In 1787, Thomas Jefferson wrote, “The utmost good
faith shall always be observed towards the Indians;
their lands and property shall never be taken from
them without their consent; and, in their property,
rights, and liberty, they shall never be invaded or
disturbed, unless in just and lawful wars authorized
by Congress; but laws founded in justice and humanity,
shall from time to time be made for preventing wrongs
being done to them, and for preserving peace and
friendship with them.”

These memorable words, to the great misfortune of
America's first citizens, have been violated with
reckless impunity over the two hundred years since
they were written. But from time to time, there have
been other decisions to remind us of the moral
responsibility to these historic commitments made long
ago. These are decisions such as those by Jefferson's
fellow Virginian, John Marshall, the fourth Chief
Justice of the United States Supreme Court, who gave
renewed meaning to Jefferson's words by reaffirming
the concept of Indian sovereignty as fundamental
American law.

Today, California tribes are affirming the meaning of
their sovereignty by giving this basic tenet tangible
expression on a daily basis. Because sovereignty is a
living idea, it must be affirmed every day by the
actions and activities of Native Americans themselves.

For Native Americans, sovereignty begins with loving,
nurturing, protecting and educating the children of
the tribes, for they are the future. It means
reclaiming the culture, beginning with the ancestral
languages of the tribes, for there is no culture
without language. It means learning and passing on the
history of the tribes--their stories, songs, dances,
crafts, struggles and moments of joy--by the Elders,
for whom we hold the utmost respect.

Sovereignty means cherishing the oneness of all things
in nature, making it the foundation of daily
existence. It was this belief that distinguished the
Native American from the European, with his careless
and reckless regard for nature and the environment.
Sovereignty means putting spiritual values ahead of
material values. Sovereignty means putting the needs
of the community ahead of the selfish wants of the
individual, yet helping the individual to fulfill his
or her potential through building a strong, prosperous
and secure community. The spirit of the community, of
helping one another, lies at the heart of tribal
sovereignty.

Sovereignty means being proud of being Native American
and of sharing that pride with tribal members and with
the non-Indian world. By building a strong tribal
government and developing the tribe's economy, we are
protecting our sovereignty. In order to keep active in
the world around us, sovereignty means Native
Americans must speak up for themselves before forums
great and small, to legislative bodies, the community
and its members.

Because tribal sovereignty has been and will always
come under attack, it must be fought for and nurtured
on a daily basis. The price of losing sovereignty is
high and Native Americans must always understand,
remember and care for this fundamental fact of their
existence.

Sovereignty is the life's blood of Native Americans.