.
Additional elections are being held for Cherokee Central School Board of Education. School Board candidates for Tsisqwohi representation are Melanie Lambert (incumbent) and Gloria Rattler. School Board candidates for Wayohi representation are Berdie Toinetta and Timmy Ray Smith. No one filed for the Kolanvyi School Board seat that will be vacated at the end of this term.
This year is an interesting mix of old and new, male and female candidates. As you already know, I don’t publicly endorse candidates, and it is a policy of the One Feather that we don’t poll, predict, or endorse any candidate. All political advertising is paid, and all candidates have equal opportunity to place ads in One Feather media. Each candidate gets the same rate, no exceptions. Do we have our thoughts on who will be in those seats come October? We wouldn’t be human if we didn’t. Like the rest of the community, our livelihoods and the community that we love are depending on making good choices for leadership to ensure our survival and prosperity.
While gender is certainly an interesting factor in these races, it absolutely should not, in my opinion, be the deciding factor. Our tribe is just about evenly populated with men and women. That is just a fact. And while creating gender balance would be a good thing, it is ultimately important that the candidate, regardless of gender, be the best qualified to assume the incredible responsibility of making law, and in some cases, making executive decisions that affect the entire community. With an annual budget of hundreds of millions of dollars (we can’t say the exact amount because “they” might be reading along with you), it is no small task to wrangle the finances of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. As our beloved late Aniwodihi representative, Tommye Saunooke, used to remind us, the Dinilawigi is the “keeper of the purse-strings” of our tribe.
Friendship is great. No doubt about it, we know people who are running and who are our friends and family. We may know them to have a kind heart and a willing spirit. And those are going to be needed to execute the duties of a Dinilawigi representative with compassion for our people. But as you are considering casting your vote, you’d better look beyond whether a candidate is a nice person.
It is much easier to look at incumbents and get an idea of their ability and intent. After all, their jobs require them to be on camera at Dinilawigi meetings, to make appearances at tribal events, to be at community gatherings, etc. They have the advantage of easier name recognition and are charged with dispersing discretionary funds, which some constituents may assume are personal funds. There is a distinct advantage to being an incumbent in any election, whether tribal or otherwise. It is not a good or a bad thing. It is just a thing that needs to be considered as we size up our candidates for the upcoming vote and election.
As a community, we need to look at each candidate for their heart and ability. In addition to having that compassion for the community, what kind of experience and education do they have to run a large municipality and a large corporation? Do they have the vocabulary and speaking skills to articulate intelligently to governors, presidents, senators, congressmen, tribal chiefs and councilmen, and even potentially kings, prime ministers, and other international leaders? Will they be able to sit at the table and intelligently negotiate with big corporations, regulatory entities, and landowners? All this in addition to making fair and reasonable law for the Principal People, and protecting our community from harm?
Federally speaking, Indian Country is a hostile environment. Tribal sovereignty is on the line. Federal Recognition is on the line. Important issues to us, economic and environmental, are on the table, or maybe I should say the chopping block. And fighting those threats to our community will require that we tap our best and brightest, whether that is an incumbent or an unseated candidate. Seek out the candidates and find out what they stand for and what makes them the best candidate for the seat in your specific community. And if they don’t or won’t be open when you ask them questions, that should tell you something as well and should be part of your decision-making criteria. It is time to get serious about this tribal election. And, once again, it is up to us.
