ATNI holds winter convention in Portland

By Nicole Montesano

Smoke Signals staff writer

PORTLAND -- Worries over threats to Indian gaming, the problems posed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, grants for helping Tribes address climate change and a new app that turns a cell phone into a tool to preserve and teach Indigenous languages were among the issues discussed Monday, Feb. 2, at the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Winter Convention.

The Tribes also heard about the draft resolutions being considered by ATNI and a budget report.

The annual event was held Sunday, Feb. 1 through Thursday, Feb. 5, at the Hilton Portland Downtown. Representatives from 30 Tribes across the Pacific Northwest attended. Veterans from the Cowlitz Tribe posted the colors.

Grand Ronde’s participation was less than in past years, with Tribal Council Secretary Jon A. George attending from the Tribal Council. He gave the invocation for the event.

Former Tribal Council member Denise Harvey, currently serving as treasurer of the Indian Gaming Association, also attended and was given a round of applause by the audience when pointed out by Indian Gaming Association Chairman David Bean. He spoke about the rising threat of online gaming and prediction markets to Tribal casinos and ultimately, sovereignty.

On Tuesday, Tribal member and Spirit Mountain Community Fund Program Coordinator Angela Schlappie gave a presentation about the Mark O. Hatfield Fellowship the Tribe offers to Native American college graduates and graduate students across the United States.

On Wednesday, Tribal member and Bureau of Indian Affairs Director Bryan Mercier gave an update about the agency.

On Monday, the assembled Tribes heard from Washington Supreme Court Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis (Isleta/Laguna), and four incarcerated Indigenous men speaking by video about Indigenous incarceration and spiritual rehabilitation. Montoya-Lewis noted that incarcerated Indigenous men have few, if any resources, as they are separated from their culture and often are dealing with intergenerational trauma.

LoVina Louie of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe shared information about a new project for language retention and teaching. Coyote Stories is an education app designed by Coeur d’Alene Tribal member Kenny Louie-McGee and it provides stories in Salish in the Coeur d’Alene dialect, interactive quizzes and Indigenous art. Louie encouraged other Tribes to reach out to Louie-McGee if they were interested in creating a similar program.