Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians

Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians
Name	Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians
Formation	1972
Type	Intertribal organization
Headquarters	Pendleton, Oregon
Region served	Pacific Northwest
Leader title	Chairperson
Leader name	Glen Simpson

Contents

Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians The Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians is an intertribal consortium formed to represent the interests of Native American nations in the Pacific Northwest, engaging with federal, state, and local institutions including the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, National Congress of American Indians, United States Congress and regional bodies such as the State of Washington and State of Oregon. The organization interacts with tribes, tribal leaders, tribal councils, and institutions like the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Ford Foundation, Native American Rights Fund, Smithsonian Institution, and universities including University of Washington, Oregon State University, and University of Oregon to advance policy, cultural preservation, and economic development.

Overview and History

Founded amid movements including the Red Power Movement and forums like meetings of the National Tribal Chairmen's Association and the National Tribal Leaders' Congress, the organization grew from conferences with participants from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Nez Perce Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Yakama Nation, Tulalip Tribes, and Lummi Nation. Early engagement involved leaders such as Billy Frank Jr. and interactions with federal officials from the Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter administrations and with legal developments post-Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act and Indian Civil Rights Act. The history includes responses to events like the Boldt decision, litigation involving the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, and policy shifts tied to statutes such as the Indian Reorganization Act and the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

Membership comprises federally recognized nations and intertribal entities such as the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, Coquille Indian Tribe, Klamath Tribes, Grand Ronde Community, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Shoalwater Bay Tribe, Quinault Indian Nation, Hoh Tribe, Chehalis Tribe, Cowlitz Indian Tribe, Makah Tribe, Suquamish Tribe, Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe, Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, Skokomish Indian Tribe, Nisqually Indian Tribe, Puyallup Tribe of Indians, Squaxin Island Tribe, Shoalwater Bay Tribe of the Willapa Bay, and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. Affiliates also include organizations like the Inter Tribal Canoe Journey, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, Tribal Court Systems tied to nations such as Nez Perce Tribal Court, and regional consortia including the Colville Confederated Tribes and Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation.

The governing body mirrors structures seen in entities like the National Congress of American Indians and includes a rotating chairperson, executive board, and committees similar to those of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council and the Pacific Northwest Tribal Table. Leadership interacts with federal offices including the Executive Office of the President, the United States Department of Justice, and congressional delegations from districts represented by members of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. Organizational practice references administrative models used by the Alaska Federation of Natives, Association on American Indian Affairs, and the InterTribal Council of Arizona with staff roles comparable to executive directors and policy directors who liaise with institutions such as the Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Indian Health Service.

Programs address natural resource management, treaty rights, and economic development, engaging with the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, Bonneville Power Administration, Pacific Salmon Commission, and courts such as the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Initiatives focus on fisheries co-management referenced by the Boldt decision and collaborative projects with the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, research partnerships with the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, and funding from foundations like the Mellon Foundation and Annenberg Foundation. Health and social programs coordinate with the Indian Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and tribal clinics modeled after those in the Navajo Nation and Hoopa Valley Tribe.

Cultural work connects to museums and programs including the Smithsonian Institution, American Indian College Fund, Institute of American Indian Arts, and regional archives like the Oregon Historical Society and Washington State Historical Society. Language revitalization collaborates with projects akin to the Endangered Language Alliance, academic centers at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and University of Montana, and initiatives similar to the Native American Languages Act programs. Educational outreach partners with school districts, tribal colleges such as Sitting Bull College and Northwest Indian College, and cultural events including the Gathering of Nations, InterTribal Canoe Journey, and local powwows where artisans, dancers, potters, and carvers work alongside curators from institutions such as the Museum of Anthropology at UBC.

Advocacy has involved litigation and policy interventions before bodies like the Supreme Court of the United States, United States District Court for the District of Oregon, and regulatory agencies including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The organization has participated in campaigns related to treaties such as the Treaty of Point Elliott and engagements with legislation like the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act. Coordinated efforts have intersected with environmental advocacy groups including Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Council and legal partners including the Native American Rights Fund and Earthjustice in disputes over projects like hydroelectric licensing on the Columbia River and resource management in the Olympic National Park and Mount Rainier National Park.

Category:Native American organizations