Gene Lehmann, Senior Writer, Chickasaw Nation Media Relations
TULSA, Okla. – The March death of longtime Chickasaw citizen, employee and legislator Dean McManus served as the catalyst for the Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes to recognize the impact, contributions and importance of members who have passed.
McManus’ death was discussed during an executive council session. Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby remembered her leadership and dedication to the organization and to all of Indian Country.
Gov. Anoatubby’s remarks sparked a discussion about the passing of several important members of the organization founded in 1950 to represent the interests of indigenous people of the Chickasaw, Cherokee, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek) and Seminole nations.
“We have lost a lot of people throughout the years and we really didn’t recognize them and their contributions to this organization,” Muscogee (Creek) Chief James Floyd said.
“We will be working with the five tribes to gather names and (write) resolutions of recognition – not just to (their) individual tribes but also to the Inter-Tribal Council. Some of them were active nationally. We will invite their families to join us so we can recognize them in the proper way,” Chief Floyd said.
Floyd, who serves as president of the council, said recognition will be an annual event.
McManus, a full-blood Chickasaw, was one of 25 people who worked for the Chickasaw Nation in 1975. She was hired as a Community Health Representative and was promoted to supervisor and coordinator of the department. She also served as Chickasaw Nation Director of Human Resources in 1995 and the Director of Training and Development in 1997 before she was elected to the Chickasaw Tribal Legislature in 1999. She was 78 when she passed.
Other members mentioned who filled critically important roles within the Inter-Tribal Council include Tom Dosh and Bertram Bobb. Dosh served on the Choctaw Tribal Council for 38 years in addition to serving as a voting delegate to the Inter-Tribal Council. Dosh died at 71 in October 2016.
Choctaw citizen Bertram Bobb served 18 years on the Choctaw Tribal Council and was the chaplain of the Inter-Tribal Council for 27 years. He is the only person to be appointed tribal chaplain for his lifetime. He died at 91 in December 2015.
Resolutions honoring the deceased are expected at the July general council session.
In other matters, the council passed five resolutions unanimously.
The council said the U.S. Congress should amend the Tribal Adoption Parity Act. Under present law, states only designate “special needs” children to receive full adoption tax credits. This excludes tribal governments and adoptions within tribal judicial settings. The council called for amendments to the Internal Revenue Code to include tribal governments for adoption tax credit. Such action would ease the financial hardship on adoptive families under authority of the Indian Child Welfare Act.
Encouraged young Native American girls to study and enter into science, technology, engineering and math – widely known as STEM – as fields of study and future careers. The council cited the Million Women Mentors Native American Council and the American Indian Science and Engineer Society’s “Empowering Native Girls in STEM” as providing support in elementary through high schools. STEM education is critical to natural resource development, health care strategies, and a multitude of other opportunities for young Natives. By supporting the two groups, the council hopes to increase the number of Native students involved in STEM programs in Oklahoma and across the nation.
Backed renewal of the special diabetes program tor Native Americans. Congress established the program in 1997 to address the growing epidemic of diabetes in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. The program has grown and is the “nation’s most strategic and effective federal initiative to combat diabetes,” the council said. Current funding of the program ends Sept. 30, 2017. Funding has been steady since 2002. The council requested the program be extended “at least five years” with $200 million per year in funding.
Adopted a call for the Veterans Administration health care facilities to waive copayments for American Indians and Alaska Native veterans. Citing treaties and agreements between Native American nations and the federal government to provide health care, the council said the Veterans Administration is a federal government program and thereby shares in the federal responsibility to provide care to Native veterans even if they are eligible for services at Indian health care facilities.
The Inter-Tribal Council supports the appointment of Lance Robertson as Assistant Secretary of the Agency on Aging/Administration for Community Living. Robertson currently is director of Aging Services, a division of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. The council noted Robertson has supported endeavors of tribal aging services to tribal elders of Oklahoma for more than 20 years.