Culture and policy combine at Native American Summit – Capitol City Now

Springfield, IL (CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS) – Drums and bells echoed as people dressed in regalia sang and danced traditional dances at the fourth annual Native American Summit at the Illinois Capitol. 

The theme for the gathering was community, awareness and connection.

People from several Native American tribes gathered in the Capitol Rotunda on Tuesday to raise awareness and share information about important issues for Native communities.

“We have so many roots, so many connections, not only to Illinois, but to our own tribal nations that we are here making our voice heard. And you all are making our voice heard,†said Andrew Johnson, a citizen of Cherokee Nation and director of advocacy for the Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative. 

Native agenda this session

CAICC isn't pursuing specific legislation this session, so the Summit was focused on meeting with lawmakers and reminding them “we're still here and we'll always be here,†said Marne Smiley, a member of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe, and a facilitator for CAICC. 

Last year, CAICC advocated for a bill banning Native American mascots in Illinois schools. The bill passed through the House but did not advance in the Senate. 

“We're here today to make sure that our interests are visible in the decisions made by our legislators, that we can build relationships with them, work towards healing historic harms, and that together, in partnership, we can work to build positive futures and ensure that native families of Illinois can thrive,†said Jasmine Gurneau, a member of the Oneida and Menominee tribe and the president of CAICC. 

Priority issues for CAICC include allowing tribal languages to satisfy education requirements for learning a foreign language, establishing a Native American Caucus in both chambers of the General Assembly to specifically discuss policies regarding Native Americans, and working with the state to research affordable housing and homelessness. There are nine total issues listed on CAICC's website.

Gurneau said Native issues aren't different from those of other minority groups, particularly when it comes to disparities in accessing healthcare, affordable housing, education and dealing with the criminal justice system. 

Native issues are different, Gurneau said, because tribal nations are sovereign, but Native Americans are still considered U.S. citizens. A long history of broken treaties, illegal landgrabs and forced assimilation has led to a variety of cultural considerations CAICC would like the General Assembly to consider.

That includes ensuring the state gathers better data about public health for Native Americans and the legal system follows federal requirements for prioritizing Native placements in state child custody proceedings involving Native American children.

“We'll be sharing our song and dance, hopes and dreams, and asking for some specific ways for legislators to not just see us, but to act and move our concerns forward in the legislative process,†she said.

The Native American Summit

Dancing was an important part of the Summit and Maria Barrera, a member of the Cherokee tribe, said she appreciated being able to share her culture. 

“It just brings us back to connecting with our roots, and we don't really get to have that all the time,†she said. 

Barrera danced the Jingle Dress Dance, a dance for healing and prayer. Jingle dresses are traditional regalia that feature rows of metal cones attached to skirts and, sometimes, to shoulders. The sound of the cones striking each other is said to produce a healing sound.

“If somebody wants to pray for somebody — somebody who's sick or whatever reason they have — they would just offer us some tobacco, because that's the traditional way to show respect and to ask for something,†she said. “So we would dance and we would pray, and with each cone that goes on, a different prayer goes into that dress.â€Â 

Tevelee Gudino, a member of the Fort Sill Chiricahua Warm Springs Apache tribe, said the singing and dancing was always spiritual and moving, especially at the Capitol.

“Whenever we hear the drum, it's the heartbeat of Mother Earth, and that resonates in all of us,†she said. “We don't hear it as often because we don't have moments that we can do that. But when we do it's really, it touches the soul. It's kind of replenishing, and it brings on a lot of spirituality and connection to our ancestors.â€

In the past, the General Assembly has passed laws mandating Native American history education, culturally appropriate treatment for Native American remains, dress codes allowing cultural attire at graduation ceremonies and the land transfer to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. 

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.